Careers in teaching.

The task of becoming an educator must not be pursued lightly; it must be a passionate undertaking.

Education is defined as mental, moral, or aesthetic development by instruction. Aside from its conceptual boundaries, however, education and the educator have far reaching impacts. Educators nurture and train future doctors, lawyers, business leaders, and the next generation of educators.

A good, sound education is a tool that cultivates the mind and can be used to forge past obstacles; to discover a wealth of opportunity and promise.

For African Americans, a people whose ancestors were threatened with death for learning to read and write, education takes on an entirely new dimension. It is treasure denied for too long. For both educators and students, it is a value intimately woven with self-fulfillment. The task of becoming an educator must not be pursued lightly; it must be a passionate undertaking. Education is not merely the transmission of facts and figures. It is the preservation of culture and a stimulant for success.

A career in education is an admirable profession, but an educator must be equipped with the care and understanding that the diversity of students from various backgrounds demand. In fact, because America is becoming increasingly diverse, the need for African-American teachers has become crucial. However, according to the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, while the number of African-American students is steadily increasing, the number of African Americans choosing education as a career path is steadily decreasing. Also, according to these statistics, 44 percent of America's public schools have no African American teachers.

According to Recruiting New Teachers, Inc.'s Careers in Teaching Handbook, several reasons contribute to the discouraging drop in the number of African Americans and other people of color entering the teaching profession. Some are the following:

Teacher Testing: Disparities in the education of African-American teachers, especially during precollegiate years, have led to lower scores on teacher licensing tests.

Dissatisfaction with Teaching: Low pay and the perception of poor working conditions have also prevented many talented students from entering the field of education.

It is estimated that by the year 2000, African-American and other students of color will make up 33 percent of the school-age population. However, African Americans and other people of color will make up only five percent of the total number of teachers by that time.

Measures are being taken to increase the participation of African Americans in the field of teaching. Special recruitment programs, financial incentives, and alternate paths to teaching careers are just a few of the approaches employed to enlist more African-American and other teachers of color.

The career paths in the education field are not limited to teaching. Counselors, administrators, disciplinarians, librarians, psychologists, speech pathologists, and other support people are integral components of the education process. They all, in some manner, influence the lives of students.

Teachers, however, probably have the most immediate and the longest-lasting effect on the students that they encounter. Teachers must be equipped with both the "hands-on" classroom experience and academic preparation in order to become effective educators. Most education majors must complete some type of observation or student-teaching program before they receive their degrees. This experience gives them the opportunity to put textbook theory to practical use and the chance to experience episodes that are unique to a real classroom setting.

Kaimsha Chatman, a special education major at Dillard University, completed observation at McDonough 39 Elementary School in New Orleans, where she observed instruction in a Learning Disorder/Behavioral Disorder (LD/BD) class.

"I want to be a special education teacher, and this experience gave me an indication of what my future career may be like. It was a chance to decide if this is the right choice for me," Chatman said.

Pat Buchanan, a record specialist and recruiter for the Brevard County Public Schools in Florida, says that certain areas in education such as elementary education, physical education, and social sciences have seen an influx of new teachers and have become very competitive. However, there is a great need, she says, for teachers in secondary math and science, instructors for the visually and hearing impaired, and instructors of exceptional students or students with behavioral or learning disorders. She advises education majors to become flexible and diverse.

Buchanan's outlook is echoed in an article in Ebony magazine (November 1993) which also projects that the highest demand in the education arena will be for teachers with special education, math, and science training. The article, "Hottest Careers for Blacks," cites education as a lucrative career opportunity for African Americans.

Frances Davis, coordinator of minority employment for Gwinnett County Schools in Lawrenceville, Georgia, advises education majors to specialize in more than one field. For instance, Davis said that it is a good idea for students to obtain degrees in both special education and secondary education. "It makes them more marketable," she said.

The academic preparedness of a future educator is very important. A well-rounded academic curriculum in education includes both general and professional course requirements. Students majoring in education should be immersed in English, basic science, social studies, and math classes, as well as classes in education theory, child psychology, and classroom management. For secondary education majors, a sufficient concentration of courses in their specialty fields should be required.

If students are prepared adequately, the road to certification should be an easy one. All 50 states and the District of Columbia require some form of teacher certification for elementary, secondary, and special education teachers. Usually teacher certification is awarded to those who successfully complete the National Teacher's Examination. The NTE is divided into two portions, the Core Battery and the Specialty Area which test a student's knowledge of specific information in the area of study, respectively.

However, some states offer alternative certification programs for people who have college training in the subject they hope to teach, but do not have the required education courses for regular certification. Under such provisional certification programs, individuals begin teaching while taking education classes until they receive regular certification. This can be an excellent option for mid-career changers. Many other contingent certification programs exist and vary from state to state and with special circumstances. However, many states have reciprocity agreements that make it easier for teachers certified in one state to become certified in another.

Those hoping to enter the field of education must not only prepare for the challenges awaiting them in the classroom, but should also prepare for inevitable challenges of an ever-changing job market. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook 1993 of the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, adult education is one of several fast-growing occupations in teaching. One reason for the increase in the number of jobs available for adult education teachers is the increase in the number of adults taking courses for career advancements, skill upgrading, and personal enrichment.

