While you may be able to isolate your favorite teachers based on the way they treated students or the fun activities they used in class, educators have been honing their craft for centuries based on theories that explain what works best in the classroom. Most teaching courses require students to learn these theories and how modern educators use them. Teachers must be able to modify their teaching styles and activities based on their students and the subject, but educational theories can help you determine what activities are most beneficial. Further, being able to prove that your teaching methods have a theoretical basis can help you when you're applying for jobs or trying to institute your curriculum.
While most teachers prefer to emphasize the rewarding aspects of teaching that come from working with students, teaching does require paperwork. From keeping grade books to taking notes on students, teaching requires a systematic and organizational approach. Even if you can make calculus seem like simple math, teaching courses will help you learn the organizational tools you will need to run a successful classroom. Teaching courses offer lessons on how to write lesson plans, types of grading systems, how to organize and store notes and what information should be kept and what can be discarded at the end of the school year.
Most teachers love to create original assignments with a specific skill or certain class in mind. However, teaching courses can give teachers ideas they can use for inspiration. Most teaching courses not only offer samples of teaching ideas that have worked, but they also give you the tools to come up with your own effective ideas. For instance, you'll learn about learning styles, the constraints of the classroom and typical ways of teaching the subject you're interested in instructing.
Even if you're not planning to be a teacher, teaching courses can help you learn skills that will benefit you in the business world. According to Robin Good, today's teachers need to learn career-neutral skills like adapting software programs for various ages, knowing how to move forward when technology fails, and understanding the basics of leadership. If you have taken teaching courses but have changed your major, you can review the courses with an eye for these skills to determine what you can apply to your new career.