Public schools teacher - what did your training include?

Question

I've noticed some teachers on Yahoo Answers ask questions that I thought would be covered in every Teacher Training program! thought it would be interesting to see what different K-12 teachers did as part of the Teacher Training program. This would also help people thinking of becoming a teacher make decisions about their education.

TWO YEAR BACHELOR OF EDUCATION DEGREE

Entrance requirement: Bachelor's degree & GPA ~ 3.2

Semester One: two days per week observing classes in a real school, two days on campus. Classes dealing with child development, brain research, classroom management, assessment, learning styles and theories, diversity education and ethical issues.

Semester Two: Still two days of observation in a school, plus two days of classes dealing with curriculum in our chosen subject area. Grade-by-grade curriculum analysis, unit planning, lesson planning and teaching strategies.

Semester Three (Year 2): Four days per week of teaching in a school while observed by a classroom teacher, and one day per week of discussion on campus.

Semester Four: Student-selected options on campus. Choices include special education, counseling, ESL, gifted education and educational leadership.

I go to a top-level university. Bachelor of Education degrees are awarded in two years FOLLOWING the completion of a first Bachelor's degree.

I don't know what you people are thinking. ALL CANADIAN UNIVERSITIES (that have Education programs) offer post-degree Bachelor's of Education degrees in either twelve or sixteen months of full-time studies (not counting summer break). You don't have to get it from the same university you did your first undergraduate degree in. I think it's a pretty sad state of affairs when people can't see beyond their own local borders.

Answer 1

No accredited teaching school gives a bachelors degree in two years. It is a four year program. You study your core subjects such as English, Math, Science and Social Science. In addition you take Education Methods Courses, Child Psychology, Tests and Measurement courses, Technology in the Classroom Courses and you do observations much as you have outlined. Your final semester you teach full time in a school under the supervision of your college professors and an supervising teacher at the school. You assume all the regular teachers duties by the end of the semester.

Answer 2

As a secondary teacher, my major an minor were in the areas I teach. However, to be certified as a teacher, I also had to take a sequence similar to those you mention. I took courses in developmental psychology, educational psychology, testing and evaluation, as well as two different observations in public schools and an eight-week student teaching program where I lived on my own in a community distant from the university I attended. In addition I had to take methods courses in how to teach the subjects I am certified in.

I also have a master's of education degree. Half of that degree was advanced work in my subject area. The other half was in education. Classes covered the history of American education, curriculum planning and development, statistical analysis from an educational perspective, and trends in education.

Answer 3

A Bachelor's Degree is not earned in 2 years, however if you already possess a Bachelor's in something else, then the same university or college may grant you a second Bachelor's like they did you. However, your best bet would have been to get your MAT, because your pay would be more and you have the higher degree. My curriculum was basically like yours, however I am Health Specialized, so I took a lot of health courses.

Answer 4

I have my M.A.T.(Masters of Arts in Teaching) We had pretty much the same thing except we also had classes in math, reading, science, and social studies. They were about how to teach these subjects. But in order to teach, you need to take the Praxis which covers some general knowledge. My undergraduate degree was in English so my emphasis is in Language Arts. (It hasn't been too hard to keep up with my students, I taught kindergarten and now teach remedial classes at a community college.)