A teacher needs to be patient and humble and have a passion for working with children and teens.Potential candidates for a teaching job will need a combination of the appropriate college courses, teaching practice and teaching credentials.Although teachers work with children, teenagers and adults, the path to a teaching credentials and job is the same for all levels and fields.
Step 1: Decide if you want to teach.
Before you enroll in a degree program for teaching, you should think about the pros and cons of your career choice.Do you like working with children?Are you a fan of education?Are you able to maintain authority over a group of people?Are you patient?Before beginning the pursuit to become a teacher, you should think about these questions.Before becoming a teacher, you should consider the salary, job perks, and lifestyle of the teacher.The average pay for the nation is between $40k and $50k for teachers.If you're looking for a high income job, teaching isn't for you.Some school districts pay more than others, but keep in mind that you may not make over $60k.It's good to think about the lifestyle of a teacher.Many teachers have to take their work home with them because a teacher works from early morning until the afternoon.They need to create lesson plans for the coming week, so you'll likely be working more than just an 8 to 4 job.Many teachers are involved in extracurriculars.National Honor Society is one of the organizations that teachers lead.They help host or work as coaches.You should be prepared to work longer hours if this requires you to.
Step 2: You can choose a subject.
The subjects taught in schools vary depending on the grade level.Think about the subject you want to teach before you apply for a teaching degree.Are you interested in teaching advanced math?Do you enjoy literature and writing?Are you interested in history or government?It's a good idea to think about what you would enjoy teaching about.You might want to teach something that you enjoy.Helping your students become more interested in the information they are learning is a part of your job as a teacher.It can be hard for students to take interest in a subject if you don't like it.Some subjects are in high demand.A math or science teacher will be in demand more than an English or social studies teacher in most areas.If you want to find a job in a certain school district or city, look at the job openings.
Step 3: Decide on a certain age.
You can teach children from 5 to 18 years old.Think about the type of students you want to work with before you pursue a degree.Most education programs and certifications are geared towards a specific age range.Before you begin your teaching career, you have to decide if you want to work with children of different ages.Do you want to help little kids learn to read, write, and do simple math?Are you excited about seeing students apply what they have learned to the real world, or do you enjoy having intellectual conversations with older students?Before you become a teacher, you need to ask a lot of questions.If you feel intimidated working with older children, you might want to go to elementary school.If you want to work with students with advanced skills, you should consider working with high school students.As you progress to older students, your knowledge of the subject you are teaching will probably need to improve as well.It will look different to teach English to third graders.A teacher in elementary school will probably not need to be a specialist in every subject as long as they have a well rounded knowledge of all subjects.
Step 4: Your favorite teachers give you lean wisdom.
Think about the impact the teachers had on you.You can ask them for advice if you set up a time to meet with them.If they think you would be a good fit, you should learn about why they wanted to teach.You can meet with retired and newer teachers.
Step 5: Volunteer with children or work with them.
Spending time with children is one of the best ways to find out if teaching is right for you.You can volunteer to mentor a child through a local program, or you can get a job working at a day care, camp or babysitting.Spending time with children of different ages will give you an idea of what age group you should teach.You can volunteer with many different organizations.You can mentor, read with, or tutor children in Communities in Schools.There are many organizations you can partner with to invest in a child's life.
Step 6: You can get a Bachelor's degree.
Most schools will require you to have a bachelor's degree in order to teach.Check out the course catalogs of the schools you are interested in and see if they offer credentials for teaching.After you finish your courses, some schools will place you in a student teaching position.The age group you are teaching will affect your degree.High school teachers usually get degrees in their subject.Go on to complete an educational program.A teacher with a focus on the area they want to teach in will major in education.Once you find a school that offers a good education or teaching program, you should sit down with a counselor to discuss the courses and benefits of the program.Some schools will include the teaching certification in their undergraduate classes, while others will require you to attend a teaching program after graduation.
Step 7: There is a teacher education program.
If you didn't build this into your undergraduate degree, you need to attend a teaching program to learn the basics of education and teaching.These programs can be taken anywhere from 12 to 24 months.Some states require you to take the first exam before entering.Once you have finished your program, you will take the second exam.If you want to find out if a teacher education program is a good fit for you, you should take the Praxis I test.You will be tested on your reading, math, and writing abilities.Your field of study is what helps you gain your certification.
Step 8: Gain certification.
In order to become a teacher, you need to be certified in your area.You need to be certified in a high school subject to teach it.If you want to teach middle school math and science, you'll need a certification in your age group.The exam is administered by many states after a teacher education program.State by state, the requirements for licensure vary.Before you apply for certification, make sure you research the requirements for the state you plan to teach in.Some certifications only work in certain states.You may not be able to teach in another state if you are certified in one state.Some states allow you to use your certification from another state to teach in that state.Before you get your bachelor's, it is helpful to review all of the requirements.For certification early, check the dates for the standardized tests.The availability of these tests varies from state to state.If one or more standardized tests are required to teach in the location of your choice, you may have to wait a year after graduation to get a teaching job.At any point in a teaching candidate's academic career, most state certification commissions allow the completion of standardized test requirements.
Step 9: Student teaching.
Most states require you to spend time in the classroom as a student before becoming a paid teacher.If you know that you want to teach in a specific school district or city, you should try to get an internship there so you can see what it's like.You can use your teaching program to find a school to teach in.You will be spending the same amount of time in a classroom as a teacher, meaning a full school day, five days a week, if you are doing an internship.In order to learn from the teacher and prepare lesson plans, you will have to teach for one class.
