Thinking About Teaching?

Congratulations on considering a career in teaching – a chance to be surprised every day, to pay your debts to the future! I hope this page inspires you as you make this decision, helps you find a teacher education program that is a good fit for you, and gives a glimpse ahead to your first classroom experiences.

Deciding to Teach
The best teachers have a lot to offer young people through their passion; maturity; and extensive content and professional knowledge, experiences, skills. The best teachers love students first, and their subject areas second. The following resources should inspire you -- and help you consider whether a career in teaching is right for you:

Erin Gruwell [author of The Freedom Writers Diaries] on Her First Year of Teaching: Listen to this inspirational teacher, author, and mentor describe her first year of teaching. Then check out her work with the Freedom Writers Foundation and her book, The Freedom Writers Diaries.
Dalton Sherman Asks Teachers, “Do You Believe in Me?” You've got to see this! Dallas, Texas fifth-grader, Dalton Sherman, explains better than anyone can what a teacher's belief in students means in their lives. Then read an article in the Dallas News about this inspirational young man.
Slam Poet Taylor Mali on “What Teachers Make” Taylor Mali is well known for slam poetry that takes on tough issues. This one is about the true value of a career in teaching. Watch him, then read the poem for yourself on his website.
Holler If You Hear Me: The Education of a Teacher & His Students by Gregory Michie. (1999). New York: Teachers College Press. A touching and poignant account of Gregory Michie's first year of teaching in inner-city Chicago.

Get Involved in K-12 Schools
The best way to know whether teaching is the career for you is to get involved in local schools. Volunteering in local schools not only gives you a glimpse into the world of teachers and students, but it also meets a pressing social need. In addition, volunteering can help you choose what district you might want to teach in, and what grade level best suits your talents.

Seattle University Children’s Literacy Project: http://www.seattleu.edu/csce/clp/
School Guide: A Comprehensive Guide to Schools in the Puget Sound Regionhttp://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/schoolguide

Teacher Education
Washington has 22 approved teacher education programs. Each has its own history, purpose, mission, and requirements. The following resources can help you select a program that will fit you:

Washington Superintendent of Public Instruction: http://www.k12.wa.us/
- Certification: http://www.k12.wa.us/cert/
- College/University Educator Programs: http://www.k12.wa.us/certification/approvedprograms/default.aspx

TeachWashington: http://www.teachwashington.org

Teaching in Other Parts of the Country

Becoming a Teacher: Guide to 100+ Master's Degrees in Teaching: http://www.becomingateacher.org/

That First Year…
Although nothing but the experience itself can truly prepare you for your first year of teaching, these resources may help:

New Teacher Survival Guide: http://www.dun.org/sulan/teacher/
Survival Guide for New Teachers (US Department of Education): http://www.ed.gov/teachers/become/about/survivalguide/index.html
What to Expect Your First Year of Teaching (US Department of Education): http://www.ed.gov/PDFDocs/whatexpect.pdf
Advice for First-Year Teachers: http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr152.shtml
Survival Kit for New Teachers: http://www.education-world.com/a_curr/curr086.shtml
Teachers Network: http://teachersnetwork.org/TeachNet/

What Seattle University Has to Offer
Seattle University’s College of Education has over 75 years of experience preparing high-quality educators to work with K-12 students in a variety of settings. In addition to formal preparation programs, we also offer a wide range of resources on education that may be of use to you no matter where you go for teacher certification. We hope you’ll keep this list handy:

Master in Teaching Program: Master’s degree program for initial teaching certification in grades K-12: http://www.seattleu.edu/coe/mit/
Literacy for Special Needs: Master’s degree program for teachers who wish to add endorsements in Reading and/or Special Education to their initial teaching certificate: http://www.seattleu.edu/coe/literacy/
Professional Resources for Teachers
- Teaching with Children’s Literature: http://classes.seattleu.edu/education/litc521/schlicknoe/
- Literature Circles Resource Center: http://www.litcircles.org/
- Storypath: http://fac-staff.seattleu.edu/mmcguire/storypath.html

Seattle University | College of Education | Literacy for Special Needs Program | MIT Program

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