JOURNAL ON TEACHER CERTIFICATION 2

Journal on Teacher Certification

The webinar So You Think You Can Teach impacted me greatly, more so on the fact that
it is important to embrace the culture of the school. Culture defines a school, and it is important
to observe it to ensure a smooth integration into the new community as a new teacher. The
presentation gave me greater insight into how to become an impactful teacher. One of the ideas
that resonate with me is that I find both formal and informal opportunities to engage in as they
will help validate my choice in becoming a teacher. one of the activities that resonate with me is
being a coach. I currently serve as a basketball coach, and this validates my choice of a teaching
career. Secondly, the webinar asserts the importance of establishing the kind of teacher that I
want to become. This is a very important point as it helps one to remain focused.
I have already taken a few steps outlined in the webinar to establish if teaching is the
right profession for me. First, I have identified an informal activity, coaching, which has proved
to me that I really enjoy interacting with young people and mold them into becoming better
versions of themselves. Additionally, I have joined LinkedIn teacher groups where I interact with
teachers and get the first-hand experience from their narrations on the teaching experience.
However, I feel that I still need to volunteer in a high school, preferably one where one of my
children attend so that I can get the first-hand experience of being a teacher. I know that
coaching is different from teaching in several ways and that it cannot give me the exact
experience that teaching would.
The certification assessments are the most vital aspects of state testing requirements that
one must fulfill before becoming a teacher. The assessments will basically be in my subject area,
and I find this important because I thought that my bachelor’s degree earned me the teaching

JOURNAL ON TEACHER CERTIFICATION 3
credential, but that is not the case. However, now I know that I will still require to take more
assessment tests and will thus prepare well for them. Regarding alternative certification, have
learned that the process is not that expansive and is thus easy to sail through with the help of a
mentor or other teachers who joined the profession earlier.
I am very confident about the fact that all state teachers must hold a bachelor’s degree
and complete the necessary teacher certification program. It sets standards in the teaching
profession, and this is important. However, my main concern is the fact that teachers are required
to renew their professional teaching licenses every five years. The main issue is the fact that five
years may be a short period of time. The license should be valid for a longer period of time to get
teachers enough time to get oriented into the profession ad complete the requires professional
development hours. Remarkably, the webinar is very concise and clear, and I have understood all
the points explained. Lastly, I plan to make an appointment with the Career Services College of
Education Liaison in the next two months as this will help streamline all the points explained in
the Webinar and maybe help me understand minor points not discussed in the webinar.