The second edition of the best-selling case-based introduction to teaching text, Introduction to Teaching: Becoming A Professional, is organized around three themes-Professionalism, Reform, and Decision Making-which provide the threads that bind the topics of the chapters together. As the only case-based introduction to teaching text, each chapter begins with a case study that provides a framework for the discussions that follow and helps the reader understand how chapter topics relate to the real world of teaching. bull; bull;NEW! Expanded emphasis on decision making as a critical aspect of professionalism is introduced as a theme in Chapter 1 and further developed at the end of each chapter in a section titled Decision Making: Defining Yourself as a Professional. In this section students are asked to think about personal and professional decisions that will influence the kinds of teachers they will be. bull;NEW! Expanded development of professionalism in Chapter 1 also includes discussion of INTASC principles, Praxis II, and professional portfolios, and continues throughout each chapter to help students understand what professionalism means and how it is connected to classroom planning and practice. bull;NEW! Praxis Practice, a case-based, end-of-chapter feature, helps students prepare to successfully pass the Praxis II exam. Readers can submit their responses and receive feedback on our companion website. bull;NEW! Chapter case studies and corresponding icon are reformatted to help readers identify and more easily make the connection between the cases, chapter content, and classroom application. bull;Continued in this edition are the popular features Reflect on This, Teaching in an Era of Reform, and Exploring Diversity which encourage the readers to visit the companion website for further research and applications.

Introduction: A Case-Based Approach Like the first edition, the second edition of this highly applied text introduces beginning education students to teaching and attempts to present an honest look at the real world of students, teachers, classrooms, and schools. The topics included in this book and the ways in which they're presented have been designed to answer the question, "What does this have to do with me and my fixture life as a teacher?" To answer this question, we have developed case studies and features that highlight the issues and challenges important in teachers' everyday lives. Each chapter begins with a case study that provides a framework for the discussions that follow and helps readers understand how chapter topics relate to the real world of teaching. Additional cases and vignettes are used to further illustrate the content of the chapter to make it real and concrete. The case margin icon identifies where cases and vignettes are integrated with the topics in each chapter. Text Themes The book is organized around three themes--Professionalism, Reform, and Decision Making--which provide the threads that bind together the topics of the chapters. Professionalism Professionalism is the theme that ties together topics such as career selection, teacher working conditions, career-long development, teacher evaluation, and relationships with supervisors, peers, students, parents, and the community. The movement toward professionalism provides a tangible goal that can guide beginning teachers as they develop, and it has both short- and long-term potential for improving teaching. Professionalism also provides a framework for examining a number of important issues that developing teachers face, such as standards, accountability and testing, and merit pay. TheOnline Portfolio Activitiesat the end of each chapter are connected to INTASC standards. The activities are intended to encourage students to evaluate their own professional growth. The first portfolio activity in each chapter uses aPersonal journal Reflectionto help the reader connect his or her ideas to issues raised in the chapter. TheReflect on Thisfeature within each chapter connects the reader to realistic online cases that provide additional opportunities for professional growth through decision making. Reform Reform has always been a factor in our educational system. However, at no time in the past has reform had a more profound influence on education. Standards, accountability, and testing--for teachers and students--are being proposed as solutions to both educational and societal problems. No Child Left Behind, a sweeping federal reform initiative, has already changed schools and will continue to shape the profession for new teachers. TheTeaching in an Era of Reformfeature in each chapter frames a specific reform issue as it relates to chapter content and asks students to make a personal evaluation of its potential. Decision Making Decision making, which involves goal-oriented problem solving based on professional knowledge, is one of the central characteristics of teacher professionalism. This theme is introduced in Chapter 1 and integrated throughout the book. Each chapter concludes withDecision Making: Defining Yourself as a Professional,which asks readers to begin thinking about personal and professional decisions that will influence the kinds of teachers they will become. New to This Edition This edition ofIntroduction to Teaching: Becoming a Professionalcontinues to focus on providing students with a realistic view of the teaching profession along with the knowledge and decision-making skills that will help shape them as professionals. To do this, we have updated and expanded coverage of current issues and practices, such as culturally relevant teaching, portfolio building