Do you enjoy helping children improve their reading and writing skills, exposing them to great literature, and preparing them for college?You can become a high school English teacher.To get a job as an English teacher, you need some credentials, a humble, patient, and sacrificial attitude to help further the education of students.
Step 1: Determine if the job is right for you.
A high school teacher needs to be patient, willing to sacrifice time and energy for his or her students, and have a passion for the subject he or she is teaching.Because the job outlook for English teachers isn't great, and the pay is mediocre, a teacher needs to be someone who cares about making an impact in students' lives.According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for high school teachers is six percent.With English, it may take a little bit of time before you are able to earn a full time position, since teachers who focus on math and science subjects have a higher chance of getting a job.Your job as a teacher isn't always in the classroom.You will probably have papers to grade after school, parent-teacher conferences, and other extracurricular activities.With a good mindset, you can have a lot of fun doing these things, especially if you make some teacher friends along the way.
Step 2: You should be prepared to work with students who are apathetic.
Some teachers have luck and have a class of students who are passionate and engaged in the class material, but the truth is that a lot of the students don't want to be there.The students can't help but be engaged in the lesson if you make them excited and passionate to learn.It's like being a teacher in "Dead Poets Society" or "Stand and Deliver."The teachers were able to ignite passion and motivation in their students.
Step 3: You should get a bachelor's degree.
Before a teacher can teach at a high school, they must have a bachelor's degree.If you want to teach high school, you should have a bachelor's degree in English and focus on literature.Since you will be covering different topics as a high school instructor, it's best to pursue a degree in a specific subject, as you'll have better foundation in the subject matter.You can take other courses during your bachelor's program to learn about the education side.Creative writing, rhetoric, and literature are some of the tracks you can pursue with an English degree.It's helpful to pursue that track in college because you will most likely be focusing on literature with your students.You can get a bachelor's degree from one of the top ranked schools.
Step 4: There is a teacher education program.
Before you can teach, you need to get your teaching certification.The education programs at many universities take 12 to 24 months to complete.When you graduate from a bachelor's program, you can jump straight into student teaching by taking courses towards your certification.If you want to work in a private school, there may be different requirements.
Step 5: The tests need to be taken.
Most states require you to take a standardized test after you have graduated from a teacher education program.Some states require you to take the test before you start your teacher education program, while others do not.You need to review your state's licensure requirements if you want to become a teacher.Just because you have a license to teach in Texas doesn't mean you will be able to do so in New York.
Step 6: Obtain the National Board Certification.
It's not necessary for a teacher to have this certification, but it can help the job mobility of the teacher.Depending on the school you work at, if you are a National Board Certified, you can get a higher salary, gain compensation for continuing your education, and have more opportunities for advancement.
Step 7: A student is teaching for a semester.
Most states require that teachers gain teaching experience under the supervision of a licensed teacher for a semester before they begin teaching on their own.Your teacher education program should help locate a school for you where you can gain experience teaching, as student teaching is part of your program.You can practice teaching real classes with a teacher over you that can help guide you through the process.If you want to become a high school English teacher, you will most likely have to teach in the same class as you did when you were a student.Sometimes you can pick the grade level and type of school that you want to teach, just so you know if it's the right school for you.
Step 8: You can get a master's degree.
A master's degree isn't usually required to teach in a high school, but it can help you have an advantage when applying for jobs.A master's degree can be used to teach at a junior college.Some teachers go on to pursue master's degrees so that they can teach dual credit courses at their high school, which increases their salary.Depending on their career ambitions, many teachers will get a master's degree in education and focus on a specific track like curriculum development.It is possible for teachers to earn a master's degree in English or educational leadership if they choose to do so.Before you enroll in a master's program, it is advisable to think about your career ambitions so that you know what program would be most beneficial to you.Search for the top schools with those programs.Check with your school if they offer to pay for part of the master's program.
Step 9: Know the responsibilities of a teacher.
Before you apply for a job, you should read up on what a high school teacher focuses on so that you are prepared for the job interview.The basic tasks for a high school English teacher are to help students develop their critical thinking skills, hone in their writing abilities, and discover literature.
Step 10: Determine the school district you would like to teach in.
