Want to Become a Teacher?
March 16th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
There are certainly a number of great professions to choose from in this day and age. This is what drives so many people to go to college. They know that acquiring that degree will put them that much further ahead than the other folks that chose not to. Anyway, one career path that you may want to consider is to become a teacher. Tons of individuals just like yourself, who never thought they would ever get into teaching become school teachers. It’s funny how life works this way. Naturally there are a few things you should know about teaching first.
If you wish to become a teacher, you’d better narrow down the playing field a bit. Stop for a moment and consider what type of teacher you want to be in the future. Are you considering elementary school, middle school, high school, or becoming a college professor or specialty teacher of sorts? This is crucial since it will determine what sort of education you need to pursue. Naturally becoming a college professor requires a greater and more in depth education than becoming a grade school teacher. However, don’t make any assumptions about the education of grade school teachers. They require more education and training now days than ever before. While those who wanted to become a teacher in the past simply had to attain a bachelor’s degree focused on teaching, in this new era you have to achieve a master’s degree in many cases as well.
Becoming a college professor is a whole different level of instructing students. This process involves acquiring a PhD. So if you’re not up for the extensive schooling, then you may as well forget it. Regardless of when you decide to become a teacher or what type of teaching you pursue, always keep in mind that you have to seek employment where the available jobs are. This may mean that you can’t find a teaching job in the state you’re already located in. The reality is you may have to go where the teaching jobs are. Not that this should be discouraging in any way. Becoming a teacher is just like any career path; it’s competitive.
Should You Become A Teacher?
February 21st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Teaching is one of the most fascinating and rewarding career is out there. Nevertheless, the decision to become a teacher should not be taken lightly. Think back to high school for a moment. Of course there were those teachers who inspired you and really whetted your appetite for learning, but there were also those other ones – the burnouts. The burnout rate in teaching is very high, because a lot of people choose to become a teacher for the wrong reasons. They want the short years, the summer breaks, and the benefits that come with working in the public schools. They don’t realize that teaching is hard work!
The only way to not burn out is to teach because you want to teach. If you are considering becoming a teacher, ask yourself if you have the necessary attributes. Do have a passion for education? Do you like working with kids? Do you have something that you feel you could teach the next generation? Are you good at explaining things? How about controlling a classroom? Your answers to these questions will reveal if you have what it takes to teach.
Nowadays, there are more ways to become a teacher than ever before. You see, many parts of the country are under constant teaching shortages. That means that, even if you haven’t yet gone through a four year course at a school of education, you still have a chance of becoming a professional teacher. You can get certified as a substitute, for example, and give it a try. There are permanent subs in many parts of the country, so just because you don’t have the teaching credentials doesn’t mean you can’t become a teacher. If you like it, many schools will help pay for your training so that you can get the actual education degree while at work! This well give you the tools you need to be a real professional, and will allow you to make more money as well.
Of course, many people try teach for America as a way to explore teaching and see if it is right for them. This can be a really inspiring experience, but it will definitely be a lot of work. Teachers in this program get sent into some of the most difficult and poor schools in the country, so it is by no means an easy job. Nonetheless, it will look great on your resume and it will help you to decide whether or not to become a teacher.
