Saturday, August 1, 2009

Preparing for a Teaching Career

By James Stone

In order to prepare for a career as a teacher, you need the same basic things that are necessary in any field. Those would be education and experience. It's not really difficult to get either one of those things if you are motivated and have a desire to learn. While teaching is challenging and demanding, it is also rewarding. You can get a taste of the rewards and the challenges before you invest in the education.

If you are still in high school, you can volunteer as a teacher's aide or consider tutoring younger students. The classes that you need to focus on in high school are no different from anyone that is preparing for college. It is afterschool and summer activities that can help you get experience dealing with youngsters. Consider teaching a class at the Y or becoming a counselor at summer camp.

It is not unusual to see adults that have already earned a degree considering the option of teaching. Obtaining teaching certification is not that difficult in most states, as long as you have a liberal arts or similar degree. Even if you have a degree, you may feel the need for additional education. A number of colleges and universities offer teacher prep programs. The programs provide education and classroom training, specifically for those that plan to teach.

Most teacher preparation programs require that the applicant has majored in the subject that they choose to teach. A Liberal Arts degree is the usual requirement, but a person that wants to teach high school science, for example, should have at least a minor in the subject. Students that make the decision to teach during their first two years of college can focus on early childhood education and other classes that prepare them for the career.

If you have yet to choose a school, you might want to consider attending a teacher's college. You can also look for schools that are accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). Schools that have that type of accreditation provide education on the subject matter, as well as effective ways to teach that subject. If you want to be the best in your field, an NCATE school can provide the training that you need.

Online or distance learning education continues to grow in popularity for prospective teachers. Most traditional colleges and universities are offering at least some classes online. With all of the educational options that are available today, students of all ages can enroll in teacher education programs.

About the Author:

No comments: