Carrying the Lantern of Learning

You teach because you want to nurture young people toward their full potential. In doing this, you are truly a leader, creating the society, advancing civilization, impacting the world for the better -- and for all time and eternity. You teach because it is part of your vocational identity. If you are fascinated with how people learn, their interests and their need to explore the world, you will be fascinated with teaching. It isn't easy, but it is gratifying. After a lifetime in the career, you will look in the mirror and see a person you like because you have helped so many to succeed on their own. Teaching doesn't pay much in dollars, but it's priceless in terms of your personal dignity. Teaching can be the most exciting event if newcomers to the profession help shore up what is lacking, and there is plenty of reform needed. We need to think out of the crayon box and move forward with innovation. As a teacher, you can become a part of the movement for betterment in the profession. As you can already see, teachers truly lead the way. They carry the lantern of learning.

Read more: http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Why_you_choose_teaching_as_your_lifetime_profession#ixzz1Gq1z yuTc

Nice to see you again! This is really a very interesting question, because in many countries being a teacher is one of the most difficult professions a person can have. I think most teachers feel that they have a mission and an ideal. Personally, I've decided to be a teacher because I believe only education can help us to construct a better world and a better future.f

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Top 10 Reasons to Become a Teacher

By Melissa Kelly, About.com Guide

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teaching careers teacher education

Teaching is a special calling. It is not a job well-suited to everyone. In fact, many new teachers leave within the first 3-5 years of teaching. However, there are many rewards that come with this oft maligned career. Here are my top ten reasons why teaching can be a great profession. 1. Student Potential Unfortunately, not every student will succeed in your class. However, this fact should not keep you from believing that every student has the potential for success. This potential is so exciting - each new year presents new challenges and new potential successes.

Every Student Can Succeed

2. Student Successes Closely related to the previous pick, student success is what drives teachers to continue. Each student who didn't understand a concept and then learned it through your help can be exhilarating. And when you actually reach that student that others have written off as being unteachable, this can truly be worth all the headaches that do come with the job.

Fostering Student Success

3. Teaching a Subject Helps You Learn a Subject You will never learn a topic better than when you start teaching it. I remember my first year teaching AP Government. I had taken Political Science courses in college and thought I knew what I was doing. However, the student questions just made me dig deeper and learn more. There is an old adage that it takes three years of teaching to truly master a subject and in my experience this is the truth.

Curriculum and Lesson Plan Menu

4. Daily Humor If you have a positive attitude and a sense of humor, you will find things to laugh about each day. Sometimes it will be silly jokes you will make up as you teach that might get a laugh from your students. Sometimes it will be jokes that kids share with you. And sometimes students will come out with the funniest statements without realizing what they've said. Find the fun and enjoy it!

Humor in the Classroom

5. Affecting the Future Yes it might be trite, but it is true. Teachers mold the future each day in class. In fact, it is a sad fact that you will see some of these students more consistently day-to-day than their parents will.

What Is Your Teacher Personality?

6. Staying Younger Being around young people everyday will help you remain knowledgeable about current trends and ideas. It also helps break down barriers.

Top Ten Ways to Manage Teacher Burnout

7. Autonomy in the Classroom Once a teacher closes that door each day and begins teaching, they really are the ones who decide what's going to happen. Not many jobs provide an individual with so much room to be creative and autonomous each day.

How to Write Effective Lesson Plans

8. Conducive to Family Life If you have children, the school calendar will typically allow you to have the same days off as your kids. Further, while you might bring work home with you to grade, you will probably be getting home close to the same time as your children.

Year Round Education

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Free Teacher For KabbalahWant to Learn From a Free Teacher? Choose From Dozens of Teachers Now!www.Kabbalah.com/Free-Teacher Course for TeachersInternational Teachers Training TESOL @ Best Pricewww.TeflCourse.in 9. Job Security In many communities, teachers are a scarce commodity. It is fairly certain that you will be able to find a job as a teacher, though you might have to wait until the start of a new school year and be willing to travel within your county/school district. While requirements might be different from state to state, once you have proven yourself a successful teacher, it is relatively easy to move around and find a new job.

Top Ten Keys for a Successful Teaching Interview

10. Summers Off Unless you work in a district that has a year-round-education system, you will have a couple of months off in the summer where you can choose to get another job, teach summer school, or just relax and vacation. Further, you typically get two weeks off during Christmas/Winter Holidays and one week for Spring Break which can really be a huge benefit and provide much needed rest time.