This is important to a positive teaching experience.Some teachers love teaching in low income schools with at-risk students, while others prefer teaching advanced placement classes.Before you apply to schools, you should do some research in your area to find out what types of students you want to teach.Hopefully you gained an idea of the type of school you wanted to teach in when you were a student.If you want to become a full-time teacher, you should try to get a student teaching position in that school so you can have some experience teaching those students before you do.
Step 11: Your resume should be boosted.
Because teaching is a competitive field, your resume needs to stand out and show that you are qualified for the position.A passion for teaching is one of the ways to make your resume stand out.In your career summary section, you can show this in your objective section.This section can be used to communicate your teaching philosophy, your belief in education, and your desire to help students.You need to communicate that you are teaching for the right reasons.Employers want to know that you care about their students.The first thing employers look at is your credentials.You should list your degrees and certifications at the top of your resume.You want to show that you are accomplished and educated by presenting yourself well.Employers may be looking for certain words in your resume.These key words will help your resume grab their attention because employers usually get a lot of resumes.The key words to use in the education field are: teaching and learning, curriculum planning, peer tutoring, Peer mentoring, teacher-parent relations, special needs students, technology integration, classroom management, student involvement, interdisciplinary teaching approaches, K-12, etc.It's important that you stand out from the crowd because everyone will be applying with the same degree, but not everyone has job related experience.Think about the things you have done in college that are related to teaching, leading, working with students, etc.You can put those into your resume through the related experience section or the activities section.Think about the qualities that would make someone a good teacher, or the experience that could help them in teaching.If you want to become a teacher, you need to include things you've done in your resume.Look up a sample resume.If you still don't know how to boost your resume, there are tons of resources on the internet that give examples.If you want to boost your resume, you can use these as references.
Step 12: You can apply for teaching positions.
Sometimes a school's website can be used to see the positions they have available.Many universities have career fairs in education in which you can talk to many of the schools from that state.If you find a job and are invited in for an interview, make sure you know about the school district and the position you want to work in.It's a good idea to give a statement about why you decided to be a teacher and what you hope to provide to the school and students.
Step 13: Prepare to search.
It can take some time and patience to get a teaching job.Many schools in big cities that are in low income areas need more teachers than those in the suburbs or schools that have a mostly middle class student population.If you are an English teacher, you will probably be looking for a longer time than someone who is going to teach math or science.There is a shortage of teachers in those areas.English is a popular degree for students to study in college to become English teachers, and so you are competing with more people for those jobs.Students who like English in class are more likely to pursue a degree in English to become an English teacher.
Step 14: Substitute in the mean time.
Subbing is a great way to get your foot in the door if you want to teach in a school.Subbing is a great way to get some teaching experience before you get a full-time position.You may have an advantage over others if you have a teaching certificate.If you want to get a lot of exposure to the schools you are subbing in, take as many substitute teacher positions as possible.
Step 15: You can explore options like Teach for America.
It is possible to apply for a position in a school through Teach for America.Students who are passionate about learning in a low income school district are given the opportunity to teach for a year by the organization.You won't need a teaching certification if you have a bachelor's degree.You will apply to the program through the website, and will be taken through an interview process.You will give a fake lesson at the end of the interview in front of some Teach for America staff.You will be able to choose the top cities you would like to teach in as well as your preferred subjects and grades.If you are hired, you will be placed in one of those cities to begin teaching.It's not for everyone because often times you won't receive much training before you start, and for someone who did not go through the teacher education program, you might be a little lost.Depending on the school district, you can either get help from other faculty or navigate your own.
Step 16: Join the Peace Corps.
You can teach in another country if you join the Peace Corps.You won't make a salary, but you will get a housing and living stipend, as well as paid transportation, if you join this organization.A minimum of a bachelor's degree with some teaching or tutoring experience is required for Peace Corps openings, which can be found on their website.You will be placed with a host family or in a dwelling if you join the Peace Corps.The Peace Corps is a chance for you to learn about different cultures and respect the differences between your country and one you visit, as well as being asked to adhere to cultural norms.The Peace Corps gives you teaching experience, but also offers entry into unique graduate school opportunities, as well as the option to forgive or defer certain public loans.
Step 17: Continue your education.
You can get a master's or a PhD in your field.You can take part in workshops and training sessions that will help you serve in different roles or help advance your teaching experience.You have to participate in professional development to keep your license.Visit your state's agency to learn about the education requirements.