Hello and welcome!
My name is Sara Marchessault (marsha-so) and I’m excited to be here with you this semester. I’ve been teaching Introduction to the Teaching Profession since 2013. My own education background includes an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and a graduate degree in Instructional Design. My career started in K-12, but I’ve been teaching community college since 2008. I’ve worked in schools, for a nonprofit, and in the corporate world. I’ve left education a few times and each time I did, before I knew it, I’d end right back up where I started; helping students be successful in the classroom.
The class I teach is required for students who want to major in education in the state of Florida. The majority of students taking this class have at least a little interest in pursuing education as a college major and teaching in K-12 classrooms. My role as the instructor for this class is to give you an opportunity to learn more about the world of education and help you make your decision about whether this is the field for you. My mission is to help any student who wants to be a teacher get to achieve their dream of running their own classroom. If you want to be a teacher, I want to support you to become one!
I considered writing a book to accompany my classroom instruction for years, but I just couldn’t seem to make the commitment to give it the time it deserved. In March 2020, when a global pandemic rocked our world, I suddenly was no longer driving my kids to multiple events a week. I wasn’t even driving across town to my college campus! I jumped into this project with both feet, focused and determined to use all the time I had suddenly available to me. The result is on your screen.
We will use this text as a guide for our discussions throughout the semester. Like all books, it is a companion and important part of the course, but it is not the only tool to help you answer the most important question you’re here to answer: Is teaching the career for me? We’ll use the information here, as well as current events, reviewing your own experience as a student, classroom visits, and exploring why teaching might be for you—or might not.
I can’t wait to dive into the world of teaching with you.
I’m so glad you’re here,
Ms. M
Sara Marchessault is a professor at Tallahassee Community College. Ms. M is a TCC and FSU graduate and loves being an instructor at her alma mater. She’s been teaching at TCC since 2008 and has been a full-time faculty member in both the College Success and Education departments. In addition to teaching, Ms. M is an avid reader, has published several themed journals, works with kids to help them write and publish, and serves her community as the Director of the Word of South Festival of Literature and Music.
During the pandemic, Ms. M wrote Exploring Education: A guide for future teachers for Introduction to the Teaching Profession and Journal of a First Year Teacher, which she uses in the course Diversity for Educators. When she isn’t teaching, reading, or planning a festival, Ms. M can be found playing with her family and exploring as much of the world as possible.
Chapter 1: I’m Thinking About Becoming a Teacher
Chapter 2: How Do I Become a Teacher?
Chapter 3: A Peek at the History of US Education
Chapter 4: Educational Philosophies: Ideas That Help Define the Purpose of School
Chapter 5: Learning Theories, Environments, and Trends
Chapter 6: Literacy: The Cornerstone to Learning
Chapter 7: How Are School Systems Structured, Governed, and Financed
Chapter 8: Who Are 21st-Century Students
Chapter 9: Effective 21st-Century Schools and Classrooms
Chapter 10: Careers in Education
Chapter 11: What’s Next?