What is it that teachers do when teaching?

Question

When people say that parents can't or shouldn't homeschool because they're not certified teachers, what is it specifically that they think teachers do to that uncertified people can't? Or what is it that they think teachers learn during certification that makes them able to teach?

My memories of junior high and high school were mainly of teachers saying things that were already in our textbooks. My memories of elementary were of working from workbooks or textbooks, things just about any parent can help their child with, and spending time reading, writing book reports and writing creative stories.

My teacher training and my time teaching were focused on teaching a group of children. We learned that we needed to figure out ways to keep all the children engaged, how to implement classroom discipline... As someone who has taught a class full of kids, who has tutored individual people and is now homeschooling, I can say from experience that they are very different situations.

Ran out of room!

I'm very curious to know what it is that people think teaching is and why they think only certified teachers are able to teach. And as I said above what it is they think teachers do when teaching that an uncertified parent can't do with their own children.

A teaching certificate is about teaching and managing a large group of children all the same age, all having to go the same rate through a required curriculum. A homeschooling parent is not in the same situation.

wolves: During my teacher training, I did not study elementary math, and I didn't study the social studies curriculum and I didn't study the science curriculum. Elementary teachers learn the social studies and science curriculum as they go along because it changes every 7-10 years here. At the junior high and high school levels, most learning relies on the textbooks.

mopjky, I don't think I've answered my own question. Okay, maybe the top question, but not my real question about what it is that people think teachers do that they think parents can't. So many people respond in here like there's some magical thing teachers learn to help kids learn and that uncertified parents can't do that. I want to know what those people specifically think teachers do.

Answer 1

I'm a teacher, and I've found that my training just added a confidence and slightly difference approaches to handling issues in the classroom.

Other than that, I don't think that having a college education in Education made a major change in how I approached teaching. Ultimately, in order to be a good teacher, you just have to go out there and teach. That's the only way you find out what works.

I've also found out that repeating the material in several different ways helps reinforce the information and transfer it from short-term memory to long-term. That's why it's not a terrible idea to lecture on what was read.

I'm lucky in that I'm an art teacher. I can make up my own projects. Lecture, then demonstrate and then work one-on-one. That seems to help the kids grasp the concepts and build skills.

Answer 2

Public school certified teachers are certified by the state, not an expert. The teacher's test is known to be completely slanted towards liberal ideology. Public school teachers learn "crowd control." If they don't teach certain subjects that they may disagree with, they are subject to harrassment--to different extents--from the principal and other teachers. They are forced to teach subjects they completely disagree with.

I would hope if this is the case, that those teachers would not teach things they disagree with, but would quit and find another job.

Some teachers can teach, and some can't--the certification just means they passed a certain test determined by the state. The state is an atheistic organization. It didn't used to be; i.e., the United States Constitution mentions "their CREATOR."

The religion taught to teachers is humanism and evolutionism. These are very religious subjects in that they cannot be observed or proved, but you must have faith that they happened
or will happen in the future.

I am hoping that homeschooling parents can do MUCH better than teachers trying to control 30+ bratty children!

Just start looking at history: In the "old days," everyone was homeschooled, or tutored at home. In literature books, you must look carefully to see it; for instance, Florence Nightengale's father did not think her teachers were doing a good job, so he taughter her himself! (homeschooled) Pearl S. Buck was homeschooled. Abraham Lincoln was homeschooled by his step mother. Thomas Edison was homeschooled by his very educated mother after his teacher called him "addled." And the list goes on and on.

Recently I visited the home of Thomas Jefferson. I asked the
tour guide, if Thomas Jefferson was homeschooled. "Oh no!"
she said, indignantly. (?) So I listened to the rest of the tour.
"And this is the classroom," she said at one point. "where Thomas Jefferson's daughter taught the children."
AHA! So his children were homeschooled by his daughter!

Anyways, the results of the homeschooled/tutored people of the past were BRILLIANT people!

