How to Get a Job as a Teacher
Overview of a Teaching Career
While many people think they would enjoy a career in teaching, there is more to being a teacher than simply lecturing on a subject or answering questions from students. Teachers invest many of hours of their personal time preparing for classes, grading papers, and devising ways to engage and hold student’s attention.
Individuals who are considering a career in teaching might want to try the job on for size by volunteering at a local school, shadowing a teacher for a few days, being a tutor, or mentoring a small group of students. These types of situations not only give potential teachers a feel for what is involved in a teaching, it could also help individuals decide on a specific segment of teaching for specialization – like physical education, art, music, or even special education.
Educational Requirements for Teachers
While exact requirements for obtaining a job as a teacher vary from state to state, at a minimum most states require candidates to hold a bachelor’s degree. Depending on the type of job and the institution’s job description, a bachelor’s or master’s degree in education or in another special field of study could be required.
Elementary level teachers, for instance, would need to have a degree in education, while high school teachers would need to have a degree in the field of study they would be teaching – for instance, a bachelor’s degree of science degree for a science teacher.
In addition to a degree, most states require candidates to accumulate a set number of hours of supervised student teaching.
Credentialing Requirements for Teachers
All states require teachers to pass a state licensing examination or the Praxis. A teaching certificate could be required in addition to the license. Some states do have programs that allow teachers with a bachelor’s degree to qualify to teaching under non-traditional licensing programs. Again, these programs vary according to states, but in general, they require the candidate to pass a licensing exam, and any other state-required criteria, such as supervised student teaching, demonstrated ability in math, reading, and writing, or other credentialing.
Career Expectations
As with any job, starting salaries for entry-level teachers may be low, and benefits and perks few. With time, experience, and additional education and training, most teachers can expect to earn a competitive salary with benefits like health insurance, tenure, summers free, and the satisfaction of knowing they are helping to educate the next generation of scientists, teachers, lawyers, and other professionals.