Being an Elementary School Teacher: Real World Tips & Stories from Working Teachers

The purpose of this book is to help students and career changers get a taste of what it's really like to be an elementary school teacher. It was set out to do so by inviting elementary teachers actively doing their work in classrooms across the country to tell about their experiences. Dozens of teachers generously shared their wisdom and guidance. The result of this work - which we call "Career Stories"- reveals the rewards, challenges, frustrations, and the do's and the don'ts of being a teacher in today's world.

Teachers often work with children from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Therefore, it is important for Teachers to be aware of and understand different cultures in order to work effectively with a diverse student population. To address the needs of all students, regardless of cultural heritage, Teachers may include multicultural programming in their lesson plans.When teaching younger children, many Teachers apply a hands-on approach by using "props" (e.g., board games) to help them solve problems, understand abstract concepts, and develop fundamental and critical thought processes. When teaching older children, Teachers use materials of a more sophisticated nature.They also have...