Elementary Teachers Essay

Did you know that teachers take on the role of mothers, fathers, friend, adviser, psychologist, and nurse? Teachers are the keys to every door of success. Elementary teachers, however, builds the foundation for the home of your dreams. Most people believe and view elementary teachers as â€Å"babysitters† and â€Å"caregivers,† but truth be told, they are truly God sent heroes dressed in suits that walks around with an extra arm and leg making the world a better place. They are not people that you send your children to just so you can have a break at home. It is a disgrace that parents’ have that mentality and modern parents’ continues to think so. Many do not understand the sacrifices and hard work it takes to mentally raise not one, not two, not three, but hundreds of children. Three very important things you need to know about elementary education are as follows; first and foremost, you must familiarize yourself with the duties and responsibilities of an elementary teacher, secondly, you must know how to become one, and lastly, if you value hard-earned money and the sweat of your hard work, you would want to know how much an elementary teacher earns. I asked a question on the beginning of my introduction to give you a feel and picture of what an elementary teacher goes through everyday. Parents complain and leave all the problems to the teachers to figure out when really, that is not their job. Their job is to make sure that your child receives the best education possible. Not to babysit and try and break their bones teaching them wrong from right. The question on the beginning of the essay creates a conversational tone and will allow readers to search for the answer or read along searching for whether the answer is true or false. U.S Department of Education Secretary, Arne Duncan stated, â€Å"I really believe that teachers are the HEROES of our society. † Being a teacher is not an easy job. Teachers make it look easy but in actuality, teachers are miracle workers. They are able to take care of a classroom full of active curious George’s, and not just anyone can do that. Teachers have many duties and responsibilities. They provide the main source of knowledge for children, ensure that values are being taught well, and create and prepare lesson plans for whatever subject they are teaching whether it be math, English, science, or etc. A teacher knows her students best so they evaluate one’s achievements, abilities, weaknesses, strengths, and challenges them to overcome obstacles that are hindering them. They prepare students for standardized tests and most especially, for future grade levels. Besides in-class teaching, they spend over 20 hours outside of class grading papers, organizing extracurricular activities, and worrying about their students. Remember that being an elementary teacher is not the same as being a regular teacher. Dealing with children is much harder than dealing with teens and young adults because children are not accustomed to the English language and their minds are not as focused as older students. Teachers, other than parents, are people you can turn to when all else fails and the world seems like a dreadful place. Now that you are familiar with the duties and responsibilities of an elementary teacher, you are now wondering how to become one. The steps and procedures needed to achieve this goal. Depending on what school you are applying to and whether it is a private or public school, the process differs. Most if not all schools requires at least a bachelor’s degree in elementary education, a state-issued certification or license, and other required trainings and tests. Some private schools do not require a bachelor’s degree or certifications but they do evaluate your experiences. Because you are working with young children, you must know how to adapt your teaching methods to the students’ levels. You are going to come across students who are not as fortunate as others, students that are slower or faster than others, students that are different colored than the others, and just some students that are much more active than the others, but it is your job to adapt and learn how to deal with whatever situation you are in. You must have great communication skills, patience, instructional skills, and creativity. Like I have mentioned earlier, requirements on how to become a teacher depends on what school you are applying for and whether it is a private or public school. It is always best to do some research on the specific school you desire. Lastly, with all the steps and procedures to become an elementary teacher, how much they actually make is the sad part. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, statistics states that The median annual wage of elementary school teachers was $51,660. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $34,390, and the top 10 percent earned more than $80,140. Public school teachers make an average of $50,000-$70,000 annually. Private school teachers make an average of $50,000-$60,000 annually. Thus implying that public school teachers makes more than private school teachers because private school teachers’ salaries depends on how many students are enrolled and tuition fees whereas, public school teachers’ salaries depends on certifications and degrees. The higher your degree is the higher your pay is raised. Despite how much the average teacher makes, many people, especially teachers, feel they are underpaid. They work more than 50 hours a week, sometimes works on the weekends, and spends most of their time doing unpaid tasks at home. Many teachers quit their jobs in 5 years because of the low paid salaries. In conclusion, despite the low paid salaries and take home work teachers deal with, it takes a true hero to care for someone else is child and guide and teach them the basics of education. They spend most if not all of their time at home grading papers, worrying about their students, and finding different ways and techniques to help a child in need. They are the eyes, the ears, and the brains of students. Without them, education would not be possible. They deal with different types of students that go crazy because someone just stole their pencil, or she broke a nail, or he is going on a vacation with grandma, or her birthday is coming up. They have these special powers that can tell when something bad is happening, or something is wrong, or something just does not feel right. Most teachers do what they do not for how much they make or the credibility but for their students and because they care. I was raised by a teacher and living with her and seeing first hand how hard it takes to be a teacher and how all she wants is to see her students succeed is one of the best rewards anyone can ever receive. I have used the technique â€Å"summarize† for my conclusion to recap and restate the main points of my essay. In doing so, it allows readers to go through what they read but in one whole summary. We do have heroes in the world, after all. Source list: http://www. kimskorner4teachertalk. com/writing/sixtrait/organization/conclusions. html http://www. campusexplorer. com/careers/DE17C02B/elementary-school-teachers/ Bureau of Labor Statistics, U. S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition, Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers, on the Internet at http://www. bls. gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/kindergarten-and-elementary-school-teachers. htm.