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Becoming a Teacher in Florida
KNOWLEDGE
AND SKILLS:
FLORIDA’S ACCOMPLISHED PRACTICES
Your professors will have many expectations of you regarding the knowledge and skills
they expect you to acquire in their courses. These will be reflected in their syllabi, as
mentioned earlier in this handbook. In addition to these local expectations, the State of
Florida expects you to acquire competency in a set of 12 important teaching practices --
the Accomplished Practices (Appendix H). They, too, will be included in your coursework.
They are summarized below, with the bold-faced words and numbers referencing the
Practices.
The Florida teacher knows the content (8) that he or she teaches and plans
(10) instruction based on specific goals for student learning, chief among which is to
teach students to think critically (4). As a flexible and reflective practitioner,
the Florida teacher, is ready to redesign instruction when assessment (1) data
indicate that students are learning faster than anticipated or have not learned what was
expected. Planning (10) and assessment (1) are closely tied together because
the Florida teacher is always engaged in continuous improvement (3) efforts to find
ways to teach better and ensure that students learn more.
Teaching is not an easy task. There are many complicating factors. Florida teachers
work in a State that is highly diverse (5). There are students from a large variety
of ethnic, social, economic, linguistic, and cultural backgrounds, and the teacher needs
to plan instruction that will meet the needs of all students sitting in the classroom
together. This requires not only an understanding of the needs of a diverse population,
including students with learning disabilities, but also the ability to communicate
(2) effectively with all students and parents and to teach students in ways that are
appropriate to their stages of academic, physical, and social development (7).
Computers and other forms of technology (12) help the teacher to individualize
instruction and to use time more efficiently. This, in turn, helps to motivate and engage
more students.
Motivation is critically important. If learning is to occur, the Florida teacher needs
to establish a learning environment (9) where students feel safe and positive about
their learning tasks. Sometimes the role of the teacher (11) is to serve as an
advocate for the student, removing obstacles and reinforcing opportunities at home and in
the community for the student to learn. Students and parents must trust the teacher for
any of this to work. The teacher must act honestly and ethically (6) at all times
and with all people.
There are also other important Florida competencies -- the Florida Subject Area
Competencies, which identify the content knowledge you will need for your
specialization area, and the Sunshine State Standards, which set expectations for
what children in Florida’s schools will need to know and be able to do, and faculty
incorporate all of these in their courses.
So there is a lot for you to learn here!! You will work hard, but it will be worth it.
CODE OF ETHICS
Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct
While participating in your internship and throughout your teaching career, you will be
expected to adhere to the Code of Ethics and Principles of Professional Conduct for the
teaching profession in Florida (see Appendix A.) You are strongly encouraged to read this
document carefully prior to beginning your first field experience/internship.
You will also note that ethics is one of the Accomplished Practices (Appendix H).
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