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ShelbyMiller Ms.Boes English10 20September2013

Anelementaryschoolteacherislikethebaseofabuildingtheypreparechildrenfor alonglifeofeducation.Iwanttobeabletohelpchildrengetontherightpathtofuture success.Ienjoyworkingwithyoungkidsandseeingtheirfaceswhentheyaccomplisha goal.Tome,teachingisnotjustshowingsomeonehowtoreadorwrite,buthowtobe responsibleandbecomeagoodcharacter.ThisiswhyIhopetofurthermyeducationto becomeanelementaryschoolteacher.Pursuingthecareerofateachercanbedifficult,but Ihavethehardworkanddedicationthatitrequires. Oneofmyfavoritethingsaboutbeinganelementaryschoolteacheristhatthejobis veryhandson.Ithinkitsfuntoworkwithachildinsteadofjusttellingthemwhattodo.Iam willingtobringapositiveattitudetotheclassroomtoassistthechildrentoreachtheir goals.Allstatesrequirepublickindergartenandelementaryschoolteacherstohaveat leastabachelorsdegreeinelementaryeducation(HowtoBecomeaKindergartenor ElementarySchoolTeacher).Ilovetobecreative,soitwouldhelpengagestudentsin learning.Elementaryschoolteachersarerequiredtoplanlessons,gradeandevaluatethe studentsprogress,enforcerules,supervisechildren,anddevelopasafelearning environment.TRANSITION Tobecomeanelementaryschoolteacher,youhavetohavesocialskills,which

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showthroughmypersonality.Iliketositbackandlistentootherpeoplesideas,butspeak upwhenIhavesomethingtosay.IamverypatientandtrytobeagoodpersonwhereverI go.Althoughteachingseemslikearewardingcareer,therearetimeswhereitcanbe stressful.Someschoolshavelargeclassesandlackimportantteachingtools,suchas computersanduptodatetextbooks.(WorkEnvironment)Ihopetogainmoresocialskills overtimetoprepareformeetingswithbossesandconferenceswithparents. Forcollege,IhopetoattendtheUniversityofNorthernIowaformanyreasons. UNIsCollegeofEducation(COE)isknownforhavingsomeofthemostinnovative teachereducationprogramsinthecountry.(WelcometotheCollegeofEducation)Oneof theprogramsIwouldbeinterestedintakingwouldbetheElementaryEducationprogram. Theprogramincludesmanyopportunitiestogetoutandexperiencewhatitisliketowork withchildren.TheUniversityofNorthernIowaisnottoofarfromhome,soIcouldcome homeduringtheholidays.Itwouldbeamazingtoplayfortheirvolleyballteam,whichIhave alwaysdreamedof.Theyhavemanyclassesthatworkaroundanyschedule.Attendingthe UniversityofNorthernIowawouldhelpmegetagreatstarttoateachingcareer. Asmoretechnologyisbeinginvented,teachersarefacingmoreandmore challengesintheclassroom.Oneofthemainchallengestheyfaceiscyberbullying.Iwant tobetheteacherthatmystudentscanturntowhentheyneedhelpwithseriousproblems. Otherchallengesincludeparentinvolvement,testing,andsalary.AccordingtoBLS,in 2011,elementaryschoolteachersearnedamedianaveragesalaryof$52,840. (ElementarySchoolTeacher:Salary)Elementaryschoolteachersdonotmakenearlyas muchaslawyersanddoctors,buttheydomakemorethanjanitors,sportscoaches,and

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teacherassistants.Allteachersalariesarereportedpublicly.Parentalinvolvementisvery important.Ifparentsarenotdoingtheirjobathome,itisalmostimpossibletohelpa studentwhentheparentsarenotwillingtodotheirshare.Itissaidthatenrollmentinthe SouthandWestpartsoftheUnitedStatesareexpectedtohaveanincrease,whilethe Midwestwillstaythesame,andthattheNortheastisexpectedtohaveadeclinedamount. Theoveralljobpotentialforanelementaryschoolteacherseemstohavemany employmentoptions. Someofthebenefitsthatcomewithbeinganelementaryschoolteacherinclude healthinsurance,retirement,sickdays,andleave.Otherincentivesmaybebonuses,tax breaks,andmortgageassistance.Eachschooldistricthasdifferentbenefitsforits employees.Anothermainaspectteacherslookatisthejobconditions.Studiesshowthat goodworkingconditionscanpromotejobsatisfaction.Someoftherequirementstohaving goodworkingconditionsmayincludestrongadministrativeleadershipandhighparental involvement. Outofallofthepossiblecareers,Ichoseateachingcareer.Thereareseveral reasonswhyIwanttobeateacher.Iworkgreatwithyoungkids,sinceIvehadlotsof experienceswiththem.Ihavehadmanygreatrolemodelsinmylife,andIhavealways wantedtobeagoodrolemodeltoothers.Theworkinghoursarenotverynormal,butIwill beverywillingtoworkoutsideofmyschedule.Throughoutallofmyexperiences,Ihavehad positivefeedbackfromthestudentswithwhatIamtellingthem. Ihavetherequirementsanddedicationtogodownthepathofbecomingahard workingteacher.EachdaywillbeplannedwiththelessonthatIwillteachtomystudents.

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Technologywillmostlikelyplayabigroleintheclassroom,soitwillbeeasyforme becauseIworkwellwithtechnology.TheUniversityofNorthernIowawouldmakeiteasyfor metogetateachingdegree,andIcouldpossiblyhavemydreamofplayingvolleyballthere cometrue.Thesalarycouldbehigher,butitwillworkout.Ihopetobeveryinvolvedinmy careerandshowmycreativeandpositiveideas.IchosethiscareerbecauseIwantto makeanimpactonsomeoneslifeinapositiveway.

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WorksCited

"ElementarySchoolTeachers."ExploreCareers|ISEEK.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Sept.2013. (http://www.iseek.org/careers/careerDetail?id=1&oc=100309) "ElementarySchoolTeacher:Salary."ElementarySchoolTeacherSalaryInformation.2013U.S. News&WorldReportLP,n.d.Web.15Sept.2013. (http://money.usnews.com/careers/bestjobs/elementaryschoolteacher/salary) "HowtoBecomeaKindergartenorElementarySchoolTeacher."U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics. U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,29Mar.2012.Web.15Sept.2013. (http://www.bls.gov/ooh/EducationTrainingandLibrary/Kindergartenandelementaryschool teachers.htm) "WelcometotheCollegeofEducation."UNICollegeofEducation.N.p.,n.d.Web.15Sept.2013. (http://uni.edu/coe/) "WorkEnvironment."U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics.U.S.BureauofLaborStatistics,29Mar. 2012.Web.15Sept.2013. (http://jobdescriptions.careerplanner.com/ElementarySchoolTeachersExceptSpecialEduca tion.cfm)