Learning to Teach Today’s Youth: Teacher Training
One of our nation's most respected occupations, and one of the most in-demand, is that of teacher. Nobody can make an impact on the life of a young individual like their teacher, and the need for dedicated professionals in this field is always high. If you are considering taking a teacher training program to earn your teacher licensure, then enrolling in an online program can help you reach your goals. Online teacher training courses will provide you with the education you need in order to successfully obtain your teaching license.
Teaching Licenses Degree Information
Each state establishes different requirements for teaching licensure and certification. Most states ask teachers to complete the same requirements, even if the state licensing differs in some states.
Anyone who wishes to attain a license to teach must hold a bachelors degree and, in some states, a master's degree. Aspiring elementary school teachers need to major or minor in education or have earned a Masters in Education. Secondary subjects need a degree in the area planned on teaching. For example, a biology teacher must have a B.S. in biology. Graduates also need to have completed an approved and accredited education program fulfilling the student teaching and practice requirements prior to applying for licensure. Finally, teachers must pass either a state exam or the PRAXIS exam, both designed to measure basic academic and subject-based knowledge. Certifications are usually good for up to five years, wherein afterwards the teacher needs to renew the license.Alternative teacher certifications are becoming more commonplace as states attempt to attract more teachers to areas with teaching shortages. These programs establish special licensing procedures. Applicants need a bachelors degree in the subject they wish to teach, pass state examinations and complete a teacher preparation program, possibly working as a supervised teaching intern. The state then issues a teaching credential for that state.
Earning A Bachelor Of Arts In Education
A Bachelor of Education degree prepares undergraduates to teach at any level of education. This degree is usually awarded as a major, minor or with another bachelors degree in a different subject, often the one the student wants to teach. For example, someone who wants to teach English could double major or major in English with a minor in education.
Master Of Education Degree
For those who want to do more than just teach or want to earn a higher salary, students should apply to a School of Education, a branch of study within a university devoted to educational academia and management, to earn a Master of Education degree. This program teaches learning methods, pedagogical theory and evaluation, concentrating on a specialization such as administration or counseling. Those who want to work in a post secondary educational institution need to earn a masters first.
Doctor Of Education Degree
A Doctor of Education degree or D.Ed. prepares students for administrative and specialized fields in education. D.Ed. candidates have to develop a thesis dealing with research methods, pedagogical theory and applying those theories into classroom practices. This degree is necessary for students looking to become administrators or educators at a higher-level institution.
Choosing A Teacher's License
In order to earn a teaching license, teachers-to-be need to earn a four-year degree and attend a teaching preparation program, which normally extends a typical college career by an extra year. All teaching programs need to be accredited by the state and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC). Students should also look at the location of the program, its ranking as a top school or not and how many graduates were employed right out of school.
There are many positions available in specialized teaching fields, such as coaching a school's athletic team. Becoming a substitute teacher requires an entirely different set of certification conditions. Contact the local school district and take any tests necessary before filling out an application.
Teaching Certification Exams
Teachers are required by state law to have passed various certification examinations before being eligible to teach in a classroom. The tests vary depending on the state, but the teacher-in-training will have to take either the nationwide PRAXIS exam or a state exam. For example, California law requires teachers to take the California Basic Educational Skills Test (CBEST), along with single-subject and multiple subject assessments. No matter what kind of test a graduate takes, it will be based on academic and subject knowledge necessary to know in order to teach.
Other Teaching Options
Private and independent schools do not have to adhere to the same certification requirements at the state, making them another option for those who want to teach but have not yet attended a teaching preparation program. Working as a teacher's aide is another way to become acquainted with the classroom without having to go through the process of earning certification. Teacher's aides are instruction staffs who work in small groups to tutor students, assist with classroom management and provide overall support in the classroom, such as acting as a translator or watching over students in a computer lab.
