Editors Note: This teaching student story essay was selected as second place winner from BrainTrack's Teaching Schools Scholarship for fall 2009. At the time of submittal, the winner, Oral Urquidi, was studying for a Single Subject Teaching Credential in Mathematics at National University in LaJolla, California.
Wishes Had Known |
Program Likes/Dislikes |
Choosing Teaching
What do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your teaching school that would be helpful to others going into teaching?
I really like the school that I have selected to earn my teaching degree. When I selected the school I chose it because of its convenience for a full-time working mother of three. My school offers online classes and as a full time student I take one class a month, which is very manageable. Those features were perfect for me when I began the program, however, since I began the program, I am no longer employed and even though the program is convenient, the cost of the program is a big factor. Due to the format of the program I am currently in, it is difficult for me to transfer to a less expensive more traditional program. I think it would be helpful to other students to know that the work that they do at their school is easily transferable to another school if their personal situation changes and they need to make school changes in the middle of their program. I feel that had I asked more questions, the “what ifs”, that I would have been more informed regarding the possibility of changing schools when my personal situations change. It may have possibly changed my school selection, however, I still love my program due to the format, and convenience, and while in the program, I am really enjoying learning from the professors employed there.
What have you enjoyed most and least during your teaching degree program so far?
During my teaching degree program I have enjoyed having the opportunity to do observations at schools. I really enjoy being in the classroom and seeing how the teachers work with the students and how the students respond. It is wonderful when you are doing an observation and you see teaching skills that you are learning being put to use right in front of you. The skills come so naturally for the teacher. Upon interviewing the teacher after observations, they use all of the terminology that you are learning. It is then that you realize that almost every action taken and word said by the teacher was done on purpose to in some way help the students. The teachers then encourage you in your studies and reassure you that they love what they are doing and reiterate all of the positive aspects that teaching has to offer. Every time I do an observation, it is a confirmation that I chose the right career.
The thing that I have enjoyed least during my teaching program so far, isn’t really a part of the degree program, however, it is the situation that teachers today are in. As a result of budget cuts to education I have seen my daughters’ school lose six teachers and her class size jump from eighteen students last year to over thirty students this year. The current budget situation sometimes makes me doubt that I have chosen the right career. It makes me wonder if I will be able to seek employment to pay back student loans when I am finished with my program. It is then that I say to myself, that I need to focus on my current goal, work on being the best teacher that I can be, and just letting the other issues work themselves out. I would hate the impact that it would have on students if all of the talented, creative, brilliant teachers jumped ship because of fear. I won’t do that to my future students.
What led you to choose teaching as a career path?
I have always had the idea of teaching in the back of my mind. When I finished my Bachelors Degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1994, I took the California Basic Education Skills Test (CBEST). The aerospace industry was slow and I thought that it would be nice to be a substitute teacher while looking for a job in engineering. I ended up obtaining an engineering job and didn’t pursue teaching at that time.
As I started my career, eventually I got married, and became a mother. When I took a break from my career, I started volunteering at my children’s schools. I became actively involved in the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), helped in the classroom, went on field trips, and loved every minute of it. I loved the positive school environment, being around the students, watching children learn, and seeing how proud they are when they do well.
After six years of being a full-time mother, I went back to work as an Aerospace Engineer full-time. I saw things much differently this time around than I did when I first began my career. I could sit at my desk for eight hours straight without talking to anyone. Eventually I found the work and environment to be draining and unfulfilling. The seed that was planted in 1994 to teach began to sprout. After discussing it with my husband, we both realized that teaching would be the perfect career for me. I enjoyed being around children, I loved helping them learn, I loved helping people with math, and I would love to have summers off of work to spend time with my own children. I began to research teaching credential programs, found one that met my needs and started my exciting journey on the career path to becoming a teacher.
Mail List
|