From: Gail (for Teacher2Teacher Service)
Date: Apr 25, 1999 at 14:38:12
Subject: Re: Teaching as a career

What sort of information are you looking for? I can tell you that teaching is
much more than many think it is. It is not babysitting, or child-care.

Good teachers must assess their students to determine what they need to
teach. Then they need to plan lessons to teach the material in ways that will
help their students learn. In addition, planning helpful homework to give
students efficient practice on what they are learning and assessing again to
be sure of what the students are learning are some more tasks that a teacher
would need to take care of.

Good teachers know where they are weak, and plan professional development
that will address those areas. They take advantage of opportunities to grow
professionally through workshops and conferences, and realize that sharing
one's success and failure is a part of the commitment.

Good teachers look for ways to help students succeed despite the challenges,
despite the apparently insurmountable nature of those challenges. They find
ways to create a learning partnership with the home, to give students
assistance in learning the material.

It is a rewarding, but very demanding profession, if done with the dedication
it deserves.

I have been teaching the elementary and middle school level for 20 years, and
I still love it. I know I make a difference in my students' lives, and they
certainly make a difference in mine!

 -Gail, for the Teacher2Teacher service

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