Step 10: National board certification is something to look into.
You can demonstrate that you have exceptional knowledge in your field with this certification.Many schools will pay you a higher salary and give you compensation for continuing your education if you gain this certification.The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards offers certification.Higher positions like counselors, administrators, and specialists can be made easier by gaining this certification.
Step 11: Consider going to graduate school.
Most public schools don't require graduate school to become a teacher.It provides many benefits.A master's degree can help you stand out.You can go on to become an administrator or reach a higher level at your school, because it allows you better mobility.Higher salaries are often paid to teachers with master's degrees.Think about your career ambitions before you apply for a master's degree.You may decide a graduate program isn't worth the work if you are content with your salary and teaching position.If you would like to move up in your school district, you may want to look into a master's degree.Employees in some school districts will be compensated for furthering their education.You can find out what benefits your school district can offer by talking to them.A master's degree will allow teachers to teach college level courses at their school in many states.Teaching dual credit courses can increase your salary.
Step 12: Pick the school districts you would like to work in.
A positive or negative experience can be determined by the type of school you work in.Some school districts have better test scores than others.Determine what type of school you would like to attend and apply to it.There are more lower income students in inner city schools.If you love working with at-risk students and helping them become passionate about education, then you may want to work at one of these schools.It may be easier to get a teaching job in these schools if you go directly to them.If you want to work with students that achieve higher test scores, then working in a suburb school is the place for you.Do some research before applying for a job.No matter where you work, your job will require patience.If you work with students who arepathetic about learning, be prepared to practice patience and perseverance with them.
Step 13: It will be a challenging year.
The first year of teaching can be a roller coaster ride.You will learn a lot, but you may be stressed or discouraged.Many teachers have a hard year the first year that they teach, so don't feel alone.As the years go by, teaching will become easier for you if you find that you enjoy what you do.You may not get the courses you want to teach in your first few years of teaching.You may have to wait until another teacher leaves or is relocated because the more desired positions are already filled.You may have to teach regular classes for a few years before you get the promotion you want.The administrators in your school will be more confident in you moving up if you work hard with the classes you are given.
Step 14: Your resume should be boosted.
The subjects that are popular to teach are more competitive in the field of teaching.You want your resume to stand out.Showing a passion for teaching is one of the ways you can make employers notice you.In your career summary section, you can show this in your objective section.This section can be used to communicate your teaching philosophy, belief in education, and desire to help students.You need to communicate that you are teaching for the right reasons.Employers want to know that you care about the 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.Some key words to use in the education field are: teaching and learning, curriculum planning, 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 a similar degree, but not everyone has job related experience.Think about the accomplishments you have made in college, such as teaching, leading, working with students, etc.You can include those in your resume through the related experience section or the activities section.Think about the qualities that would make 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.There are tons of online resources that give example resume in specific subject matters if you are stumped as to how to boost your resume.If you want to boost your resume, you can use these as references.
Step 15: Look for teaching jobs.
There are often teaching jobs listed on a school's website.You can search the entire nation for teaching positions online.There are career fairs at universities where you can find out about the schools hiring in your area.If you meet some of the employers, you may have an advantage when you send in your resume.When applying for jobs, be flexible.You won't get your dream teaching job in your first year or two of teaching.If you are willing to take a job that isn't exactly what you're looking for, you will have a better chance of finding gainful employment.You will be able to gain more teaching experience that will boost your resume so that when you apply for later jobs you have something to show them than just the education you obtained.Prepare to ask questions and show your knowledge if you are called in for an interview.Before the interview, you should research the specific school district and school.You want to show the employer that you are interested in working at their school.You can ask your employer questions about why they enjoy working at their school, as well as ask about the work atmosphere at the school.Do not ask questions that you could have found online.
Step 16: There is a list of references.
Employers will often ask for references from previous employers, professors, and someone else that isn't related to you.Think about the people in your life who know you well enough to give you a good word if you apply for a job.Choose a professor who made an impact in your area of study and an employer that knows your work ethic.If a school asks for it, you should make this list available.Some people choose to put their references on their resume, but this can take up a lot of space.It's better to have a separate document with your references than to add them to your resume.
Step 17: If you are applying, consider substituting.
If the job hunt is difficult for you and you haven't been able to find a full time teaching position, apply to be a sub at different school districts.You will have a better chance of getting work if you apply to several schools.Subbing will give you the chance to earn some teaching experience, is flexible, and will help you get to know the school or schools you are interested in working at as well as the administration.Many people who are substitute teachers have an advantage over you because you have a teaching certification.Some schools don't require certification, but may be willing to hire a substitute with an educational background.
Step 18: If you want to teach in America, apply.
It is possible to apply for positions 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 don'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.The final stage of the interview is where you will make a fake lesson for the staff of Teach for America.You will be able to choose the top cities you would like to teach in as well as your preferred subjects and grades.You will be placed in one of those cities to begin teaching if you are hired.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 yourself.
Step 19: There are options like 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.You will be placed with a host family or in a dwelling if you join the Peace Corps.The Peace Corps is an opportunity 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 public loans.
Step 20: Continuing education or training can be pursued.
It's important for a teacher to stay up to date on the new technologies used in the class room.You can attend workshops or training to learn more about your field.You have to participate in professional development to keep your license.Contact your state's agency to learn about the education requirements.A master's or PhD can help advance your career after teaching for a while.