If you had an opportunity to choose what part-time job would you prefer?
G
raduate
and post-graduate students usually receive what is called an
assistantship.
Assistantship vary from school to school and also from department to
department. Basically, a
graduate assistant
(GA) is an official
employee
of the university. The GA will typically teach 3 undergraduate level
courses (thereby
freeing up professors to do research/ write journal and books). In
exchange for
teaching these classes, the university waives the
GA’s tuition fees
and also issues a modest, but monthly
paycheck.
Postgraduates can receive the same support, but instead of teaching,
or in addition to it, they assist their professors in research. You
may find it interesting to note that large numbers of international
graduate and postgraduate students come to the USA to either
complete a degree, work on their own research and/ or collaborate
on a joint project.
International graduate students are also eligible to receive
assistantships (and they are called ITAs). Auburn University as well
as a large number of other schools actively recruit
ITAs,
especially in the sciences.
Look at the picture, define what the collaboration means.
University life is colorful, but hard at the same time. There are new friends to make, new subjects to learn, new teams to cheer for, parties and dances to go to, and just simply more demanding academic work to complete. You enter a new phase of your life when you go to university and you are expected to excell at your subject. Many American students quickly realize that the rest of their lives depend on how well they do.
If there was a university called a University of Life, what subject do you think they would teach?
Based on your own academic commitment, seriousness, and tenacity, you either sink or swim, as the saying goes and no bouquet of flowers, box of chocolate, bottle of champagne, or envelope full of money will sway your professor in you favor. If you want excellent grades, you will indeed have to work very hard. In fact, you never give your professor anything other than the work s/he requires of you, even if Christmas rolls around. Most universities even have strict regulations about giving gifts to teachers. If you or your professor is caught, you both could have your academic records blackened.
You would be expelled and unable to be admitted to another university and the professor would not ever be able to find another academic job.
Teacher education
This song is for those
Who inspire us today
Who always lend a helping hand
To help show us the way
This song is for those
Who see their students through
The tough times in their lives
For that, we say thank you
You have made a difference
You have shaped our minds
You have changed the world
One child at a time
You have always been there
In everything you do
I hope that you’re as proud of me
As I am proud of you.
Training of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Requirements for education and certification of early childhood and elementary teachers are set by state governments which require multiple exams (subject matter, etc.) prior to entering teacher education and again following completion of teacher education but prior to certification. While state regulations vary, there is a growing uniformity inspired in part by the federal No Child Left Behind law's requirements for having a highly qualified teaching staff. The basic requirement is completion of a prescribed programme of studies at the undergraduate (bachelor's) level in order to qualify for entry-level certification, plus satisfactory completion of a supervised practicum and the passing of qualifying examinations. Pre-professional undergraduate studies must be completed at an accredited institution in nearly all states. While the initial certification may be achieved with a bachelor's degree, most states offer higher levels of certification based on experience and additional education, and many teachers at this level already possess, or soon earn, a master's degree. Continuing professional education is required in order to maintain certification.
T/F
In order to be a teacher you should get education. 2. Prior to entering teacher education you are required to take multiple exams. 3. According to No Child Left Behind law all the children should be educated no matter how qualified is a teacher. 4. To become a teacher you must complete the bachelor level, a supervised practicum and pass qualifying examinations. 5. The institution where you get your bachelor degree should be accredited. 6. If you want to work as a teacher lifelong you should continue your professional education.
Ask the questions to the statements given in the previous exercise.
A teacher should know everything. Check yourself and explain the following:
Who is Maurice Maeterlinck, Michaelangelo, George Eliot, Sherlock Holmes?
Who wrote "David Copperfield", or "Cinderella", or "Ivanhoe", or "Alice in Wonderland", or "Robinson Crusoe", or "Jane Eyre"?
Read a letter of one of the intending teachers, answer the questions below the letter.
October, 25th
Dear Daddy Long-Legs,
College gets nicer and nicer, I like the girls and the teachers and the classes and the campus and the things to eat. We have ice-cream twice a week and we never have corn-meal mush.
The trouble with college is that you are expected to know such a lot of things you've never learned. It's very embarrassing at times. I made an awful mistake the first day. Somebody mentioned Maurice Maeterlinck, and I asked if she was a freshman. The joke has gone all over college.
Did you ever hear of Michaelangelo? He was a famous artist who lived in Italy in the Middle Ages. Everybody in English Literature seemed to know about him, and the whole class laughed because I thought he was an archangel. He sounds like an archangel, doesn't he?
But now, when the girls talk about the things that I never heard of, I just keep still and look them up in the encyclopedia. And anyway, I'm just as bright in class as any of the others, and brighter than some of them!
And you know, Daddy, I have a new unbreakable rule: never to study at night, no matter how many written reviews are coming in the morning. Instead, I read just plain books — I have to, you know, because there are eighteen blank years behind me. You wouldn't believe what an abyss of ignorance my mind is; I am just realizing the depths myself.
I never read "David Copperfield", or "Cinderella", or "Ivanhoe", or "Alice in Wonderland", or "Robinson Crusoe", or "Jane Eyre". I didn't know that Henry the Eighth was married more than once or that Shelley was a poet. I didn't know that people used to be monkeys, or that George Eliot was a lady. I had never seen a picture of the "Mona Lisa" and (it's true but you won't believe it) I had never heard of Sherlock Holmes.
Now I know all of these things and a lot of others besides, but you can see how much I need to catch up.
1. What did Judy mean by classes and campus? 2. Why did Judy mention ice-cream and соrn-meal mush in her letter? 3. What did Judy think was the trouble with college? 4. What joke had gone all over college? 5. Why did Judy keep still when the girls spoke about things she didn't know? 6. Why didn't Judy study at night, no matter how many written reviews were coming in the morning? 7. In what way did Judy want to catch up with the group?
Discuss with a partner what the qualities of a good teacher are. Make up a dialogue presenting your point of view on characters and education a teacher needs.