Teaching - The Greatest Career on the Planet (Electronic book text)

Today, public education in America is being examined under a magnifying glass. Graduation rates around the country have decreased. Violence in schools has become a major concern for urban schools and suburban schools. The great demands of the No Child Left Behind laws and a new emphasis on state standards have increased the responsibilities of educators, both classroom instructors and administrators. Without a question, education in the public arena has changed and, in the minds of some, not for the better. What happens to the educators who are impacted by these changes? Do they care? Will they quit? Yes, they do care; and, no, those who are called into the profession will not quit. Instead, they will find ways to succeed professionally and thrive personally. Education is not a job, it is a careera career that impacts over 49 million students per year. The demand is significant, but the rewards are greater than we could ever conceive. Teaching: The Greatest Career on the Planet provides that spark of inspiration every teacher needs to maintain the type of focus required for a long, enduring, and successful career in education. In Teaching, Dr. Graysen Walles offers eighteen compelling, from-the-heart essays for educators with the intention of maintaining pride and commitment to what he calls the greatest and most influential career on the planet. This book is clearly written to stir a movement in your own life and career and ultimately in the lives of the students you teach. Who benefits from this book? College Students/Professors - Teaching: The Greatest Career on the Planet can be used as a secondary reading source, for students in an introduction to education-type class, for example. In that use, the book would introduce prospective teachers to the realities of teaching. To this same audience, the book might also serve as a useful tool in focusing observations as students start their initial lab experiences in schools. Primary and Secondary Schools - Teaching: The Greatest Career on the Planet can be used as a professional or staff development tool for current teachers. In this use, the ideas presented would stimulate positive discussion between both new and seasoned professionals and then lead to constructive and meaningful improvement in instructional practices. Further, the essays in Teaching can serve as a tool for renewing passion for the greatest career on the planetby using chapters that are most relevant in achieving intended goals. Existing Teachers/Educators - Teaching: The Greatest Career on the Planet can be read by practicing individuals to help them rediscover inspiration and motivation and restimulate self-reflection. Teaching could be read over a break or during planning time to help reconnect to the original passion of teaching. Quotes found throughout the book can also serve to promote reflection, humor, and inspiration. This dynamic resource is divided into two sections. Section one, Characteristics of the Teaching Profession, focuses on the uniqueness of teaching. Very few people understand what educators really do or what they have to confront on a daily basis. This section helps to reveal those eye-opening realities. Section two, Characteristics of the Effective Teacher, provides a vision for classroom teachers and reinforces the vision of classroom teachers who desire a successful and meaningful career in education. What will it take to move you to the next level in your teaching career? Teaching: The Greatest Career on the Planet will provide a road map for getting you on a journey to the answer, while equipping you to walk with honor and pride as a teacher.