Introduction

Teaching profession is not something that a candidate can pursue by simply because he/she has some interest in teaching. It requires certain education, professional licenses, and a great knowledge about the different approaches in teaching.

The route may depend on a level and subject you are eager to teach if you are interested in becoming a teacher. However, there are some basic stages that are similar for all teachers and they include; getting a degree in education, participation in a teacher preparation program and attaining a teaching certification.

Teacher Education Programs

For one to become a teacher, he or she is expected to attend Teacher Education Programs, which are the initial steps. These are commonly referred to as teacher preparation programs or teaching degree programs, are aimed at preparing the future teachers. They encompass issues such as discipline, motivation, child development, curriculum designing and strategies of evaluation and testing.

Common series of pursuing a degree is getting an undergraduate Degree in Education majoring in teaching concepts that incumbents should understand before joining the teaching profession. This undergraduate degree also called an education degree or Bachelor’s in Teaching is a four-year program that trains learners for teaching positions at the basic or secondary level.

Alternative Pathways to Teacher Education Programs

However, as already discussed earlier there is more than one way to enter the teaching profession and the most common is the undergraduate Education degree. Some of the would-be teachers may hold an undergraduate degree in a subject other than teaching, and then they attend post-baccalaureate teacher education programs.

These are accelerated programs that enable a person to finish the required education coursework that enable him or her to teach. Moreover, further education for the teachers is also important for those who are already serving in the respective capacities.

This might be teacher learning programs, teacher development courses or teacher recertification courses whereby the teachers will have to undertake programs that will keep them up to date on current trends in the teaching process.

How to Become a Teacher: Steps and Requirements?

The process of becoming a teacher always encompasses several steps, maybe from the times when one enters the university to get a degree in education and move towards receiving the teaching certification. Here’s a breakdown of the teacher career path or the steps to becoming a teacher:

1.     Get an Education Degree

The first process that is called teaching career requirement is the acquisition of an undergraduate Degree in Education. This degree gives teachers the general ideas of theories in teaching, childhood development and strategies in teaching specific subject areas.

• Complete a Teacher Preparation Program

Teacher preparation program is a necessary step if you are entering teaching profession after or during the undergraduate studies. This can be as part of the bachelor’s course or an additional course you need to take or as part of your major at university.

These programs are usually supported by actual field practice lessons including student teaching, where one practices under close supervision of a tutor teacher.

• Pass Teacher Certification Requirements

It is important for any person applying to be a teacher in a certain school, college or university to meet the standard teacher certification in practice in the state or country.

Also called teacher certification or teaching credential, this is normally acquired later after getting your degree and after you pass your teacher certification tests. These teacher certification tests determine whether you are well equipped to handle a class and apply methods of instruction in the right manner.

• Apply for a Teaching License

Upon passing the exams you need to get your official teaching license as you complete the required tests in your course and/or complete your degree you will have to get your official teaching license.

It varies with each state or country but most require that one submit some documents proving that he/she has a degree, test results, and occasionally student teaching experience.

2.     Continue Professional Development

In fact, it does not end after becoming a teacher and this shows that a teacher is continually in a learning process. Continuing professional development is very important in ensuring that the teachers who teach those children are productive.

Teacher skill enhancement through teacher development programs enables teachers enhance their practices, get acquainted with educational research and progress in their profession.

What Degree Do You Need to Teach?

To answer the question, ‘What degree do you need to teach? ‘it is necessary to determine at what level you want to teach. For example, to become an elementary school teacher one requires a Bachelor’s Degree in Education that offers coverage of teaching methodologies and major subjects like mathematics, science and language.
Some teachers in secondary schools, high schools or campuses may require more specialized degrees. Apart from a teaching credential high school teachers may be expected to possess a degree in the area of the content to be taught for instance a Bachelors in Mathematics, Science or English. This enables them to give more intensive teaching at the secondary level.

For those who further want to advance his/her career or have a concentration in certain areas such as special education or educational leadership, may have to get a Master’s Degree in Education or related field. In this respect, the possibility to develop within the profession and to receive pay increases for teachers requires that a focus is placed on continuing education.

Teacher Certification Requirements

That said, as a holder of a degree it is now time to meet the teacher certification requirements. Many of the states and countries demand that teachers must take and pass a battery of tests that solicit their pedagogy and content understanding. These exams are also called TET or teacher certification tests or teacher licensing exams.
For instance, teachers training to teach in the United States require to sit for Praxis tests. These exams differ with the subjects as well as the grade level that a candidate wishes to teach. But still, they all assess overall variables of teaching performance ability and content knowledge in such subjects as mathematics, reading, and science. Taking these is very important in the process of obtaining teachers’ certification.
After you have got through all the required exams, you may go ahead and apply for your teaching license. This is a rigorous process where one would normally be required to provide proof of their education, tests results and student teaching. Teacher certification procedures vary with the states, thus the importance of consulting the concerned education department for more details.

Path to Becoming a High School Teacher

If your desire is to be a high school teacher, then the process of becoming a high school teacher will be more specific. High school teachers should understand the content area they teach, but they should obviously also know how to prepare their students for college or careers.

A large number of high school teachers select their area of specialization to be the same with the subject they intend to teach, such as Biology, Chemistry or History, among others, and undertake teacher training. Moreover, high school teachers have to satisfy the state’s teacher certification standards similar to the elementary school teachers and pass the licensing tests.

Teacher Licensing Exams

Candidates need to fulfill the requirements of the teacher licensing exams to get into a classroom. These teaching qualifications differ across the regions and these exams are usually categorized into general teaching and subject knowledge tests. Sometimes there are other tests that may be needed for teaching the learners with disabilities or for other certification that one may wish to obtain.

Conclusion

Teachers are made in the course of a noble but not always easy process that involves commitment towards acquiring of knowledge and personal growth. To become a fully accredited teacher, there are several stages that you have to go through from getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Education to passing teacher certification tests.

For those willing to teach children in a particular grade, meet the required teaching certifications, as well as overseeing the enhancement of teaching skills, a teaching career is always relevant regardless of whether one is teaching in an elementary, middle or high school.

This implies that to produce positive changes, one has to have the right qualifications coupled with hard work in order to bring positive change to the young generation.