This is a great idea:
Separation of School and State.
Check it out:
www.sepschool.org

Answer 3

One of the areas of teacher excellence is in their specialization. Even at the primary level, teachers specialize in various aspects of the curriculum: art, music, phys ed, reading, remedial teaching, etc. In elementary school, the divisions become more distinct, and teachers specialize in all of the above plus science, and may hold master or phd degrees in their specialty.
There is a BIG difference between parroting something out of a text book and understanding the concept, and an even greater gap between someone who understands the concept and someone who can explain it to a student. Seriously! One of the nicest guys I know was an absolutely brilliant student. He whizzed through school, went through university on scholarships with a solid 4.0 gpa, and took up teaching. He was a rotten teacher, because although he knew the subject matter backwards and forwards, he had no concept of what it was like to have difficulty learning, and was unable to relate to any but the brightest of pupils. Another friend of mine was a math teacher. He had a terrible time with math and had to re-take course after course in university before he finally passed. But wow, could he teach math! He knew all the reasons why kids couldn't comprehend what seemed to be so clearly laid out in the textbook, and knew what it took to help them understand the concepts. Homeschooling is a whole different element, because you are teaching only your own kid. You have already established discipline and routine. You aren't trying to deal with someone who comes from a home where no one reads (literally!) and all information comes from the TV. Or a child with the attention span of a gnat. Or a roomful of problems. You say you have taught a class full of kids, so you know what that can entail and you are absolutely correct when you say that homeschooling is very different. But thing about what happens when your kids get up to the Sr. High level. Can you teach them calculus? Can you teach them foreign languages? Can you teach them writing, and mark essays the way their college profs will?
There is a place for home schooling, and for parents to help their children with problems in the curriculum, whether their children are being home schooled or public schooled. But there is more to teaching than just figuring out ways to keep all the children engaged.

Answer 4

I don't think there is very much difference between the education one gets when homeschooled vs one in the school system. However, there is a lack of socialization for the children when they are homeschooled. I know a few kids who were homeschooled who were very intelligent people, did well on SATs and such; however they did not have any social skills. They were not used to dealing with difficult situations, conflict and resolution, etc. My professor at college this semester home schools is children and uses the same curriculum as they do in the public school system now. I guess i have to defend my answer - the reason i mention the socialization is due to the interaction i have had with home school kids - i'm not stereotyping - it's what i have seen and it's been more than one home-school kid at different times in my life. They miss that daily interaction with other kids (other kids as in the school goers - not sibliings or neighbors) - the gossip, the chain of command so-to say, the fighting (although, if they have brothers and sisters, i'm sure they've fought a time-or-two) - just every day social things that happen in school.

To answer your ? about why only certified teachers should teach - in the school system i would prefer somebody who went to college to learn how to deal with children teaching my children and just not some joe schmoe who walked in off of the street. That's my personal preference though. Their college degree tells me that they have the experience and not only know the subject they are teaching but also have been in situations dealing with children and can handle their behavoir to a degree.

Answer 5

I'm learning that "teaching" is sadly a political hot-potato. There are so many fallacies and preconceived notions about education. Many people can't see past the end of their eyelids.

For many years people have been fed the idea that a "degree" is important to do anything besides sweep the floor in a fast-food restaurant.

I'm convinced that most "anti-homeschool" people will not ever change their mind. They would not even open their eyes if I introduced them to my previously homeschooled college-student daughter: Even if they followed her from class to class and saw her end-year grades they would not "see" the truth. Even if they sat and chatted with her and could hear her speak with confidence they would still say, "Home school bad...not good for socializing.... me know!!!". And even if they went with her to work and watched her manage her time as she works with people and animals --- they would still beat the drum of "no, no, no... no home school."

Millions of dollars are spent and tax dollars are taken to keep the educational system running. Home school parents still pay these taxes but they save the gov't from the trouble of spending it on their children.

Certified Teachers DO have a place --- I won't argue that.... but I would certainly be pleased if they would admit that YES parents can do the work of raising and teaching children from kindergarten through high school.

Thousands and thousands of home educated children are currently in the work place and in colleges and universities. They are not the misfits as often portrayed.

My husband works in the public school system. We receive the newsletters from the Education Associations. It is amazing how often they print material slamming home-schooling as a poor choice. It's no wonder people have a negative attitude toward the fact that home school is a viable option.

