“So… what are you going to be when you grow up?”
Posted on 14. Jul, 2009 by Elle.
“So… what are you going to be when you grow up?”-the quintessential question asked by many throughout the course of my life. We’ve all been asked this question time and again and now that I’m in college, the question seems to haunt me. My parents, friends, and strangers alike constantly shoot this question at me. (Do I have a sign over my head that tells people to ask me about my future?) Back in kindergarten, I answered “doctor and ballerina” (yes, I wanted to be both at the same time). But my views have definitely changed as I’ve grown older. As a rising junior in college, I finally have to make a decision…and a career in education is callin’ my name.
I have always loved school. I love the challenge of learning material, collaborating with other students, discussing pertinent issues and subjects with my teachers, the feeling of mastery over a subject once I’ve fully grasped it, arguing and defending my viewpoints in papers, and simply reading about new ideas and concepts. But I would not have gained my love for education without the help of my parents and great teachers. I feel a rush of exhilaration at the thought that I could possibly help other students learn to love school, too. You know that feeling you get when you fully and completely understand a concept in school? Teachers must feel that 100 times more when their own students master the subject matter-and how cool is that?!
Hopefully everyone has at least a few of those outstanding teachers that are forever ingrained within their memories of school. The standout teachers in my life have definitely shown me how integral teachers are to students, the educational system, and life in general So what does it take to be a good teacher? Now that I’m considering a career in teaching, I did some research. How does one become a teacher? And how does our state ensure that we have quality teachers?
Potential Washington State teachers have three options: a residency certificate (for beginning teachers), a professional certificate (must have prior experience), and a substitute certificate. In order to be eligible for certification, teachers-to-be must have a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, must finish an approved teaching program, and must pass the Washington Educators Skills Test.
This results in teachers with college degrees and the capacity to pass a basic standardized test. But to me, the most important of these is the approved teaching program-the experience. Our state has 21 state-approved teacher certification programs at local public and private colleges. According to U.S. News & World Reports, the University of Washington’s education program is ranked 12th in the nation and Washington State University’s education program is ranked 96th. Not too shabby, Washington. (How the rankings were obtained and evaluated is explained here: http://www.usnews.com/articles/education/best-graduate-schools/2009/04/16/education-program-rankings-methodology.html?s_cid=related-links:TOP)
However, rankings do not completely determine our state’s teacher quality. Not every single Washington teacher is from Washington or has gone through our own state’s teaching programs. I think our state can do more to ensure that our students have quality teachers, more than requiring a degree and the passing of a test. Knowing how to learn does not translate into knowing how to teach. So what more do we expect of our teachers? What do you expect of our teachers?
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Education News of the Day for July 14, 2009
Posted on 14. Jul, 2009 by Lindsey.
Stimulus money : More than $827 million in stimulus money spent in Washington
Test scores rising but disparity still exists: Achievement gap divides black, white students
Keeping up with the changing world: Bates high schoolers can sleep in - and train for jobs
Families say goodbye to Hilltop Elementary: Puyallup to close elementary school in Edgewood
Federal Way school district focusing on changing the achievement gap: Minority becomes the majority in Federal Way schools
