| So, you are thinking about becoming a teacher, | | | | steps towards becoming a teacher. In some |
| eh? There are many reasons for wanting to | | | | states, you can even get your teacher's |
| become a teacher - you may love working with | | | | certificate while you are teaching. |
| kids (or adults); you may think that there is | | | | · Find a job as a teacher's aide or as a |
| nothing more important in the world than a good | | | | substitute teacher. This will give you a much |
| education; you may want to stay in the education | | | | better idea as to whether or not becoming a |
| system the rest of your life; or you may not | | | | teacher is the right road for you to be following. |
| know what else to do with your major. These | | | | It will also give you valuable experience. |
| are all valid reasons for becoming a teacher | | | | · To receive your proper teaching |
| (except maybe for the last one...), but the most | | | | credentials, you should expect to have to take |
| important reason for becoming a teacher is a | | | | many standardized tests and also get some |
| deep love for helping people grow both | | | | mandatory classroom experience before you |
| intellectually and emotionally. | | | | start student teaching. You may need to add an |
| Here are some important steps to take on the | | | | extra year to college experience if you decide |
| road to becoming a teacher: | | | | that you want to teach. |
| · First of all, you must decide if becoming | | | | · It can be hard to find a teaching job. It |
| a teacher is really the right path for you. Get | | | | is often said that there is a shortages of |
| experience working with kids - work at a summer | | | | teachers, and that may be true, but there are |
| camp, teach soccer lessons, babysit nephews, | | | | certainly plenty of teachers that want to fill in |
| volunteer in a classroom. Get experience working | | | | practically any opening in a school. Make sure that |
| with kids of different ages, too, so that you can | | | | you use the service of your campus career |
| start to decide which age group you would most | | | | center. They can help you do a job search and |
| prefer to teach. | | | | can also connect you to different school districts |
| · The next step on the road to becoming | | | | that have openings. |
| a teacher is deciding whether or not you want to | | | | · It is a good idea to join a professional |
| teach elementary or secondary education. To | | | | teaching association. You can find out about job |
| teach elementary education, you will need to get | | | | openings, network with other teachers, get good |
| an elementary teaching degree. To teach | | | | tips and ideas on lesson plans, and more. |
| secondary education, you will need to get a | | | | It can seem like it is a very long road to |
| degree in the subject that you would like to | | | | becoming a teacher, full of potholes and |
| teach. | | | | speedbumps, but one you have a job and a |
| · Find out what sort of teacher | | | | classroom full of young minds to enrich, you will |
| certification program is needed in the state you | | | | know that it was worth it... or you will need to go |
| want to teach in. Different states have different | | | | out and find a different job. |