A student preparing to become a teacher will take various classes for teaching that will give the student a foundation in teaching theory and practice. The student will also take part in classes for teaching aimed at providing hands-on experience in the classroom. Other classwork may focus on developing effective teaching methods for a variety of learners, and many of the classes a student will take will focus on accommodating students with special needs. Some entry-level classes may focus exclusively on writing effective lesson plans, and as the student progresses through a teacher training program, this concept will be revisited numerous times.
One of the most important but often least compelling classes is the certification preparation course. These classes for teaching will prepare the student for the exams he or she will need to take and pass before becoming certified to teach. These tests can be difficult and tedious, so the preparation classes for teaching will give the student strategies and study materials to prepare for the exam itself. Some students may need to take more than one exam, and preparation courses are often tailored to the individual exams a student must take. These exams can vary by state or region.
Many teaching students will take classes for teaching that focus on teaching history and theory. The concepts covered in such a class may include teaching strategies and paradigms that have worked in the past or that have failed in the past. This gives the student an understanding of how the education system has arrived at its current state. Prominent teaching philosophies are usually covered, and some level of psychology may be covered as well in these classes.
Learning how to interact with students can be difficult or impossible unless the teaching student has the opportunity to be in a functioning classroom. Most senior level teaching students will participate in a student-teaching class that will require them to teach lessons in a live classroom under the guidance of an experienced teacher. This allows the student-teacher to write and deliver lesson plans, learn more about classroom management, and get a better understanding of the daily functions of a classroom.
Before he or she can do so, however, he or she will need to take classes for teaching that prepare that student-teacher for lesson planning and instruction. Writing effective lesson plans can be difficult, and classes can be entirely devoted to giving the student-teacher strategies and concepts for engaging students and delivering instruction.
