Becoming a Teacher

With a bright and engaging writing style that enlists the voices from experts as well as novices, "Becoming a Teacher "explores what it means to be a professional teacher in today s climate of accountability, high-stakes testing, and changing legislation. The fully revised 9th edition embraces and articulates the changing field of education, outlining ways to be an agent of change in the profession, pinpointing meaningful uses of technology in education, clarifying realities of diversity in the classroom, and clearly outlining past, present, and future thoughts on curriculum, instruction, management, philosophy, and issues in education. This down-to-earth and straightforward approach provides students with the tools and information necessary to answer the questions, What does it take to become a high quality teacher? and Do I want to teach? Along the way, the author provides practical perspectives for meeting the challenges of teaching. Organized into four parts, the book addresses both functional and foundational topics to give readers a well-rounded view of the teaching profession."

About the Author :
Forrest W. Parkay is Professor of Educational Leadership and Higher Education at Washington State University. He was Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Florida for eight years and at Texas State University for five years. Forrest received his B.A. and M.A. degrees in English education from the University of Illinois-Urbana. He earned his Ph.D. in education at the University of Chicago, and he is a graduate of Harvard University s Management Development Program (MDP). For eight years, Forrest taught at Du Sable High School on Chicago s South Side, and he served as Chairman of Du Sable s English Department for four years. Forrest is the author or co-author of more than 60 refereed journal articles and several books, including "Curriculum Leadership: Readings for Developing Quality Educational Programs" (Allyn and Bacon, 2010). His research has appeared in the field s leading peer-reviewed journals, including "Phi Delta Kappan, American Journal of Education, "and "Educational Administration Quarterly." A former Fulbright Scholar at Kasetsart University s Center for Research on Teaching and Teacher Education, in Thailand, Forrest has facilitated educational reform programs and conducted cross-national research in China, Thailand, Korea, Japan, Pakistan, India, and Singapore. He has been a Visiting Professor at Beijing Normal University and at Assumption University in Thailand. His hobbies include classic cars, camping, kayaking, and photography. Forrest is the proud father of three daughters: Anna, Catherine, and Rebecca. "

Review :
Many of our teacher-candidates use this text to study for their state teacher competency tests and have found it helpful. It covers actual teaching situations as well as introductory elements for students interested in becoming teachers. Of all the textbooks I have reviewed for this class, I find this book to be the most real when it comes to what is happening in American education. I think coverage diversity in this test is better, more detailed, and covers more than just race and ethnicity. " Barbara Taylor, Western New Mexico University "I found the text to be an enjoyable read, a comment that I don t ever recall making about any textbook, and I would recommend it to fellow instructors as well as new teachers. " Tami Baker, East Tennessee State University "This text is written with the student in mind, readable, informative, current, it provides a great overview and introduction to the classroom. It allows our students to begin looking at the classroom of today through the eyes of a teacher. A great start to Becoming a Teacher. " Larry Froelich, Kent State University "The writing is clear, interesting and engaging. It is written at a level that is appropriate for my students. The honesty of the chapters in answering the focus questions and discussing the pros and cons of the teaching profession as well as connections to real teaching experiences are the strengths. " Lois Paretti, University of Nevada, Las Vegas " I find the organization to be quite useful and beneficial. I particularly like the Summary pages and the Professional Reflections and Activities. This gives added strength to the power of reflecting. " Sarah Swicegood, Sam Houston State University " I like the variety of activities at the end of the chapter, especially Teacher s Journal, Teacher s Research, and the professional portfolio. " Judy Jackson May, Bowling Green State University ""