Archived: The Educational System in the United States: Case Study Findings

Teachers and the Teaching Profession in
the United States
................................................
173
By: Sally Lubeck
Introduction ...................................................................................................
174
Methodology ..............................................................................................
174
Research Goals ...........................................................................................
174
Characteristics of Case Study Teachers .....................................................
175

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Demographics ........................................................................................
175
Educational background ........................................................................
175
Teaching experience .............................................................................
176
Teachers’ Personal Characteristics ................................................................
177
Motivation to Become a Teacher ..............................................................
177
What Makes a Good Teacher? ...................................................................
178
Becoming a Teacher ......................................................................................
178
Student Teaching .......................................................................................
180
Professional Development .........................................................................
182
Salaries .......................................................................................................
183
Unions ........................................................................................................
183
Teachers’ Working Conditions ......................................................................
183
Uses of Time in the Classroom .................................................................
184
Elementary schools ................................................................................
184
Secondary schools ..................................................................................
186
Uses of Time Outside the Classroom ........................................................
188
Supervisory duties ..................................................................................
188
Interactions with other teachers ...........................................................
188
Time out of school ................................................................................
190
Methods of Teaching Math and Science ...................................................
192
Lectures ..................................................................................................
192
Initiation-response-evaluation ................................................................
193
Group work ...........................................................................................
194
Hands-on learning ..................................................................................
196
Individualized instruction ......................................................................
197
Physical Environments ...............................................................................
198
Culture of Expectations with Regard to Students ....................................
200
Teaching at East City High School ............................................................
201
Teaching at South Central High School ....................................................
201
Teaching at Hamilton High .......................................................................
202
Instructional Support .................................................................................
204
Teaching at Parks Elementary ...................................................................
205
Teacher Involvement in Instructional Decisions and Planning ................
208
Rockefeller Elementary School ..............................................................
208
Midtown Elementary School ..................................................................
208

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Parks Elementary School ........................................................................
210
Teachers’ Relationships .................................................................................
213
Disruptive Students ....................................................................................
213
Teacher Contact with Parents ...................................................................
214
Summary ........................................................................................................
214
References
......................................................................................................
217

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