Chapter 1: Why Teach? Notes

Chapter 1 poses the question, "why should I become a teacher?" It causes the reader to think about their motives for teaching, and brings to light two different perspectives. The first is a person who goes into teaching and loves it, and the second is a person who goes into teaching and regrets it. The chapter also discusses and outlines the rewards that come with teaching. The rewards outlined in the chapter are divided into two separate groups: extrinsic and intrinsic. The extrinsic rewards of teaching are the salaries, status, power, and work schedule. The intrinsic rewards of teaching are performance, support from fellow teachers, and the process of teaching itself. Chapter one also discusses steps that one can take to gain experience in the teaching field, such as observing schools and participating in activities that give potential teachers time to communicate and interact with students. The chapter also notes that not all teaching takes place in the classroom, and such experiences can be relived through watching films that simulate real experiences and cause us to see them in a different light. Guidance and reflection are two other steps that can be taken to gain experience. The motivation to teach is the main idea of the chapter. One should be motivated and have that desire to teach before even entering the field. The chapter also discusses the opinions of teachers from  the point of view of the students, administrators, and potential teachers themselves. The chapter ends with the question posed at the beginning, "why teach?" Teachers teach because they love it, because it's a passion, because they are interested in bettering the education of their students, and because of the benefits that teaching reaps. The rewards that come with teaching are virtually limitless as long as the person teaching has that desire to make the education of their students a focal point in their lives.