Money. It comes down to money. The gov't makes a student pay to be trained by the gov't to become a "teacher". Then the gov't takes taxes from the people so that the teachers that bought their training from the gov't can be paid to teach the children. Hey, that's okay for them if that's what they want. But many of us prefer to teach our children even though we are paying the gov't trained teachers through our taxes.

Educational choice is what we need. Group schools for those that want them (public or private), Neighborhood schools, One on one tutoring, home schools ---- these ALL exist right now. There are tens of thousands, even millions, of each.

We DO have educational choice.

This home school question and answer forum would be used best if it became a place to learn about how to home school. Those that want to know could come here and find out. But, being that it is so wide open to the public and the public is so confused about the laws and the process of teaching..... this is not the best place to find encouragement.

It is so important for children to become independent thinkers! Not mass clones of one another repeating the same things over and over again. A student needs to be able to get into the material and study for knowledge -- not spoon fed material but self-taught.

Well, enough of my answer......

Answer 6

Hmmm, good question, Glurpy. Personally, I feel as though critics of homeschooling use the "only certified teachers can teach" card for two reasons (maybe more, but I'm only going to mention two) First, point of reference. Trained teachers teaching in a public setting is one of the things we all can relate to. We all understand that and view it as "that's how it's done." Alternative approaches to education have always been downplayed or even cast in to an unfavorable light. Even though I'm in my 40's I can remember (LOL) "learning" about homeschooling in school. In history class, when we talked about the founding fathers that were homeschooled, it was presented as "these poor people had it soooo rough, and even though they "had" to scrape by and learn at home, they somehow were able to overcome that tremendous obstacle and do great things. So, we've been conditioned to think that way.
Second, I believe the other reason is a lack of understanding as to what homeschooling is really like. I've read the answers, and there it is again, "poor homeschooled kids, no socialization, no chances, no hope." UGH! But, in fairness, I used to think that way, (for the aforementioned reasons) but, when I started to become frustrated with the public school system, I did the unthinkable: I researched homeschooling. I put my personal feelings on hold, wrote down a TON of questions, and tackled it. I looked at pros and cons, I went to homeshool stores and sat on the floor and looked through books, I talked to people, asked more questions, researched more. THEN I formed my decision, not based on my feelings, but rather on the facts.
Fact is, most homeschool books are written specifically to be taught at home, therefore they contain all the info you need to successfully "teach" your children, complete with enrichment ideas. Second, opportunities are boundless for homeschool families, at least in my area. I have tons of help in teaching my children, through teachers meetings, conferences, support groups, friends, so on and so forth.
I believe you are right about teacher training being more about teaching in a group setting. Homeschooling is more like one on one tutoring with your kiddos. It's not rocket science. Well, unless your teaching rocket science, of course! LOL :)

Answer 7

They are very different situations because your teaching focus changes according to the context / situation.
I believe teaching is much more than discipline or keeping children engaged. Teaching is also performing and you perform according to the audience.
A teacher should be much more than your memories can account for. A teacher should be able to generate knowledge in a creative environment.
Teachers and parents have different ideas about a schooling environment and their roles should not be confused.

Answer 8

You have answered your own question. The difference is that certified teachers do have to deal with large groups of other peoples children
Unfortunately state governments have established requirements you must meet in order to teach. Homeschooling or not you must meet these standards for the good of the students involved.
Remember: Teaching is about the student not the teacher.

Answer 9

We (public school teachers) know far more than you might think. We know what is normal and what is not normal behavior for that age group, because we have so much experience with kids. You do not have this knowledge that can only be learned through extensive experience. WE KNOW WHAT WORKS, AND WHAT DOESN'T. We are not biased. We do not promote any "religious" cause. We do not over-praise, nor under-praise. Teaching is primarily learned by EXPERIENCE, which is something you lack. In short, we have MUCH MORE EXPERIENCE than YOU do with kids, and we know what we are doing.

Answer 10

The idea behind that is that teachers supposedly know more about what to teach and how to teach it. If you want to home-school your kid though, it's perfectly legal.