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 and ";mentoring and "; 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, and ";What does it take to become a high quality teacher? and "; and ";Do I want to teach? and "; Along the way, the authors provide practical perspectives for meeting the challenges of teaching.