Lisa Parisi has been an elementary school teacher for 26 years. Parisi is currently a fifth grade teacher in Long Island, N.Y., and she loves incorporating new methods and techniques into her classroom, particularly technologies to help her students learn. She is also in the process of publishing a book. Be sure to follow her blog, Lisa's Lingo.

Why did you decide to become a teacher?
I've always loved children. Part of the reason I decided to pursue teaching is because I didn't like how I was being taught. I wanted to make a change.

What type of preparation did you do to get into this field, such as educational experience and work experience?
I obtained my bachelor's degree in elementary education at SUNY. I also got a dual certification in special education. Before graduation, I had 115 hours of classroom observation and presentation. This was all before I started my 16 week student-teaching session, which I had to complete before becoming certified. I also obtained my master's degree, with a specialization in special education. Although I did work as a special-ed teacher for a short time, I have mostly been in a regular classroom setting. In addition to my master's degree, I have over 60 hours of course credit in math, reading and various seminars. I obtained these credits through both universities and in-service trainings offered by my district.

If your education was directly related to your career, what types of classes and projects did you have to do? Which ones were the most useful?
I had to take both methods classes and elective courses for my bachelor's degree. However, I advise education students to take as many electives as they can. I found them to be more valuable than the methods courses. For example, my electives dealt with subjects such as: teaching in inner-city schools, special education issues and dealing with students with emotion issues/disabilities.

How did your education help you in your career?
My education did help me quite a bit when I started out. I remember using methods I learned in school in the classroom. However, the best way to improve your teaching methods is through experience. The more experience I gained, the more I changed my techniques to fit different situations.

What was your career path like in this field? For example, did you begin in one position and advance through others to reach where you are now? Do you plan to advance to another position in your career field?
Well, I've always been a classroom teacher. However, what I do now is different in terms of techniques and methods. I am keen to incorporate different technologies to help my students learn. I am willing to change my methods to help fit different students' needs. I also have presented in a variety of conferences, so I am advising other teachers too. I help train new teachers and teachers at in-services, which is something I enjoy. I may be interested in teaching about education at the university level someday. At the moment, I am in the process of publishing a book. Perhaps after it is published, I will be more involved in writing—writing about education, of course.

What types of skills is someone required to have to work as a teacher? 
They must love children! You should also be willing to be a lifelong learner. You are not going to leave college knowing everything you need in the field. You have to be willing to keep up to date with new methods, techniques and learning solutions.

What do you do on a typical workday?
Well, that’s the beauty of this job. There is no typical day. Since I am an elementary school teacher, I teach all subjects. I run a project-based learning classroom, so my students are working on a variety of projects in different subjects. For example, I wrote a lesson plan yesterday for today's writing lesson. However, when I saw some of the students' writing samples, I had to completely change the lesson. I needed to make them understand the assignment and the project. It's very exciting to do that—to evaluate the needs of your students and make the necessary changes to your day. I love seeing that "aha" moment on their faces when they grasp a new concept.

What type of person do you think is best suited for a job as a teacher?
Someone who is patient, loves children, is organized and very flexible. You have to be willing to make adequate changes on a moment's notice. Also, you need to be compassionate. You really have to love all kids—not only the good ones. They aren't all going to be perfect!

Do you have any advice for those who are looking to launch a career in your field?
Get as much experience as possible. You need to make sure you truly love kids. You should even babysit or work at an amusement park, just to make sure you can handle kids all the time. Some people think they love them, but they really don't. They may realize it too late without the necessary experience. Also remember, as a teacher you have incredible power over the lives of these children. You have to be willing to use that power to enhance their lives.