Reflection #1 EDF 1005

Thinking of teaching always makes me remember the Greek culture. They believed the human body was a temple for the mind; therefore they promoted knowledge and physical beauty. Pioneers of philosophy created universities where man could excel in learning, concentrating in subjects like math, language, and astronomy. It came to a surprise that during the 1800s teaching had such negative praises. In Colonial times teachers were not prepared in the field and the job was mostly performed by unqualified individuals and indentured servants. Since teaching required low qualifications there was not much respect for the profession during those days. The creation of a private institution called “Normal School”, by Samuel Hall in 1823, paved the way to offer educators the knowledge of classroom skills. Later on a man named Horace Mann, opened the first normal school funded by the state. Even though these steps were made to promote the good name of the profession, it was still considered a degrading path. At this time many of the teachers were females since they were also considered in low regard. They were restricted by a contract that did not allow teachers to roam freely around town and had to carry themselves in a poise manner. Even though some of the requirements in the contract seemed to be extremely demanding I believe it help rid people of the preconception that teachers were uneducated and unprofessional. In the 1980s two reforms came about to demand productivity in schools. The Holmes Group presented “Tomorrow’s teachers” and the Carnegie issued “A Nation Prepared” which drove some institutions into changing the undergraduate education degree for a five-year master degree instead. The views of the world towards teaching have been dramatically changed and professionals have the knowledge to manage a class. Alternative routes for teachers might be to gain the education experience while actually performing on the job. This is the goal of programs such as the Teach for America (TFA). This curriculum allows for teachers to gain experience on the field while also learning how to approach different ethnicities. Teachers these days also have the chance to pursue a certification by the school board, which in turn may increase their salaries.