Reflections #1

In Colonial times, being a teacher was not considered a career. It was rather considered a temporary job. Therefore, there were no requirements such as a certificate, degree or even the experience for one to pursue the job of a teacher. In fact with those that had a little experience it was only because they were perhaps apprentices to mastering teachers. With this being said, one may imply that the job of a teacher was not taken very serious, considering the fact that anyone could become a teacher during colonial times and there were no preparations needed. Other teachers that had some sort of experience were indentured servants, paying for there journey to America by teaching for a certain amount of years. It was not until 1823 when Reverend Samuel Hall founded a normal school for elementary school graduates, when teachers were gaining some kind of education for there job as a teacher. This school would train teachers to become professional teachers. In 1839, Horace Mann initiated the first state supported school that offered a two-year training program for teachers. As the years went on through the 1900s, being a teacher became the occupation of mainly women. Given this fact it can be assumed that teachers were still greatly unrecognized. Because the profession of teachers did expand throughout the nation, there were high demands for better qualified teachers. Therefore this demand required better education for teachers, education that would allow teachers to enhance there skills and knowledge as to what it means to be a teacher. And so colleges and universities were initiating different programs for teachers education such as three and four year programs. It wasn't until the 1980s when teachers were being identified as professionals with the necessity to earn a bachelor or masters degree in education in order to become a teacher. In modern today there are many different training programs one may take part in. According to the book, there are two types of teacher education approaches and they are traditional and alternative education. The traditional education for teachers is when students to be teachers and the subject they desire to teach. The alternative education for teachers is when students learn to teach through an internship or on-the-job-training.