A teacher is responsible for overseeing and instructing a group of children or youths, the exact age depending upon what kind of school they work at. They may specialize in a number of fields, from mathematics to physics or a language of some sorts. Their duties, regardless of their chosen field or level of education, generally include creating a safe and healthy work environment, encouraging proper mental, emotional, and/or physical development, and creating and implementing instruction plans.
How To Become a Teacher
Summary. We reviewed real candidate profiles to learn the best path to become a teacher. We'll guide you through the education, experiences, and skills hiring managers look for in a teacher.
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Most companies require a teacher to have a bachelor's degree degree in a related field, such as elementary education or education.
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Common job titles before becoming a teacher include cashier, substitute teacher, and internship.
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Hiring managers expect a teacher to have soft skills such as physical stamina, communication skills, and patience.
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Once you have all the required skills and experience, it doesn't take any job training to become a teacher.
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Getting a certification as a Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) will help you to earn more as a teacher.
We found that 63.9% of teachers have graduated with a bachelor's degree and 15.1% of people in this position have earned their master's degrees. While most teachers have a college degree, you may find it's also true that generally it's possible to be successful in this career with only a high school degree. In fact, our research shows that one out of every eight teachers were not college graduates.
Those teachers who do attend college, typically earn either a elementary education degree or a education degree. Less commonly earned degrees for teachers include a english degree or a psychology degree.
How to become a Teacher in 4 steps:
- Step 1: Explore teacher education
- Step 2: Develop teacher skills
- Step 3: Research teacher duties
- Step 4: Prepare your resume
Key Steps To Become a Teacher
Explore Teacher Education
If you're interested in becoming a teacher, one of the first things to consider is how much education you need. We've determined that 63.9% of teachers have a bachelor's degree. In terms of higher education levels, we found that 15.1% of teachers have master's degrees. Even though most teachers have a college degree, it's possible to become one with only a high school degree or GED.
Choosing the right major is always an important step when researching how to become a teacher. When we researched the most common majors for a teacher, we found that they most commonly have elementary education, education and english.
Teacher Major Percentages Elementary Education 16.00% Education 13.90% English 9.50% Psychology 7.50% Other Degrees 52.90% Develop Teacher Skills
It'll be a good idea to develop teacher skills before applying for a job. Here are some skills commonly requested in teacher job descriptions:
Skills Percentages ESL 16.83% Handle Scheduling 15.17% Kids 12.10% Classroom Management 7.40% CPR 4.53% Research Teacher Duties
When you decide to become a teacher, It's important to know what duties and responsibilities are required for this position. Some common responsibilities are a part of most teacher jobs. Here is a list of the main duties that define the role:
- Work closely with co-teacher to manage and co-teach curriculum to a large group.
- Target at risk and high achieving students using levele readers and DRA strategies.
- Lead debates with advance students on topics including globalization, economics, and political history.
- Develop social studies and geography curriculum.
- Provide kindergarten readiness in approaching phonemic awareness, phonics, and introductory math skills.
- Attend and participate in ESL professional development activities, conferences/workshops, curriculum/program planning, & special events and activities.
Prepare Your Resume
Finally, when you already have checked the skills and responsibilities for this role, you can start creating your resume. Everything that goes into creating a perfect resume can take hours, days, or even weeks. No worries, we created a resume builder to make this process as easy as possible with tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and a summary.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Teacher Resume templates
Build a professional Teacher resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Teacher resume.Apply For a Teacher Job
Teacher Jobs
Becoming a Teacher FAQs
At What Age Can You Become A Teacher?
The minimum age to become a teacher in the United States is 18, although some states have this requirement set to 21. Typically, the age requirement for teachers is not important because most people take enough years to complete the requirements for becoming a teacher that age is not a worry for them.
Can I Become A Teacher Without A Teaching Degree?
You cannot become a teacher without a degree, and you must obtain a state license. Aspiring teachers will need to be licensed in the state in which they wish to work. The steps to becoming a teacher in any state are relatively similar.
Can You Become A Teacher With A Felony?
Yes, you may be able to become a teacher with a felony, but it does create hurdles that can be difficult, and in some cases impossible, to cross. The success of this depends on your exact situation, as well as the support you have. Often, you may have to complete additional paperwork, an interview, or even more.
Can You Become A Teacher With A Psychology Degree?
Yes, you can become a teacher with a psychology degree, but you must obtain a state license. Aspiring teachers will need to be licensed in the state they wish to work in. The steps to becoming a teacher in any state are relatively similar.
Can You Become A Teacher With An Associate's Degree?
No, you can not become a teacher with an associate's degree. All states require a minimum of a bachelor's degree in education or a related field in order to become a teacher.
However, certain private schools have the ability to hire teachers with only an associate's degree, but this is rare.
How Can A Teacher Help To Make Students Successful?
A teacher can help to make her students successful by identifying their teaching objectives, figuring out the needs of their students, and fostering engagement with their students.
Here are some details on these strategies and others teachers can take to make their students successful:
How To Become A Teacher Without A Teaching Degree
You must complete an alternative teacher preparation program in order to become a teacher without a teaching degree. Generally, these programs must be approved by the state's board of education and lead to a post-graduate certificate or a master's degree plus licensure.
How To Get A Teaching Job
To get a teaching job, you should earn a degree in education and become licensed in the state you plan on working in. While teaching requirements vary from state to state, a degree in education or a related field helps provide you with the skill set and tools necessary to become a teacher.
How To Write A Resignation Letter For Teachers
To write a resignation letter as a teacher, you need to create a formal letterhead, include a salutation and introduction, and describe why you are resigning in the body of your letter.
Here are more details on each of these steps and one more in writing a teacher resignation letter:
What Companies Hire Teachers?
Companies in the education, technology, and training industries hire teachers. The vast majority of teachers are employed by academic institutions, such as public schools and universities, however, there are a considerable number of teachers that are also employed by private schools, and these institutions can be considered companies.
What Degree Do You Need For Early Childhood Education?
You need an associate's degree in early childhood education for early childhood education. This is the minimum for most employers, and some prefer candidates that have bachelor's degrees in this area.
What Degree Do You Need To Be An English Teacher?
You need a bachelor's degree in English to be an English teacher. You also need to simultaneously complete a state-approved teacher preparation program to become an English teacher.
An alternative is to get a bachelor's degree in education with a specialization in English. After obtaining the necessary degree, you must then complete a student teaching internship in English and other related subjects, such as literature and reading.
What Is The Career Path For A Teacher?
The career path for a teacher includes jobs as a teacher, special education teacher, and teaching coordinator.
The educational requirements for a teacher depend on which career path in teaching you plan to take.
What Kind Of Teacher Should I Be?
To determine what kind of teacher you should be, you need to ask yourself the following questions:
What are the subjects/topics that you have the most interest in?
What Should I Study To Become A Teacher?
You should study subjects related to a degree in education to become a teacher. Colleges vary in how prospective teachers earn their bachelor's degrees. There are various levels of education certification that may require different degree majors.
Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.