Examinning the Teaching Profession

Doctoral Degree

also called a doctorate; the highest degree awarded by a graduate school, usually to a person who has completed several years of intense graduate study and published a lengthy dissertation

Virtual Schools

Learning on the internet that provides asynchronous learning and may offer specialized courses not typically found in traditional schools.

A Nation at Risk

A 1983 federal report that characterized U.S. schools as mediocre; called for renewed emphasis on core academic subjects.

portfolio

A collection of financial assets

voucher

A coupon, issued by the government, that a public school student uses to attend a better public or private school.

cover letter

A letter you send with your resume to provide more information about you.

Tagline/Motto

A memorable dramatic phrase to sum up an organization's purpose

FEA Future Educators Association

A national community of more than 10,000 student and mentor participants in school-based, grow-your-own- teacher programs. Our mission is to foster the recruitment and development of prospective educators worldwide through the dissemination of innovative programming and relevant research.

Existentialism

A philosophy that emphasizes the ability of an individual to determine the course and nature of his or her life and the importance of personal decision making.

local supplement

A portion of a teacher's salary that is paid by the local county above what the state funding for salaries.

charter schools

A school established by an agreement between a local school board or a state government and a group of teachers, parents, and even businesses. This type of school is exempt from many state and local regulations.

Magnet Schools

A specialized school open to all students that provides a method of drawing children away from segregated neighborhood schools.

mission

A statement or vision of an organization's function in society.

Networking

A way of making and using contacts to get job information and advice

Bachelor's Degree

An academic degree which usually takes four years to earn and is awarded by a college or university.

master's degree

An advanced 2-year program completed after attainment of a bachelor's degree.

Behaviorism

An approach to psychology that emphasizes the study of observable behavior and the role of the environment as a determinant of behavior.

Edison Schools

An educational company that contracts with local school districts, promising to improve student achievement while making a profit in the process.

Essentialism

An educational philosophy that emphasizes basic skills of reading, writing, mathematics, science, history, geography, and language.

Progressivism

An educational philosophy that organizes schools around the concerns, curiosity, and real-world experiences of students.

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS)

Began in the 1990s with the goal of awarding board certification to extraordinary teachers whose skills and knowledge indicate their high level of achievement (Sadker 13).

logic

reasoning conducted or assessed according to strict principles of validity.

distance learning

Courses, programs, and training provided to students over long distances through the internet.

Social Reconstructionism

Curriculum centers on social problems and ways students can solve them in order to improve their own communities and lives.

FCCLA stand for

Family, Career, and Community Leaders of America

InTASC

Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium

service credit

High school graduation requirement in some states that involves volunteering.

professional development

Improving or gaining new skills related to career.

liability insurance

Insurance to help pay legal fees if a teacher if ever sued or charged with a crime.

liscensure/certification

Many professions require their members to earn some type of license or certification in order to practice the profession. For example, hairdressers and lawyers must be licensed as well as doctors. Teachers in the state of Georgia must be certified.

NBPTS

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

SPAGE Student Professional Association of Georgia Educators

Organized by the PAGE Foundation in 1987. Its members are college and high school students who are in teacher preparation programs throughout the state.

homeschooling

Parents educating their children at home, for religious or philosophical reasons.

Full-service schools

Provide a network of social services from nutrition and health care to parental education and transportation

open enrollment

Students attend the school of their choice within their school system.

perks

The fringe benefits of holding an office

privatization

The movement toward increased private sector, for-profit involvement in the management of public agencies, including schools.

Perennialism

The philosophy that emphasizes rationality as the major purpose of education. It asserts that the essential truths are recurring and universally true; it stresses Great Books.

InTASC standards

The ten principles describing what teachers should know and be able to do, according to the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium.

NCATE (National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education)

This council sets the standards for colleges of education. It has been consolidated into CAEP (Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation)

FCCLA Motto

Toward New Horizons

resume

a summary of your academic and work history

FCCLA colors

red and white

Specialist Degree

found in some programs of education or psychology and is awarded for study beyond the Master's degree but below the doctorate. It is most often referred to as an Ed.S. (Specialist of Education),

Ethics

moral principles that govern a person's behavior or the conducting of an activity

Advancement opportunities

possibilities for promotion in rank or position

charter schools

school established by an agreement between a local school board or a state government and a group of teachers, parents, and even businesses. This type of school is exempt from many state and local regulations.

Metaphysics

the branch of philosophy that deals with the first principles of things, including abstract concepts such as being, knowing, substance, cause, identity, time, and space.

aesthetics

the branch of philosophy that deals with the principles of beauty and artistic taste.

Employment outlook

the prospect for the future of a job or career

Epistemology

the theory of knowledge, especially with regard to its methods, validity, and scope. Epistemology is the investigation of what distinguishes justified belief from opinion.