"Why I Chose Teaching as a Career" Statement (also known as a "why I chose education as a career" or "student teaching" statement) Updated January 1, 2011 Men and women in teacher preparation programs, in addition to about a hundred other things they are required to do, almost without exception have to write a statement that describes why they want to be teachers. Some colleges call this the "why I chose teaching as a career" statement. Regardless of what it's called, the statement is really about the student's ability to describe the reasons for his or her choice, and sometimes, that's not an easy thing to do. In many colleges and schools of education, this statement is included with the application for student teaching. In my role as adviser, I have read and edited many hundreds of such statements. It is obvious that education students sometime struggle to explain themselves and their choices, and often compose awkward statements they believe are what the readers want. It can be stressful and frustrating. The statement below contains grammatically correct, substantive information that conveys, in a generic sense, what many education students try to express. If appropriate, use it for your own purposes, making the personal modifications you believe are necessary. I used the pronoun "he" in the statement only as a device. The use of "he" is certainly not meant to diminish women who might use the statement, but only to avoid awkward he/she verbiage. Please substitute the feminine pronoun "she" as appropriate. Notice that nowhere in the statement below does it say education was chosen as a career because of "loving kids." The reason? That is one of the most overworked, and increasingly meaningless phrases in the profession. Good luck. Dr. Bob Kizlik

Why I Chose Teaching as a Career When one makes a decision about the work he will do in life, it is important that the decision be based on criteria that reflect his personal values, temperaments, experiences, and skills. My choice of teaching as a career was not made lightly; rather, it was the culmination of a process of reflection about what I wanted to do with my life and my education. When I was a student in elementary, middle, and high school, as well as in college, I found myself paying attention to not only what was being taught, but also to how my teachers actually taught the lessons. It seemed to me then, and still does, that most of my teachers enjoyed what they were doing. Too young, and with no real context as an elementary school student to appreciate what my teachers personally derived from what they were doing, it wasn't until middle school that I began to think that I might want to be a teacher. Slowly at first, then more quickly, and with increasing clarity and depth, I began to visualize myself as a teacher. The great teachers I have had throughout my education are my heroes and my role models. I began to understand more fully in high school and throughout my time as a college student that

great teachers had skills I wanted to learn. I wanted to excel at the things in which they excelled, but I also experienced teachers who were not effective, and they too taught me something. From them I learned what I would not do or even try when I would someday become a teacher. I fully realized that to be a teacher is truly a calling of not just the mind, but the heart as well. I saw that the great teachers were good at explaining content, were patient, yet firm with students, were always fair, set high expectations, knew how to motivate us, and used humor appropriately. They were excellent communicators who had a command of the subject-matter content they taught. I wanted to be like them, to be able to do what they could do, and yet I understood that I would have to forge my own style of teaching that would draw on my strengths, knowledge, skills, values and experiences. I have arrived at that point in my preparation, fully realizing I still have much to learn. I have chosen education as a career because I believe that education is perhaps the most important function performed in our culture, or for that matter, any culture. I believe that teachers individually and collectively can not only change the world, but improve it, and in the process find personal and professional renewal. I want to be part of this noble profession, and someday to be counted among those in whom future preservice teachers found inspiration.

I have chosen teaching as a profession because it lets helps be getting better command over the subject. Also, in free time, I can read other indepth about the subject, which enriches my knowledge and provides me something to offer to my students beyond the textbook answers.

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to serve the community and foster the future growth of students. it provides time for us to have mor access to up to date knowledge and skills

Teaching professional is a rewarding yet challenging cherished career where you can acquire ongoing personal as well as professional development. More than just having impact on the lives of your students, you can also experience a meaningful and supportive relationship with your co-workers too.

There are numerous important routines that are associated with the profession of teaching that you will access from this article. There are a variety of teaching careers available for you to choose from such as a classroom lecturer, a sports coach, swimming teacher, a camp counselor and many more to mention. At college, you can document the experience in teaching by volunteering in a classroom. You can hold talks with your teachers so as to evaluate your strength and experience. There are so many handy career guide and teaching specialties for you to refer to learn more regarding different teaching careers. Making researches on teacher-credential or certification programs at the college or university where you wish to join can be of great help. There are yet different education schemes that you can select for your teaching profession such as elementary education and secondary school teaching. Choose whichever you prefer the most. If you are already working and have completed your course in some college, you can seek for employment as a substitute teacher or teachers aid. If you posses an accredited college degree, then you are qualified for obtaining your credential and can teach for full time with shortage of teacher . Before going for a full year teaching profession, you should enhance your career with numerous standardized exams and compulsory teaching experience, apart from your degree qualification in your teaching subject. Usually teacher training programs add a fifth year to your college education. After this, you can take time to familiarize yourselves with the services of your schools or campus education career center. You can seek for teaching jobs after job search counseling that they provide and you will be connected to school districts with openings. The most important step after these processes is to join a professional association in the teaching specialty of your choice. Professional association such as National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) or the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) should be of great choice. You would require a four-year bachelor's degree program in many states, while some others offer one-to-two year master's degree program. However, all schools demands licensed public school teachers and you can contact your states department of public instruction for states requirement.