Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generations 1

Abstract

The field of education is sometimes overlooked by those looking to choose a major.

Many may go by salary or the amount of school required; those meant to be teachers look for

much more meaningful outcomes. Interviewing a former teacher and experiencing a classroom

after conducting research on this profession brings ones dream of educating to life. The

following research covers ideal person qualities used every day in the career and a teachers

potential is explored.
Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generations 2

Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generations

A popular quote from Steve Jobs reads, Your work is going to fill a large part of your

life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only

way to do great work is love what you do. If you havent found it yet, keep looking. Dont

settle, (Reporters, 2017). Anyone truly passionate about what they do can attest to Jobs

statement; deciding on a career to pursue, and being content in pursuing it, is dependent upon

recognizing what occupation will not feel like work. Being an educator necessitates an

education, experience in the field through internships/jobs with varied or preferred ages,

references to better chances of being hired to a school system, and favorable teaching skills.

Educating children may come across to some as a tedious, underpaid job. While this very well

may hold some truth, teaching the future generations the foundations of their education will be a

rewarding experience. Our society needs positive mentors to support the mental health and well-

being of children, as well as to stimulate good relationships between the child and

parents/caregivers. Leaving an imprint on so many lives in this way gives many in the major, and

myself, the drive to succeed.

Ever since early history, teachers have been vital to the progression of mankind and have

held the same role: to teach. Teacher is described as a person who teaches or instructs,

especially as a profession; instructor (Teacher, 2017). Teachers have had a timeless affect on

society; consider Aristotle, a Greek philosopher whose views are still discussed today. Those

who educate children well are more to be honored than they who produce them; for these only

gave them life, those the art of living well, (McGasko, 2017), meaning it is easy to reproduce,

but those who truly aid children into becoming productive members of society are the ones who

deserve the most honor. Educators like Aristotle, Maria Montessori, Emma Hart Williard,
Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 3

etcetera, have made significant breakthroughs noted in history. Education is hardly a minor

profession. Despite decades of both legitimate and unfounded criticisms, the education

professoriate has survived and thrived, (Ducharme, 1993, pp. 1). As time changes, so does the

advancement of our knowledge. Technology has no doubt transformed to enhance the way

people learn, hence the way teachers teach. From single school rooms dated back to early

America, to the writing and rewriting of textbooks, to the modern SmartBoard. The internet has

become a prominent tool in education, and has changed vastly over the past few decades. As

technology keeps growing and becoming more complex, the more literate the coming

generations become at earlier ages. One has to be willing to continue to be educated to adapt to

new teaching mechanisms. Because the next generations will be working in advanced

technology, they have to have instructors who are up to date with how to operate computers.

Computers have become such a household product that many children are more literate in

technology than they are legitimate books. Most important, teaching with technology prepares

students for a life in the 21st century. Whether the students work at a fast-food restaurant or fly to

a space station, computers will be a part of their lives, (Stone, 1999, pp. 87-88). Stones

statement endorses that finding ways to add technology into the classroom every day, like using

educational videos or having kids research the Internet about various topics makes them that

much more familiar with software they will use throughout their lives. Teachers have to be able

to have the patience to help students understand without being irritated; their main goal is to be

an encouragement in order to guide students to success. Anyone who holds these abilities may

find reward in becoming a teacher.

This profession, naturally, requires one to be thoroughly knowledgeable. Steps to

becoming a legitimate licensed teacher vary from state to state, but most are generally relative.
Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 4

To be a teacher in the public-school system, you are required to have completed a four-year

program and received a bachelors degree to be able to apply for a license. Most education

programs integrate clinical observation and supervised student teaching experiences (2017).

During these observations, the student would usually sit in on an elementary classroom, take

notes on the teaching styles used, the way the classroom is set up, how the children respond to

the lesson, and things of the like. Every state has a Board of Education who supervises the

licensing process, in which one must show proof of completion of a four-year program in the

field, transcripts, passing Praxis test scores, and must pay a fee ("North Carolina Teacher

Certification and Licensing Guide 2017", 2017).

Aside from the educational requirements, a teacher needs to possess good communication

and organization skills. If a classroom is unorganized with no structure, a child cannot focus on

the material in an efficient manner. While the structure of a classroom and the lesson plans are

the core of an education, a childs relationship with their teacher plays a large role in how well

they are willing to learn. A teacher is a source of knowledge by definition, but being a source of

counsel gives kids a feeling of reassurance that their instructor truly cares for their well-being.

The American Psychological Associations Stress in America survey shows that stress is a

growing issue in our culture. We are always striving to be smarter, faster, and more efficient. The

beginnings of education are particularly crucial, because habits and learning methods developed

in this stage are likely to be carried with individuals throughout the rest of their lives. Home life

has become a huge stressor in kids lives. parents dont realize their own stress is affecting

their kids. While 69 percent of parents say their stress has only a slight or no impact on their

children, just 14 percent of youth say their parents stress doesnt bother them, (Clay, 2011).

