How to Become a Effective Teacher

How to Become an Effective Teacher In general, education is a term often used to refer to formal education, which covers a range of experiences, from formal learning to the building of understanding and knowledge through day-to-day experiences. In fact, individuals receive informal education from a variety of sources, such as family members, peers, books and mass media. All of them have exerted a strong influence on informal education of the individual. On the other hand, throughout the processes of teaching and learning, education can also refer to a wide variety of discipline such as computer science, chemistry, health science, society and linguistics, etc. Undoubtedly, in almost all societies, attending school and receiving an education is extremely vital and necessary if one wants to achieve success or even want to obtain an entrance ticket to a better social ranking; however, common sense is sometimes hard to learn from the books directly¾one can have all the “book” knowledge in certain professional field, but formal education won’t get him or her far if a individual don’t know how to behave with his or her co-workers, superiors, and or even family members. In my understandings, education should be comprised by formal and informal studies, and should be carried out in the process through out ones’ lifetime. More importantly, education cannot be succeeded without motivation.
A high-quality education is really essential for an individual’s success in today’s society. Without a good quality education how would the next generation be able to compete for jobs? Today’s new technologies are becoming more and more intricate to run. Life is not easy; if you don’t have the knowledge as everyone else dose. Most likely, you will not be as successful as the one with the higher education. According to Bonnie Neff, my high school English teacher, knowledge is the key to success! As for me, I know that the knowledge I gained will be a great tool to implement later in the future. Comprehending something new, will let me visualize and expand the knowledge that I already have to a greater extent. There was a discussion in one of my class last year, one of my teachers was telling me about why there were so many students failing, and falling behind on the required subjects. Teachers are confronted with the problem of keeping up with the fast pace at which kids are expected to learn today. That one particular discussion made me wondered “what it is like to become a teacher?” And what approach does to a teacher have to take to get to students, to come up with ideas to help their student to stay on the right track? With a strong effort by teachers even the most limited student can have a higher education. Now, that I’m tutoring in an elementary, kindergarten to be exact. I’ve been helping Mrs. Le with her students for about two months. In her classroom, I was pretty amazed by the way how her students were so eager and enthusiastic while learning something new. I’ve realized that once you pull off the difficult challenge of providing the student needs, it’s a breather to know that, you’ve done your job. Now, your student feels like he can accomplish any goals he or she sets for. In my opinion, I think that this is why teachers love their job because they’re passing down the knowledge that he or she had collected and are making a difference in their student’s life. It takes a lot of hard work to become a good teacher. Good teachers must not only know their subject matter extremely well but also be sensitive to their student’s feelings to ensure that everyone in the class feels that they can be successful. (Calhoun 11). A successful teacher starts with the proper credentials. The road to become a competent and certificated teacher is both challenging and rewarding. (Shockley and Cutlip 21). In order, for you to become a teacher you have to decide upon a major and a minor teaching field. Your major is the area of the studies in which you will become most expert on. It requires more courses, more time, more work, and more attention but it will pay off to a great extent in the future. (Shockley, and Cutlip 43). You need to make a choice on the grade level or subject area for your major. You can either choose to teach in an elementary school, secondary school, or college. During the years of college you have to take curriculum requirements such as: general education, fine arts, humanities, history, science, mathematics, and social science. A typical college, which operates on a semester basis, requires 123 total credits hours for a bachelor’s degree. (Shockley, and Cutlip 22). In addition, prospect teachers face challenge during the early years of teaching. Getting accustomed to the hard work required in the classroom and responsibilities involved in teaching can be extremely tough for new teachers. (Calhoun 8). There are specific traits and qualities that can be useful to help and understand what the students are going through. You must have patience, creativity, preparation, and discipline. Last, to get an insight view of being a tutor I had an interview with Gabriel Melano, a Communication studies tutor in Sacramento City College and readying tutor at the Sacramento Unified District. Whether, you deiced to teach in an elementary school, high school or in college just have in mind that you need to have patience and creativity with all of your students. When you are trying to help someone learn, having patience is an essential necessity (Calhoun 14). These students are undergoing vast developmental changes that require a lot of attention and sensitivity. (Calhoun 22). At the early childhood level, teaching these youngsters is less focused on curriculum and content and more on