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+Eric Rondeau
WRTC 103
Professor Fielding
31 January 2016
What is a Teacher?
Websters defines a teacher as, A person whose job is to teach students about certain
subjects. Have you ever had a teacher you loved? Well I hope to become that teacher to a set of
new inquiring minds for decades to come. Ive been part of this illustrious group since my senior
year in High School, which was over a year ago. I believe I joined this group when I started
Student Teaching grade six math at Union Mill Elementary School in Clifton, Virginia. After that
I was fortunate enough to be called back for an internship as a Student Teacher at Liberty Middle
School, also in Clifton, Virginia teaching algebra to the grade eight. Being a part of this
profession, that many admire, has taught me the history, professionalism, and experience I need
to not only become a successful teacher, but also a successful member of society.
The history of this group starts before anyone in this age of time was born. Many experts
have agreed that the history of the modern profession of teaching began in eighteenth century
Germany. This new model included the need for higher education as teachers began becoming
professors in higher levels of education as universities began growing. The first teachers in
America appeared as soon as the continent was settled in the seventeenth century (Taylor). This
was needed in the colonies to help people achieve literacy because most were common workers

who did not have a prior education. Before this, teachers were not so much a profession, as it
was expected to pass down knowledge to the elite class next of kin. This admiring group began
with some simple principles. Some as simple as the expectance of knowledge, growth, and
reflection. These principles are what many believe teachers should be able to pass on to the
students. These are just some of the many principles of my group. As a group, we believe that it
is our responsibility to have students learn the subjects taught to them and to do that, we must
love what we are teaching and have a passion for developing the human mind. There are many
different groups within the education system. The sub-group I am apart of is the math teacher
group. This doesnt mean I am only qualified to teach math. I and every other teacher should be
able to comprehend and explain a variety of subjects to students. The other items teachers need
to become a member of the group, besides having a passion for helping students, is a college
degree or teaching license which typically come hand in hand. This degree, necessary to obtain,
is available at most four-year universities. However, to be ahead in a competitive field, a
masters degree is typically recommended. The requirement of this group is the license needed.
This is usually obtained by field experience which happens in local schools with the students we
plan to work with in the future. These are ways of how teaching has progressed through the
recent centuries and shows what is needed currently to be a member of this distinctive group.
Next we will talk about the professionalism involved with teachers. I personally like to
dress up and look decent from time to time which looks professional to some. A degree of
professionalism is necessary for teachers so that we can establish credibility with our students
and peers. If one of us either dresses unprofessionally, or acts in a manner that is inappropriate
for the occupation, it may cause negative effects on the working environment of the classroom or
office (Sagor).

Time: 12:20 a.m.

Date: 1/29/16

The impression I am trying to portray is that of a professionality. I was

showing this by the stern look on my face and the amount I dressed up for the
picture. This shows I am on task and trying to keep the students focused on
the matters at hand which happen to be math problems on the board.

Some of the characteristics to establish our credibility is how we still come to work every day
even if it isnt the highest paying job in the market or if we are having troubles with specific

students. Some believe teachers shouldnt be paid high salaries because of the stereotypes
associated with teaching. These are, but not limited to, not being able to actually do anything
special so we teach instead, and that they only care about their students test scores. These
stereotypes can hurt the professionalism associated with teaching because it makes teachers out
to be less than what we truly are. The last part of how professionalism is displayed in the group
is by how well we do our jobs. I havent gotten to the point where I am accountable for students
test scores or how much progress they have made throughout the year. This is a very important
item associated with our group due to the fact that the scores go to the state and the local district.
These two areas evaluate performance based on other counties or other schools in the area. These
are just some ways that professionalism is associated with my group and how important it can be
to our own job.
The last item associated with teaching is the experience aspect. This part is the most vital
to the profession because someone with a lot of experience has an easier time dealing with
subjects than someone with little to no experience. My first experience was in a grade six math
class. I showed up the first day with a blue Mohawk which threw everyone off. I only had the
Mohawk for another week because I grew it with the rest of my football teammates for a state
championship game. Looking back it wasnt very professional and it may have lowered my
credibility to the students. At first I had wanted to become everyones friend. Over time I realized
that instead of trying to become their friends, my role was to teach them the subject and have
them learn. For the next few weeks I came every other day to the classroom. I helped with all
problems from simple math learned in the second grade, to complex algorithms just learned last
week. I was able to help by relating the problems given to them back to easier questions they had
seen before. Another way I helped was by just showing them how to do the new way over again.

My next area to teach in was at the middle school level. These students had a higher capacity for
learning and they seemed to be more intelligent than the students I had, even if they were just a
year older. In this placement, I worked with an advanced Algebra I, in which the students were
learning math at a much faster pace than their peers in other math classes. The eighth graders
seemed to have much more discipline, which allowed me to have much less conflict than I did
with the sixth graders. The sixth graders always had excuses for not doing their homework and
had to be punished whether it be staying after school, or losing points on their grade. I only had
one student in the Algebra class that gave myself and the head teacher a problem and that is
because he claimed to always have an excuse for everything. I was the one who had to deal with
him and I got my point across to him that I had just as busy, if not busier schedule than him at the
time. This is how I showed him that he couldnt keep making excuses if I didnt have any. This
moment made myself feel like I could actually discipline someone and make them understand
what they need to do in order to accomplish what needs to be done. This was just the beginning
of me being a part in one on one teaching methods whether it be discipline or the subject matter.
Eventually I was able to work up to teaching the entire class, over just one student. I was lucky
enough to have more confidence because the students began to respect me for the time I was
there. Overall the difference I saw in my confidence and teaching style drastically improved over
the five months I did student teaching. I began to speak up more and instill a more confident
person than I was just five months before. The experience I was given was superb because it
showed what I was to look forward to as a member of my group.
As I look toward the future of my involvement in teaching. I am so happy that I have
gotten the opportunity to experience this group. Teaching has such a rich history and has shown
to be such a rewarding experience. Teachers come to school day in and day out. The deal with

students problems and try to find solutions to their problems. When I started I was unsure of my
future in the career but with all of the support I have obtained from my peers, I have become an
invested member in the group. I cannot wait to see how the group I am a part of changes as time
passes, and how it changes myself as a person.

Works Cited
Sagor, Richard. "Professionalism, Teacher Efficacy, and Standards-Based Education." ASCD
Learn. Teach. Lead. N.p., 2016. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.
"Six Principles for Teacher Education." Indiana University Bloomington: School of Education.
Indiana University, 2015. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.
Taylor, William. "Teacher Education." Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica
Inc., 2016. Web. 28 Jan. 2016
"Teacher." Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 28 Jan. 2016.
<http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/teacher>.