Scribd
Upload
277 views6 pages

My Journey As An Educator

The author details their journey to becoming an educator, which began in 2007 when they decided to go back to school to earn their teaching credential. Over the next 5 years, they completed their studies while working full-time and raising a family. They gained early experience as a substitute teacher before completing their student teaching. A key part of their training was learning about the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs), which helped them focus on effectively engaging students. During their first teaching job, the author has continued working to improve student engagement, which they see as crucial to teaching success. The journey of becoming an educator, according to the author, is lifelong as the profession constantly evolves.

Uploaded by

dylanscharf
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
277 views6 pages

My Journey As An Educator

The author details their journey to becoming an educator, which began in 2007 when they decided to go back to school to earn their teaching credential. Over the next 5 years, they completed their studies while working full-time and raising a family. They gained early experience as a substitute teacher before completing their student teaching. A key part of their training was learning about the Teaching Performance Expectations (TPEs), which helped them focus on effectively engaging students. During their first teaching job, the author has continued working to improve student engagement, which they see as crucial to teaching success. The journey of becoming an educator, according to the author, is lifelong as the profession constantly evolves.

Uploaded by

dylanscharf
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 6

Running Head: MY JOURNEY

Scharf 1

My Journey as an Educator Dylan Scharf National University

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for Capstone class TED 690 Professor John Luster

Running Head: MY JOURNEY Abstract

Scharf 2

The journey of an educator is like no other. It takes years of study, countless papers and books, endless observations, and even an unpaid internship. After all this, employment is not even guaranteed. No one would go through this unless their desire to teach and spread knowledge to the younger generation was not a choice but a calling. This calling comes to many and the painstaking efforts all become worth it when the teacher begins to see the light bulbs clicking on. Many take this journey, but this one is mine.

Running Head: MY JOURNEY

Scharf 3

In 2007 I made the decision to go back to school with the intent of becoming a Social Science teacher in high school. I found National University to be a great fit for me as I was married with a daughter, another on the way and a full time job that I knew would not bring us the future that I wanted. The next 5 years were a whirlwind, and the day I got my first teaching job at Great Oak High School is a day I will never forget. Not unlike my wedding day or my children being born, landing that first teaching job is an experience that changed my life forever. Leaving the world of the mundane and entering a world that is in constant flux where every act makes a difference, changes the way you see and engage with the world. I had been in education for a couple of years as a substitute teacher as a way to get my feet wet and be involved as I worked toward my student teaching experience. I knew that with at least some experience in the classroom my credential program and internship would be far easier to manage. It was also an excellent way for my to see if I was in fact going to enjoy teaching. Once in the classroom and having the opportunity to connect with students, I knew that teaching was going to be my life for the foreseeable future. As I began to work through the credential program I began to realize just how many elements there were to teaching. Content is just the tip of the iceberg, but learning how to deliver that content in a meaningful and engaging way is something that takes years of practice and experience. I really feel like my first step towards connecting with the task of teaching was my introduction to the TPEs or Teaching Performance Expectations. Through these I began to realize just what it was I was getting myself into. They gave me a foundation with which to begin taking a new focus in the classroom. As a sub I was able to learn necessary classroom management skills which are vital to a

Running Head: MY JOURNEY

Scharf 4

productive learning environment, but the TPEs would give me the over arching concepts to help me drive the content home to the students. As my student teaching began I started to realize that the skill that I desired most was the ability to engage the students on a regular daily basis and that this would be the crux of my focus. All of the TPEs have strong merit but, TPE 5: Student Engagement which focuses on Effectively communicates instructional and learning goals to students, ensuring active and equitable participation, monitoring student progress and extending student thinking, use of various grouping practices to actively engage all learners, uses a variety of materials, technologies, resources, & strategies to enhance student engagement (Csun), was going to be a long tern goal and practice for me. My master teacher entrusted me with his classroom for the first month of my student teaching experience without him being in the room because he was out on leave from a surgery. There could not have been a more empowering experience for me as a new teacher. I had the opportunity to put my newly acquired skills to the test and really begin to focus in on my ability to engage the students. Since this initial experience I feel like I have really been able to hone my ability to engage the students I am teaching at my new school. Although I believe that I have a far better grasp on engagement than I did when I began teaching, there are still some areas that I know I need to improve in as well. I do believe that I teach to the whole class but sometimes I find myself searching for ideas that will pull the students out of a daze which at times envelopes them. This is specifically necessary for my current 10th grade English class. It is a very difficult class with a wide range of students and abilities in the class. This is a class that I certainly need to keep moving with a variety of activities if I

Running Head: MY JOURNEY am going to keep them engaged in the content of the class.

Scharf 5

I have come along way but one of the great things about education is that it truly is a never-ending journey. The TPEs are a great way to keep a steady focus on what needs to happen in the classroom. As I continue to develop as an educator, the TPEs and the new CCS will continue to be a guiding force for me in the classroom, especially in the realm of engagement.

Running Head: MY JOURNEY

Scharf 6

Works Cited TPEs at a Glance, CSUN PDF, Web. Retrieved on October 3, 2013

You might also like