First-Ever Guidebook for Aspiring Teachers Now Available

  • 03/20/19

Washington, D.C.—On the heels of the National Council on Teacher Quality’s groundbreaking report revealing that more than half of elementary teacher candidates are unable to pass licensing exams for lack of appropriate preparation, the education policy organization is releasing its debut book: Start Here to Become a Teacher. Using its extensive research in teacher preparation, NCTQ aims to provide anyone considering a teaching career the practical information needed not only to select a high-quality teacher prep program, but also how to get the most value out of the experience and even land a first teaching job.   
Peppered with plenty of advice from practicing teachers, this book, the first of its kind, provides advice to people interested in teaching and allows aspiring educators to more wisely “comparison shop” among teacher prep programs by providing them with a listing of the nation’s top 120 undergraduate teacher prep programs. Other highlights include:

  • Calling out common myths about teaching and what teachers who are successful love most about their jobs
  • The pros and cons of undergrad teacher training or delaying training until after earning a college degree
  • An affordability index describing the places where renting an apartment on a teacher’s salary is more or less feasible
  • Getting advice on the best courses to take--and the ones to avoid 
  • Making sure that the student teaching experience pays off, helping to land the first job. 

NCTQ was joined by Dan Brown, a National Board Certified Teacher and author of The Great Expectations School: A Rookie Year in the New Blackboard Jungle, and teachers from Teach Plus, a national nonprofit aimed at empowering excellent, experienced teachers. Brightly colored illustrations give the book a lively and fresh format. 
“We found that there is almost no practical advice out there for people to take charge of their own teacher preparation,” says Kate Walsh, NCTQ President and book author. “We talk to a lot of teachers who wish they had heard this advice before they undertook their training. Having a little guidance can make all the difference between being well-prepared on day one or suffering horrible anxiety.”
The need for this resource is significant. Says one high school student in Ohio, “I went to a college fair and it was so stressful. Colleges all want you to come to their school, but they might not actually be the best fit for your future. This book actually gives you what you need to know…which college I actually should go to…knowledge on money [and] classes.”
Practical, humorous, and evidence-based, Start Here to Become a Teacher is a necessary resource for anyone trying to map a path into the teaching profession. 
Find more information on the book here: https://startheretoteach.org/
Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1732969205?ref=myi_title_dp 

 

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