This observation shows that kids need an educational environment in which they have a safe
Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 5

haven from home stressors. A teacher must also be flexible because not every child learns the

same way; lesson plans have to be able to be structured to change as needed. At the same time as

having different learning preferences, some students are more willing than others to learn. Being

able to control a classroom despite these behavioral issues is a vital quality to possess. Someone

interested in this career pathway should have experience in situations like these, for example,

having been a tutor, camp counselor, teachers aid, babysitter, etcetera, which all give a chance

to develop authority, leadership, communicative skills with different age groups/personalities

and responsibility. Positive experiences in any of these jobs can make connections one could use

as references in the future.

All these qualities someone should possess are necessary in any classroom not just the

typical classroom of average students. In previous years, school systems have had, some still

have, separate classrooms for special needs students. Teachers and Special Education teachers

are educated much differently. Carla Becker from Norwalk, Iowa speaks on the subject: They

went to the room down the hall with the special education teacher. I never knew exactly what

the teacher did in that room with those students. I was sure, however, that she possessed skills

that had never been introduced to me, (Stone, 1999, pp. 139-140). Becker had little to no

experience with kids who had learning disabilities until she volunteered to participate in the

integration at her school. She reflects on teaming up with a special needs teacher to teacher a

classroom of average and disabled students. This kind of integration is a positive experience for

both types of children: mentally disabled people as a whole need interaction with the normal

world that we who do not have these limitations consciously or subconsciously create social and

academic boundaries against. These students also prove to be a beneficial experience for teachers

as it was for Becker because it brings a on a new perspective of what it means to be a quality
Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 6

teacher. Those who can inspire sheer interest in learning and be a catalyst to the childs active

learning no matter the culture, age, or disability are those who take heart to their job. A-ha

moments such as this one when an educator is reminded of his/her influence are priceless

rewards.

I chose to interview someone who has inspired my passion for early/elementary

education and encouraged it. Sheila Wagner, my mother, taught preschool for twelve years and

worked closely to prepare children for kindergarten and elementary school. She was the oldest

sister of a family of four children and had taken care of her younger siblings while her mother

was at work. She later had four children of her own, and taught my preschool classes from when

I was just entering school to when I entered kindergarten. Wagner has an associates degree in

Early Education to support her former experience with young children. Listening to her response

to my questions made me eager to get involved in the teaching community.

My secondary sources also opened new doors of excitement. The three books, Best

Classroom Practices by Randi Scott, Whos Teaching Your Children? by Vivian Troen and

Katherine C. Boles, and The Lives of Teacher Educators gave inspiring stories from teachers

and information about the work field. These sources were vital because of the ethos they inflict

upon the idea of teaching. I also found in-depth descriptions, statistics on salary, job projection,

and social issues through Elementary School Teachers: Job Requirements, Duties and Career

Info , North Carolina Teacher Certification and Licensing Guide 2017, and Stressed in

America online.

Sheila Wagner contacted her previous employers at Winston Salem First and arranged for

me to teacher-assist my first grade teacher. This was a meaningful experience because Mrs.

Bishop was easily the most encouraging, genuine teacher I had. She decorates her classroom in
Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 7

clever posters about learning, and captures every childs attention in a way that excited them

about what they were hearing. She was touched when I told her that she was the most memorable

teacher of my elementary years and that she was another inspiration for me to follow this career

path. Teachers like Mrs. Bishop have such charismatic passion, and I hope to touch lives in that

same light.

The primary and secondary research conducted throughout the project supported the

importance educators have on society and reason for the desired qualities of one hoping to go

into this profession. This discipline requires one to be rounded in patience, authority, willpower

and love. Writing is a prominent skill to have mastered because of the priority communication

this profession holds. The parent child relationship in education was stressed when talking with

Sheila Wagner. Not only must you communicate with the child every day, but parents play an

important role in keeping kids motivated at home. Methods like sending home weekly

newsletters have to be written with quality. Children at this age are developing skills used all

through their early childhood; writing in this career has to be strategically structured in a way

that children are receiving proper instruction.

The information researched supports my passion to teach because I truly want to see our

future progressing, and the only way to ensure that is to raise our societys children with

knowledge, discipline, and encouragement.

Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 8

References

Clay, R. A. (2011, January). Stressed in America. Retrieved November 28, 2017, from

http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/01/stressed-america.aspx

Elementary School Teachers: Job Requirements, Duties and Career Info. (2017). Retrieved

November 27, 2017, from

http://study.com/elementary_school_teachers_requirements.html

McGasko, J. (2017, September 05). Famous Teachers in History. Retrieved November 27, 2017,

from https://www.biography.com/news/famous-teachers-in-history

Teacher. (n.d.). Retrieved November 29, 2017, from https://www.merriam-

webster.com/dictionary/teacher

Ducharme, E. R. (1993). The lives of teacher educators. New York: Teachers College Press.

Reporters, T. (2016, October 04). Steve Jobs: His 10 most inspirational quotes. Retrieved

November 29, 2017, from http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/0/steve-jobs-his-10-

most-inspirational-quotes/

Stone, R. (1999). Best classroom practices: what award-winning elementary teachers do.

Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

North Carolina Teacher Certification and Licensing Guide 2017. (2017). Retrieved November

27, 2017, from https://www.teachercertificationdegrees.com/certification/north-carolina/

Education: Laying the Foundations of the Next Generation 9