Posted on

For Pre-Service Teachers: What You Need to Know About the Praxis Exam

While on the pathway to becoming a teacher, “Praxis” is a word you’ll hear a lot. But what is it? Is it a certification? A methodology? An evaluation? What is this thing that seems to bear so much weight on your future as a teacher? “Praxis” is the shorthand for the “Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers.” These assessments come in the form of a series of tests – an unsurprising thing to find in the field of education. Whether you are considering a traditional teacher education program or an alternate-route program, it’s important to understand the Praxis series of tests. …

Continue reading “For Pre-Service Teachers: What You Need to Know About the Praxis Exam”

Posted on

Finding Support in Your First Year of Teaching

In any profession you’ll find professional groups and networks to support and encourage new professionals, as well as groups of experienced professionals seeking to advance in their profession. This 
is known in the corporate world as networking. The teaching profession has several support groups 
that provide information, consultation, and much-needed encouragement for the new teacher. Especially during your first year of teaching, it’s incredibly important to have an adequate support network. Good people to incorporate into your network include: 1. Counselors Students often have to cope with difficulties, such as death, divorce, and mental and physical abuse, which can affect …

Continue reading “Finding Support in Your First Year of Teaching”

Posted on

6 Reasons to Respect Teaching as a Profession

According to Webster’s Dictionary, a profession is defined as “a calling requiring specialized knowledge and often long and intensive academic preparation.” Ballantine and Spade list six characteristics that distinguish a profession from other occupations. These characteristics can help answer that question.

Posted on

The First Year Teaching: Classroom rules and routines

Student defiance is a particularly unpleasant experience for all teachers, new and experienced. As a new teacher, you might be tempted to take the belligerent actions personally but it’s important to approach such situations with a rational, non-emotional stance. You want to avoid a chaotic classroom atmosphere where the actions of one (or a few) students lead the others to believe that defiant behavior is acceptable. It is common for new teachers to worry about defiant students, but by insisting students have control over their behaviors, you can avoid this unpleasantness. Here are some ways to approach the issue of classroom rules …

Continue reading “The First Year Teaching: Classroom rules and routines”

Posted on

The First Year Teaching: How do I involve parents and the community?

Teachers are often the first line of defense when it comes to their students overall well-being. Academics aside, teachers have a big responsibility to students, both legally and ethically. So how can teachers involve other people outside their profession to enrich the lives and academic success of their students? Be aware of civic support.  Ernst Boyer, a former U.S. Commissioner of Education, once said, “Perhaps the time has come to organize, in every community, not just a school board, but a children’s board.  The goal would be to integrate children’s services and build, in every community, a friendly, supportive environment …

Continue reading “The First Year Teaching: How do I involve parents and the community?”