Career Opportunities
Being a teacher entails more than just lecturing to a classroom. Teachers can choose a specific focus to teach or broaden their horizons with a general background in an area of study. They can participate in outside programs, like helping run the school newspaper or running an after-school debate team. Bilingual teachers speak in two languages during class in order to communicate lesson plans effectively to two groups of students. Special education teachers educate elementary through secondary school students with physical and learning disabilities. Vocational education teachers train students to work in various technical and career-oriented fields, such as auto repair, communications, health care, business and information technology. Some employers may offer internships, which gives teachers a chance to build a relationship between the school and business while overseeing a program dedicated to placing students in jobs out of high school.
Teachers can also go back to school or work with a program that will pay them to go back and earn a Master's in Education. This degree is important for those who want to become administrators, such as a high school principal or college counselor.
Earning Potential
Teaching is one of the more secure careers available, since after three years, a teacher can obtain tenure status, making it a stable and reliable career. It is also one of the most in-demand professions, as there is a severe shortage of teachers, especially in low-income and rural communities.
There is a predicted 12 percent growth in school teachers employment in the next decade, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor, creating nearly 500,000 new positions. Elementary, middle and secondary school teacher median annual salaries range from $43,580 to $48, 690, with beginning teachers earning an average of $31,753. Salaries increase when teachers go back to school for a higher degree.
Teacher Training and Licensure Degree FAQs
What Types of Degrees or Licensures are Required for Being a Teacher?
Before an individual can find employment in the education sector, or at least in the public school system, they must first have their Bachelor's degree and teacher's license. Some people choose to take both courses simultaneously, for instance, an online degree program in education and their teacher's licensure program, while others may choose to first earn their Bachelor's degree and then focus on their teaching license. Either way works as long as the teaching candidate has both programs completed upon applying for a position.
What is a Teacher's License?
A teacher's license is a certification that indicates that you have been specially trained to provide academic assistance to others. Teacher's licenses are required by the state in which you wish to teach and must focus on a specific level of education. This means that one's teaching license will be exclusively for teaching on a given level like early-childhood education, elementary education, middle school education, high school education or secondary and higher education levels.
What is Needed to Obtain Teacher's Licensure?
In most cases, the student must be able to pass competency tests in writing, reading and teaching. Online teacher training programs will prepare you for these exams by offering the education you need to pass them. Additionally, many teacher training programs available online will offer you the latest educational information relating to technology and psychological analysis.
Is a Teacher's License Required to Teach?
There are some private schools that do not require their teachers to have their teacher's license, but they are still required to have at least their Bachelor's or Master's degree. In most cases, public schools require their teachers to have their license as these learning institutions must adhere to the state's eligibility criteria.
What are the Benefits of Taking Teaching Training Courses Online?
Online teacher training classes offer you the flexibility you need from your continued education courses. Most people who are working toward their teacher licensure are already working a full-time job in some capacity, so having the ability to take distance learning courses in their chosen field of interest can be very beneficial to making their programs fit within their daily schedule. Students who enroll in online distance learning programs are also eligible for the financial assistance packages that campus students take advantage of like financial aid, government education loans and/or private student loans.
Teacher Training Student Guide
Teachers are extremely influential in shaping the future of children, whether through finger-painting in kindergarten or teaching algebraic equations in high school. The formative years of a child are limited and precious, and teachers fill the role of mentors and guides in fostering intellectual, social and emotional development. Teachers act as catalysts for learning in a classroom setting to instruct students on learning and applying concepts in mathematics, English, science, social sciences and the arts by preparing lesson plans, assigning homework, grading tests and evaluating progress all while supervising the class. Teaching is one of the most challenging jobs, as teachers are continually learning new methods, tweaking lessons, tutoring one-on-one with students, working overtime to grade papers and meeting with school officials and parents to talk about a studentís academic or personal issues.
Elementary, kindergarten and preschool teachers help mold the young minds of children by introducing mathematics, language, science and social studies, using hands-on approaches to teaching like games, music, art and film to create a nurturing yet academic environment to convey basic skills. Middle school and high school teachers further explore subjects through more specific courses, such as foreign language, history or chemistry. Besides classroom duties, teachers are often called on to monitor other students, extracurricular activities, join students on field trips, help students choose colleges and attend teacher conferences and workshops. Teachers also need to be especially culturally sensitive, considering their classrooms are full of students from a variety of ethnic, religious and racial backgrounds.
