Chapters 1 and 2: What it means to be a teacher and as a profession.

Chapters 1 and 2 discusses what it means to be a teacher and teaching as a profession. The INTASC (Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium) standards were introduced as a guide on what teachers should know and be able to do.

What I have learned from these chapters is that it takes a lot of dedication to be a good teacher and this certainly applies to the standards. For example, INTASC standard 1 states:

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures

of the subject being taught and can create learning experiences that make these

aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.

By expanding the knowledge base, a teacher will be able to achieve this standard by knowing what to teach, how to teach, knowing about the students, and being creative in passing knowledge on to the students which is mentioned in INTASC standard 3:

The teacher understands how students differ in their approaches to learning

and creates instructional opporturnities that are adapted to diverse learners.

Teaching as a profession is considered a helping profession. It takes committment and dedication to keep teaching. Teaching is not just helping students, the helping hand extends to their parents, the families, and the community. According to the INTASC standard 9 it states:

The teacher is a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects

of his/her choices and actions on others (students, parents, and other pro-

fessionals in the learning community) and who actively seeks out opportunities

to grow professionally.

A teacher never stops learning. Keeping updated with new research, technology, as well as

what goes on globally is one way of being informed.