Adult education teachers presently hold over 500,000 jobs and earn an average of $26,000 a year according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. One incentive for becoming an adult education teacher is that because the students are adults, usually in the class by choice and highly motivated, teachers do not encounter the behavioral and social problems sometimes experienced when dealing with younger students. Adult education can be an especially rewarding career.

Adult education teachers are employed by businesses that provide formal education and training for its employees, as well as by public school systems.

According to the Bureau of Census, the number of school age children will increase dramatically through the year 2005, largely because of high birthrates and immigration influx. Undoubtedly, the number of teachers that will be needed to fill elementary and secondary education positions will increase.

Elementary school teachers, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hold approximately 1.5 million jobs. Eighty percent are employed by public school systems and earn an average of $32,400 a year. Nearly 1.3 million jobs are held by secondary teachers who earn an average income of $33,700 and are also overwhelmingly employed by public school systems.

Secondary teachers, who specialize in specific subject matter, perform the significant task of crystallizing the information inaugurated on the elementary level.

Because of federal legislation that mandates the training and instruction for individuals with disabilities, and a growing public concern for individuals with special needs, more special education teachers are needed. There are, presently, about 340,000 special education teachers on the secondary and elementary education levels. While the national average salary for all teachers, according to several sources, is estimated at $33,000, individual salaries vary with contracts, budgets, and experience.

Teachers work far more than 40 hours a week. Aside from assigning lessons, administering tests, and maintaining classroom order, they must grade papers, prepare lessons and tests, supervise extracurricular activities, and interact with parents and staffs. They must continually update their skills and stay knowledgeable of the latest technology in the classroom.

Teaching is often a tireless, and sometimes a thankless task. Teachers must be dedicated to their chosen career paths. While the question of salaries and benefits is important in any profession, teachers should reap their greatest reward when they have positively affected the lives of students.

Shonda Little, a third grade teacher with the Plaquemines Parish School Board in Louisiana has been teaching for six years and believes that teaching is a very important profession.

"Teachers mold the minds of tomorrow's leaders," Little said.

Little is very enthusiastic about teaching and is always willing to go the extra mile for her students, even if it means countless evenings of tutoring after school hours. "When I see my students excited about learning, I become excited," she said. "This is what teaching is all about."

Role Model Profile

Yolonda Simone Avery Art Teacher Mesa Public Schools Mesa, AZ

Yolonda Avery teaches high school students (grades 10-12) the principles of drawing, painting, sculpture, and commercial arts. She is the school representative of Mesa Educational Association and Arizona Education Association.

She obtained her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Education in 1987 from the School of Art Institute of Chicago. She was awarded an Art Guild Scholarship and was on the Dean's List. She is listed in Who's Who Among Students in the American Colleges and Universities. She is a recent cum laude graduate of the University of Phoenix with a Master's in Adult and Continuing Education, 1993.

A freelance graphic design artist and an exhibiting fine artist specializing in graphite pencil, pastels, and watercolors, Avery plans to pursue an educational doctorate degree in the near future.

"Young people are smarter than we think! They should be credited with having more knowledge, both academic and streetwise, than we as adults give them. Youth, especially at a secondary level, should be given guidance in making correct choices, building their self-esteem and trusting their own inner voices. Yes, they can be taught to "believe in themselves" and all they have to offer to succeed in our society.

"As an art teacher, I believe every child is a piece of clay--a work of art lies beneath the surface of every child.

"Teachers are master craftspersons, sculptors of sorts. I believe teachers mold, not chisel, young minds to create and discover the individual within themselves," says Avery.

Eric Holmes Acting Assistant Principal William Penn Senior High School School District of the City of York, Pennsylvania

As Acting Assistant Principal, Eric Holmes supervises a staff of 39 teachers and 106 staff members. He evaluates teaching abilities, works with the curriculum, schedules classes, manages daily functions, and implements discipline policies.

Holmes taught social studies after receiving his bachelor of science degree from Penn State University. He then earned his master's in School of Management from Loyola College. In September, he plans to enroll in a doctoral program. "Eventually, I would like to become a superintendent of a large urban district," he says.

His advice to students: "Draw strength and guidance from your family. Surround yourself with people who share your dreams, have high expectations for themselves, and who are motivated to succeed. Never forget who you are and where you came from. The debt that you owe those who came before you will never be repaid until you give back to the community."

Edd Taylor Fifth grade teacher East Morris Cox Elementary School Teach For America Oakland, CA

Taylor graduated from University of California at Berkeley with a degree in psychology in spring 1991 and joined the Teach For America corps in summer 1991.

Knowing that young African Americans need positive role models in their lives, he was excited to enter the classroom as a full-time teacher straight from college.

Taylor says that students and parents at the elementary school in East Oakland where he teaches were surprised to see a young African-American male at the head of the class. "The kids were a little shocked," Taylor said. One boy even said I was the first "boy teacher" he ever had."

Taylor requested to be assigned to Oakland or Los Angeles. He wanted to teach where he was really needed and could make an impact on the community.

The fifth-graders in Taylor's class are learning about the importance of educating themselves. They're placed in cooperative learning groups named after major colleges. Taylor wants all of them to assume they will be attending college.

Teach For America recruits recent college graduates to teach in under-resourced urban and rural public schools. Corps members come from all cultural and academic backgrounds and teach at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.

For more information on Teach For America, call 800-832-1230, extension 220.

Anitra Brown is a junior communications major at Dillard University.