Current and comprehensive, Becoming a Teacher, Eighth Edition,takes a straightforward look at what it means to be a professional teacher in today's climate of accountability, high-stakes testing, and new government legislation by covering key issues in a personal, interactive, and no-nonsense style. Building upon a strong "mentoring" message that has long been the tradition of Becoming a Teacher,the eighth edition helps students make difficult decisions about their teaching future by fostering an awareness of the realities of teaching in America today. This down-to-earth and straightforward approach provides students with the tools and information necessary to answer the questions, "What does it take to become a high quality teacher?" and "Do I want to teach?" Along the way, the authors provide practical perspectives for meeting the challenges of teaching. Organized into four parts, the book addresses both functional and foundational topics to give readers a well-rounded view of the teaching profession. The new eighth edition contains even more features that the book has long been known for - numerous boxed features authored by experienced teachers and directed to future teachers. The new edition also includes an increased focus on technology and how teachers can engage their students by utilizing and integrating the most current technologies into the classroom.