motivating the children to learn and influencing their self esteem. The teacher must establish an environment conducive to learning on which developing mind can grow and expand. (Calhoun 20). Teaching in high school filled with teenagers is a bit different than teaching younger kids. Not just the age different, but also they way these teens think of themselves. You must understand that, during this stage of development, teens are seek their own personal style and identity. (Calhoun 24). A High school teacher must be able to inspire and motivate so that the learning will continue to take place despite all of the other challenges that the students are facing. (Calhoun 25). Having a keen understanding of this age group and being familiar to how students develop affects his or her learning style. Some student might be afraid to speak up to ask for help. By having patience is a way to gain the insight thought of your student’s need of learning. Every child learns differently so don’t ever come to a conclusion. Youngster absorbs information and develops skills at his or her pace. (Keogh 3). Youngster might be confused with the way how you are trying to teach a specific subject. By being creative and trying to figure out tiny ways to help your students to comprehend show that you’re willing to do what it takes for him or her to learn. The activities are much more teacher-directed as in the rest of the school program, and pencil-and- paper tasks are required for sustained period of time. (Calhoun 57). Letters names, letter recognition, colors, shapes, sizes, games, and other relationships are expected of kindergarten students. (Calhoun 57). If a student is a visual learner teacher can use flash cards with pictures to get through a point of what they are trying to get them to know. Teachers can make teaching fundamental for students. Teachers can use different ideas of how to approach something they are trying to teach and find many different ways to help students learn. Students know the name of the subject, and they can use their imagination to present the material in the way that student can understand. (Calhoun 14). By having, creativity is what makes the classroom come alive, and it is what helps student learn and appreciate learning. (Calhoun 15). Teachers who are models of organization and preplanning not only help their students learn but also show them how to be organized themselves. (Calhoun 16). When a teacher shows that he or she know what is important, then the student will be more responsible in doing their work. Designing a good lesson plan help put with time consuming because you already got everything all set. As students grew older you might have to be more discipline. This age of groups is extremely active, and the learning environment must be challenging for them. (Calhoun 22 and 23). If a student tends to get bored, they can find their own avenues for relieving themselves from boredom. They usually, take the form of some kind of classroom disruption. When this happens, you have to find a way to prevent this from happening again. For younger kids, all it takes for them to stop playing or goofing around is when you tell them that you plan on calling his or her parents and have a little talk with them with the way how he or she is behaving inappropriate. So, once a young kid hears that treat about calling her or his parents the kid usually start to pay attention again. When it comes to high school teenager it doesn’t work that way. In ways, high school teenagers need more discipline to control their behavior. This is the age where they feel to overwhelm with everything. Having a good communication with the teenager can help you understand why they tend to act up in the classroom. On my interview with Gabriel Melano I had asked him a few questions about being a mentor. The first question that I had asked him was, “what inspired you to become a tutor?” He responded, “During elementary school I started helping other students out and it made me felt good inside about myself. Knowing that you make a difference on someone else’s life and their gratitude just makes me feel like I have a good purpose in life.” The next question that I had asked him was, “What has been his biggest challenge so far?” He responded, “My biggest challenge as a tutor has been motivating children who many have given up on. There are students who set their mind and won’t even try to learn. It makes me sad to see someone so young being pessimistic.” The next question that I had asked was, “Do you feel like you have accomplished anything so far?” Gabriel, “I am happy to say that every time when a student succeeds I succeed. I also learn a great deal from every student to work with.” Last, question that I had asked Mr. Gabriel, “Do you have any type of skills to make teaching easier?” His answer: “Patience with kids.” Teachers are the people who are able to bring out the best in others. These are the people that can be able to combines two important types of learning and making the best out of it. When students feel unsuccessful and under-appreciated, they can lose their desire to work hard and can begin to believed that they are less talented or worthy than their classmates. (Calhoun 11). Teachers who possess quality by having patience, creativity, and discipline often receive visits and letter of gratitude from their students long after they have graduated. Teachers should be more appreciated from all those hard work that they put us through. Our teachers wanted us the students to feel more prepare as we go on with the next challenge ahead of us. They were leading our hand to face the Reality of this world called life. Thank you so much for all the things that you’ve done for us to be where we are at right now.