Teaching Degree Student Story Insights
BrainTrack's Teaching Schools Scholarships have received many inspiring "student stories" that offered revealing insights in response to the essay questions on the application. While winners are chosen based on the creativity, focus, accuracy, practical value and overall thoughtfulness of their stories, our staff concluded that there were many helpful suggestions and thoughtful perspectives contained within the received essays that would be valuable for all prospective and current teaching students. The following is a snapshot of the responses we have received to the questions posed.
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What do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your teaching school that would be helpful to others going into teaching?
It was common for respondents to have encountered surprises once they experienced the realities of their programs. The following are suggestions from them, based on what they learned experientially.
Take a test drive - Get as much experience as possible working with and educating children before committing to a teaching program. Try to get experience working with different groups of students -- even travelling to discover how education is different in other cultures and countries. Take risks in order to figure out what works best according to individual style.
Identify personal teaching philosophy early - Actively question what is being taught in classes, compared to personal experience and observation. Raise questions and debate policies with classmates and professors in order to develop a personal philosophy. Make lessons and activities original, aligning them with a personal teaching philosophy. Keep updating this philosophy throughout the program, trying new activities, approaches and topics.
Develop communication skills - Teaching is not just about wanting to work with kids, it's about developing the skills to be able to communicate detailed information effectively. Take steps to gain confidence when speaking in front of groups, and in keeping the attention and interest of a classroom of children.
Stay strong - It takes confidence to lead children and work with parents who feel strongly about their children's success in school. Seek out ways to develop confidence and strength.
Remember the big picture - There are many ups and downs in working with children, and people in general. In the midst of busy work, a hectic schedule, or a tedious class, it's important to remember the larger purpose.
Don't be a know-it-all - Having a complete understanding of the material being taught is not necessary, nor should it be a primary objective as a teacher. Teachers are positive role models when they are honest about not knowing something, and demonstrating how to find the answer. The primary goal of a teacher should be to learn how to present the material to students so that they fully comprehend the information.
Get organized - Developing organizational skills prior to beginning a teaching program will prevent having to learn them the hard way during school.
Not just a job - Teachers occupy more roles than just teacher - they may act as nurturer, counselor, community leader, etc. Their job doesn't end at the end of the school day - it is a way of life.
- Ask lots of questions... and then ask more. -- Higher education is all about research, and researching potential programs is where higher education starts.
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Favorable environment for learning - Look for programs that offer a comprehensive curriculum in particular fields of interest, small classes for more individualized attention, and place emphasis on fieldwork and practical classroom instruction to gain as much experience as possible. Be clear about what kind of learning environment will work best. For example, a recently-graduated high school student may struggle with an online degree program because they haven't yet had a chance to develop study skills appropriate for college course loads.
If the program is offered only online, ask if the classes are asynchronous (courses that can be completed at any time) or synchronous (live participation), which can mean a big difference in how much interaction there is between professors and students.
Flexibility of program requirements - The structure of programs can vary widely, so keep looking until the right one stands out. Many programs now combine online learning with on-campus courses and open practical experience options that adapt with a student's other responsibilities to work and family.
Diverse experiences and teaching styles - Make sure programs allow students to work in a variety of classrooms and with diverse student groups. Graduates should be well-prepared to teach at different grade levels in urban, suburban or rural settings as well as traditional public schools or alternative academies. They should know what to expect when teaching exceptional students, students for whom English is a second language, and other students with different learning styles.
Classroom management - Make sure programs offer substantial training in classroom management skills.
Evaluate content area coursework - Ask lots of questions about how the Education department collaborates with English, science, math and other subject area departments to equip students to teach these subjects. Compare how much emphasis is placed on teaching students in these areas, preparing them for team teaching environments.
School partnerships - Find out what schools the teaching program partners with in order to offer supervised experience. Make sure the environments are similar to those where the student plans to work after graduation.
Expand teaching emphasis - Look into how add-on endorsements, second majors and certifications can provide focus on areas of particular interest, such as getting certified to teach in Spanish or placing importance on reading. It may be worth delaying graduation to receive additional training in specific areas that will lend to employability.
Faculty interests and background - Especially in Master's programs, consider the tenure, background, and research interests of the professors that teach applicable courses.
Compare different tuition requirements - Not all schools charge tuition by the credit hour. For example, at some schools, tuition is charged per six month term. This allows students who complete their twelve credit units in four months to continue on to the next subject (or two, etc.) at no extra cost.
Employability - Make sure to ask about how teaching credits will be considered by employers. For example, if a student does not yet have their bachelor's degree, and enters into a credentialing program, the units they complete may apply only to their bachelor's degree rather than toward a Master's degree. This can impact beginning salary as a teacher.
What have you enjoyed most and least during your teaching degree program so far?
Respondents frequently said the positive benefits of their teaching program came from the empowerment they received by learning effective teaching techniques, and seeing the results first-hand in a variety of educational settings. These benefits included:
Broad experience - Getting opportunities to gain experience in a variety of teaching environments, especially early in the program.
Online flexibility - Finding online programs that fit in with full time work and family that are professional, challenging and rewarding.
Worldwide classroom - The opportunity to learn different teaching styles from students all over the world through online degree programs - especially Master's degree programs, where students are already teachers.
Building the foundation - Developing a platform of strategies, topics and other tools that empower students to be effective teachers.
- More than a textbook - Moments that remind the students why they chose to be teachers - stories of how education or individual teachers make a difference for children in need.
Broadening horizons - Discovering how rewarding it can be to help tear down barriers to reading and writing that children encounter, building instead lifelong learners.
The teaching students primarily expressed frustration with:
Time management - Balancing responsibilities between school, work and family presented daily challenges.
Peer-based learning - Some programs emphasize peer-based learning, where students who are all beginning the program are teamed up to complete projects together. These projects can demand lots of research, organization and time investment. Such projects can turn out to be frustrating when highly-motivated students are grouped with those who are not fully committed (until these students are "weeded out").
Subject areas suffer - A lack of collaboration between the Education and subject area departments such as English to prepare them to teach in their subject areas or team teach.
Tedious teachers - Observing a lack of passion in college professors or classroom teachers in schools during practical training.
Insufficient interaction - Online programs in particular made learning a more singular activity, with less opportunity for mentorship and collaborative learning.
Lack of experiential learning - Opportunities to work directly with students came later in the program, or not enough time in classrooms working directly with students was made available.
Bureaucratic details - Completing documentation, academic requirements, preparing for teacher certification tests, and other nitty-gritty details that represented time away from active teaching.
Disadvantages for the disabled - Special education resources seemed to be allocated more for exceptional students.
What led you to choose teaching as a career path?
While a few respondents knew they wanted to be teachers since they were young (often inspired by their own teachers or family members that taught), most studied for or worked in other fields first. Quite a few discovered a passion for teaching by participating in informal activities that involved instructing others. Other reasons these students entered a teaching program included:
Travelling to or teaching in foreign countries, and seeing what education can do for people in impoverished communities.
Wanting to inspire and encourage children they way they were inspired and encouraged by teachers who were passionate about learning.
Seeing the opportunity to communicate passion for a subject area such as writing, American government, or history to our future leaders; to create well-rounded, informed, and prepared adults.
Involvement in local communities and a desire to have a positive impact.