Growing up, we all had a favorite teacher from our childhoods. Maybe it was the teacher who taught you your favorite poem, the one who taught you how to value humanity or even the one who taught you how to skip. That teacher could be the inspiration behind you wanting to become a teacher.
This article will enlighten you on the various steps and qualifications you need to be a teacher. However, you must understand all it entails to become a teacher. Teachers are in charge of creating learning curricula for their students, and planning, and teaching courses. As well as proctoring exams and helping each student to achieve great academic success and be a better individual.
As a teacher, you have the privilege to choose the environment in which you would like to pursue your career. It could be at a university, elementary school, or just taking an online course for students earning their degrees remotely. Even though there are several pathways to becoming a teacher, they all begin with a bachelor’s degree. However, they don’t all end there.
In this article, we will take you through the job responsibilities of a teacher, how long it takes to become a teacher, and the various steps involved in becoming one. Let’s begin!
Job Responsibilities Of A Teacher
The major responsibility of a teacher is to teach and impart knowledge to the students. It could be in one or several subjects, but usually through a structured lesson plan. As a teacher, you will need to perform some or all of the following daily roles. Let’s check them out!
- You will develop and deliver effective lesson plans to students.
- You will also need to grade your student’s work and offer feedback to both students and parents.
- Furthermore, you may be in charge of managing classroom supplies.
- Also, you will have to create and reinforce classroom rules.
- As well as prepare students for their standardized tests.
- In addition, you’ll work closely with other teachers, staff, and administration.
- You will be required to learn several different teaching methods to increase effectiveness.
Time Frame To Become A Teacher
The required time to become a teacher can be influenced by three main factors. These factors include your education and professional experience, interested subject, and the teaching certification requirements of your state. However, the general rule states that to become a teacher, you’ll require at least a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license.
What this means is that you can anticipate spending four to five years in school and working towards achieving your certification. Meanwhile, students who study full-time courses to earn a bachelor’s degree may be able to start teaching immediately after graduating. However, the clause is that they must have already started the certification process while still in school.
Other students may require an additional one year to the four-year degree program to complete the certification or licensing requirements. But if a master’s degree is required, an additional two years or more may be added to the total time it’ll take to begin working as a teacher.
How To Become A Teacher
Extraordinary teachers are those teachers who do more than just teach their students. They inspire and encourage their students to be better in all areas of their lives, and not just academics. Given that, there are four great steps to follow if you wish to pursue teaching as a career.
1. Earn A Bachelor’s Degree
As a competent teacher, you must hold at least a bachelor’s degree to meet the requirements. However, you can decide to major in education studies, the subject you wish to teach, or a combination of both. Below are some common college majors that may interest you if you wish to become a teacher. Let’s check it out!
Early Childhood Education
Early childhood education teachers often learn how to work with young students up to the age of 8 years. They also study theories in child development. If you are interested in teaching kindergarten or elementary school, this degree will prepare you for it. In addition, you may be eligible for non-teaching positions like education administration.
Secondary Education
Obtaining a degree in secondary education will allow teachers to work with middle and high school students in both public and private schools. However, you may require additional certification depending on the state in which you teach.
Special Education
If you intend to teach children with special needs, a degree in special education is required. You’ll undergo unique training that will prepare you to handle the needs of students with learning or developmental challenges.
Physical Education
It is required for teaching roles that involve physical education, such as coaching athletic programs in a school setting. As a physical education teacher, sports management personnel, or school dietitians, you are included in this category.
Education Administration
Teachers who hold degrees in education administration usually transition to administrative or research roles. If you wish to pursue this line of career, you can major in education administration and get started on that career path.
2. Gain Classroom Experience
Gaining valuable experience is very important in the field of education. Oftentimes, you’ll acquire classroom hours during your undergraduate studies and it’ll be in the form of an internship at a school, or post-graduation. Teachers must have a certain number of classroom hours where they supervise in an educational environment before sitting for their certification exam.
After spending some time in the classroom, take into consideration your interests and talents. Then you can delve into state requirements to help you decide where you wish to teach. A teacher’s career path will determine the grade level, subject, teaching location, and type of school.
3. Obtain Your Teaching License
To start the process of obtaining a teaching license, you’ll need to delve into your state teaching certification requirements. Many states demand that prospective teachers have to pass three Praxis tests to become licensed. These tests include the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators (Core), the Praxis Subject Assessments, and the Praxis Content Knowledge for Teaching Assessments.
Furthermore, the Praxis Principles of Learning and Teaching are required in some states. And it’s often taken halfway through your education program. Certifications usually go with grade levels and separate certificates for the segments listed below.
- Preschool through third grade.
- First through sixth or eighth grade.
- Seventh through 12th grade.
4. Continue With Higher Education
As a teacher, you may desire to earn a higher degree once you have gained classroom experience to further increase your salary. To maintain their state certification, all public school teachers must complete a specific number of continuing education course hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can You Become A Teacher Without A Degree?
All K-12 public school teachers are required by the states to possess at least a bachelor’s degree. This is usually for elementary education, secondary education, or majoring in a content area like math or science.
Can I Still Become A Teacher If I Don’t Have A Degree In Education?
Generally, it’s very common to have a bachelor’s degree in some form of education. However, if prospective teaching candidates have a bachelor’s degree in a different field, they can still become teachers after taking a state licensure exam.
For instance, if you have a degree in math and you intend to take high school math, you must take a teacher certification exam. These exams include the Praxis and it’s used to measure academic skills needed for teaching.
