When being in high school we are often asked “What do you want to be in life? “, most of us have high expectations of ourselves like doctor or scientist, others, walk in to the wrong profession and end up going back to school wanting to become an elementary teacher not having a clue on how to get there and those high school students that say “I want to be an elementary teacher” don’t have the slightest clue on how to get to the position. But don’t worry when you have finished reading this research paper you will know everything there is to know on how to get there. You will know what schools you can go to, to meet the requirements to becoming a elementary teacher, What test you must take to get in to a credential program, What kind on teaching credential you will need, What duties you will have to perform and lastly what characteristics you will need to be not just a elementary teacher but a great elementary teacher.

First as high school student graduating and entering the college life wanting to become a elementary teacher or those who ended in the wrong profession and want to go back and become teachers. They will either have to attended a community college in this case Santiago Canyon College; to finish the prerequisites and then they will be able to attend any Cal State or UC that has a teaching credential program in this case Cal State Fullerton. The newly enrolled student must take classes like counseling 118, education 113 to meet part of the prerequisite. In addition they must have their general education with certain classes in these areas, oral communications, written communications, math, science, and history also they will to take politics 101 in order to avoid a test to get a teaching credential but we will get that for later Next the student must have the proper major requirements which are some classes like Human Development 107, Communication 100, 101, and 111.

After the student has achieved passing all the requirement classes in their major. Recommended by Cal State Fullerton the student will have to meet the requirements that are set by the community college again Santiago Canyon College, by having completed everything at Santiago college. The student will then have to meet the admissions requirements set by Cal State Fullerton which are, having sixty transferable semester units or more or have ninety quarter units or more. The students will also have to have a C or better every course selected in English, Arts, Humanities, Social Science, and Mathematics. Once everything has been completed and one with the student will have access to Cal State Fullerton and will be on his way to meet more requirements for the teaching credential program.

Next step to becoming a elementary teacher the student must pass all the requirements to obtain a multi-subject teaching credential a credential is an authorization to teach a subject but in our case subjects in a school setting grades k through twelve. The requirements are simple and should take long. First the student must have a bachelor’s degree in his or her major for example liberal arts or if he or she wants to teach a single subject they will have mathematics major or any other on the subjects. Second the student must complete a professional program which is simply Pedagogy which is a how to teach program. Third they must apply for the teaching credential as we have talking about it. After having a bachelors degree they must also have passed the a lot of test like the CBEST a United States Constitution requirement which can be avoid by simply taking political science 101 as we talked about it in the earlier paragraph. Having a professional preparation program which is often a credential or 5 year program.

Also to obtain your credential the student must show competency in his or her subject matter by taking state approved program of study or by passing the California subject examination or teachers also know as the CSET. Next after all that has been done the student must take two years being a student teacher as part of the CA Teaching Credential program. Last you must take a character clearance test which is simply a finger print check, checking that you are not a felon or have had criminal actions in the past. After every single thing has been done and finished the college or university credential center has approved they will send credential recommendation to CCTC verifying that the candidate has met all requirements and can now be given the credential need to teach at a elementary school. All in all your done and ready to start your first day of school and be a elementary teacher but no one said it would be easy and no one guides you on how to be a great teacher, that important aspect must be learned on his or her own but there are a few important things one must know to become a great elementary school teacher.

When you are hired at a school no one tells you where things are and no one gives you other aspects of the job description, your thoughts are simply to teach form seven- eight to two-three, have lunch and go home but there is more to that just that, being an elementary school teacher is a tough job but very well worth it. A couple of duties of being an elementary school teacher is you must maintain order among students as well as enforce rules and have disciplinary behavior procedure for those students whom are responsible. The teacher must observe and evaluate student’s performance behavior social development and physical health. He or She must plan conductive activities for a balanced program of instruction, demonstration of work time to give students time to observe investigate and question what they have learned. Teachers will also have to prepare their students for later grades by encouraging them to explore learning opportunities by preserving challenging tasks and by also establishing clear objectives for all lessons.

Teachers will also administrate standardize test to see where each student is the progress they have completed to show their strengths and weaknesses. The teachers will have to attend meetings educational conferences teacher training workshops in order to maintain professional competence. Lastly the teacher will have yard duties as well as administrative duties such as drop offs and pickups of students by their parents or proper guardian the teachers will also have to help in libraries when asked monitor halls and in the cafeteria. In order to be not just a elementary school teacher but a great one, you will need a lot a of things and even there are too many because no one teacher is perfect and each teacher has his or her unique style they all follow the rules that should be but are never given. A teacher must have unconditional acceptance meaning no matter the circumstance there is no difference in race ethnicity gender or background “you admire a flower not for its color height or arrange of petals but by its uniqueness and individuality from others” (Rabow, 8).

The acceptance of others is a key factor in becoming different than others its having the attitude that must be taken when teaching Elementary grades. The teacher must have the ability of building relationships with students and being able to connect to each little individual “ few barriers are insurmountable, the authors experience suggests that most of these barriers can be overcome” (Rabow, 31). Motivating your students to learn might be one of the hardest challenges to do but once you have done your job. “Teachers can work within them to help the student overcome his or her academic problems” (Rabow, 50).

Having teaching techniques and our own authentic way of teaching is a huge factor when helping your students, they will want to learn more and more if use correctly “As a teacher you have the opportunity to see how your student learns best and how they adapt to you style of teaching” (Chin, 71). In all aspects the way you look at your students for the first time should be a blank bar over their heads no tags, labels or any kind of names attached to them given by other past teachers, parents or any other adult. “ Always see a student as a glass half full never as a glass half empty” ( Rabow, 147) There are a few characteristics a teacher must have such as charisma, thoughtful, enthusiastic, passionate, compassionate patience which is the most important out of all of them, he or she must also be respectful trustworthy, supportive sensitivity, integrity, honest, creative and getting their students involved and participating, and last interesting having these and many characteristics can make you stand out from other teachers and make you the great if not the best.

Having learned everything there is to know on how to become a great elementary teacher. From the prerequisites of Santiago Community college to the requirements of Cal State Fullerton, to the requirements to that CA teaching credential program and all the tests and classes need to get admission and last the key factors to have in mind when going in to this profession like main characteristics ways you look at your new students every years and removing all unwanted distractions form the class and making each one of your students wanting to learn. You know what must be done to achieve your dream in becoming an elementary school teacher now do it.