Foundations of Education (Lumen)

Pre-service teachers require a strong foundation that includes an understanding of the student’s motivation for becoming a teacher, reflection on the ethics of an educator, awareness of and identification of their own philosophies of education, and an understanding of twenty-first-century skills and literacies. In addition, pre-service teachers need to know the fundamentals of what being a teacher involves, the certification process to follow which leads to becoming a teacher, the standards bodies which exist for content areas, and how to communicate effectively with students, parents, administrators and other stakeholders in the community.

ICEBREAKER

Think about your favorite teacher – a teacher that you learned a great deal from, who helped you to develop your potential or who made you feel at home in the classroom. What characteristics did this teacher have which allowed you to learn, be comfortable, or grow?

Think about your least favorite teacher – a teacher who you simply could not learn from, who interfered with your personal growth, or who created a sense of unease in the classroom. What characteristics did this teacher demonstrate which shut down your learning, stunted your personal growth, or made you uncomfortable?

In a short descriptive paragraph, compare the characteristics of your favorite teacher with the characteristics of your least favorite teacher. Prepare to share with others.

Guiding Questions

1. How do great teachers act?
2. What do great teachers do?
3. How do great teachers present themselves professionally?
4. How does a great teacher make you feel?
5. What is special about a great teacher?

Self Reflection

1. Does this describe the person I am?
2. What would I need to do to be this person?
3. Do I want to be this person?

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS: WHY TEACH?

• Why Teach?
• Why do people teach?

As we examine the characteristics of good and bad teachers in our school experience, it is likely we will see correlations between the student-teacher relationship (STR) and our performance or lack of ease in the classroom. As we look at teaching through this lens, we come to understand that teaching content is only one aspect of the teacher role. Creating an emotionally caring and educationally supportive environment in our classroom can give us an advantage in engaging students for learning.

The following TED Video is presented by Ms. Rita Pierson. Ms. Pierson is an inspiring former teacher who has a philosophy that all students can learn, and that a teacher can lift students to heights they never thought they could achieve. This presentation focuses on practical success and failure resulting from classroom relationships. Often pre-service teachers believe that they are preparing for a career that will require them only to teach the content. However, as teachers, we cannot shy away from the fact that we also teach complex human beings.