How do I start thinking like a teacher?

I think I am still thinking like a student, except when I go mentoring. Then I have to think of things to do to keep my mentoree busy, which I guess is kind of like making a lesson plan. I don't think like a teacher in a normal classroom though. It doesn't occur to me, "How could I teach that differently?", or "What is a way I present that if I didn't have those tools?" I think that we should do a teaching exercise in class. Maybe prepare a lesson plan, or create a lesson to teach the class! Something that's hands on, and gets me thinking like a teacher, and then actually teaching a lesson.
Question: When I do start thinking like a teacher will I be taught to make lesson plans?

Which theories and historical influences should most impact the schools we'd like to have?

In the past, students have not been up to standard in their education. Schools all over the country are lacking in good instruction. We have implicated better teaching standards, so that teachers must be very qualified to teach. Making sure that teachers are even more qualified in the future will be a great aspect to have in every school.
If schools are going to get more racially and ethnically diverse, so aren't our communities. So shouldn't are teachers be just as diverse? This may not be the best example, but diversity among teachers is rare. Teachers are majorly white and women (I learned this in class.)
If our students aren't learning then we should teach something a different way, if that doesn't work get another teachers opinion. Communication among teachers is key. Without it, we don't know if another teacher is making progress teaching a student that you are having trouble with. Maybe they have figured out a good way to teach that specific student, or come up with a new, good strategy to teach all students.
The community is a big part of any school, without it there is no support at extracurricular activities or concerts. Without parents and others from the community there would be no taxes to support the local school. Incorporating them and making them feel as welcome as possible in the school will make them more supportive.
Question: Is it good to have a lot of schools? Or a few in a concentrated area? Yes, it means more jobs if there are more schools, but what if there are not enough students attending to support it. What if there are so many schools in one area that they can't be supported. But what if a school is overpopulated if all the kids from a certain district go to the same school?

How can diversity in the classroom help me be a better teacher?

Diversity in a classroom can help me become a better teacher tremendously. Diversity can help me create new ways of teaching, incorporating everyone's cultures and making them interested in learning. Teaching their a students interests is always helpful. It's not just diversity of race, but diversity of my  students learning ability that will help me become a better teacher. Schools are becoming more and more racially and ethnically diverse. I learned this from the Chapter 2 reading assignment. The only way that teachers will be able to teach such a wide variety of students to adapt our teaching abilities to those of our students and not just regular standards. We must go above and beyond, and get involved with not just the students but our community. If we don't know anything about the community our students live in then how will we know our students or what they go through. I learned a lot of integrating myself into the community by going to the talk in Lincoln Auditorium with the Teacher of the Year panel, on Involving Parents in Your Classroom. The Chapter 3 assignment was also helpful in understanding how I can become a better teacher through diversity in my classroom. Not only will having diverse students help my students learn about the different cultures within their classroom, but it will also present a way for my to integrate culture into my curriculum with the students help. They can give me prime examples of their cultural differences, giving my students a first hand experience as well as me. Yet, if not all my students are getting along because of the diversities, what am I supposed to do?

How can I be successful at UMF?

I don't feel like we have covered how to be successful at UMF yet. I know I must do homework, study for tests, be attentive in class, etc... I think a good plan is a good start for that. Working closely with my advisor will help me in this area. But first, I must make sure that I know what I want to do. Without a goal, there cannot be a plan. The one thing I can think of that we might of talked about in class about being successful at UMF was our notebook and artifact collection. Getting our work from the class and putting it in a portfolio so that we can show our learning over time. Portfolios are also needed later on in my teaching career, so making a portfolio will help me then too. I'm sure there are many ways to be successful at UMF, but for me there is only one way. And that way starts with me finally figuring out what I want to do. I must pass my classes, and take classes that are pertinent to my major. My one concern with being successful is that: If I can't decide on a major, how can I be successful at UMF?

How do I become a teacher?

To become a teacher I must first graduate from the University of Maine at Farmington with at least a Bachelor's degree as an educator. I can either teach in Maine (where my loans will be paid back) or I can go somewhere where there is much more of a need for teachers and be able to get a job right away. I must have my fingerprints done ($35 dollar fee) among other fees. Getting a teaching license is very expensive, as well as the tests that go along with it. I learned most of this information from when we were given the assignment "Certification Research Assignment." Many of the certifications to become a teacher are different depending on the state. I already knew that to become a teacher, I had to have some sort of college degree. Yet, that isn't exactly true. I can get certified without a degree to substitute teach. Actually, I can substitute teach now because I have gone to college for a semester. In some schools this is all that is required if you pass certification. My question would be: why would we have such low standards for substitute teachers? Shouldn't students be getting a good education no matter what teacher they have?