Considering a teaching career? If so, you may be wondering what degree do you need to be a teacher?
In today’s article, we’ll cover that topic. And we’ll also share with you a step-by-step guide on how to become a teacher.
What Degree Do You Need to Be a Teacher?
If you wish to pursue a career in teaching, you will need to have a bachelor’s degree in Education. It is the minimum level of education required in order to become a teacher.
(If you get an Associate’s degree, there are a number of careers in education you can pursue. Find out about those here.)
Steps To Becoming a Teacher
Education
The first step is to enroll in an accredited bachelor’s degree program. There are plenty of programs offered by online schools, as well.
Accredited online bachelor’s programs in education are a great way to earn your degree without sacrificing your schedule or other priorities. Through online schools, you can save a lot of time and money.
State Exams
The next step is to take and pass state-required examinations. These exams will assess your general knowledge and basic skills in teaching. It will also assess your professional knowledge. And it will help you determine specific subject area knowledge so you can gain an insights into which subjects you excel at best.
Different examinations you can take include the PAPA exam, and the Core Academic Skills exam. However, if you have a score of 500 in any of the sections on the SAT, you will be exempted from taking the corresponding basic skills exam.
Teaching Experience
You’ll also need to gain a student-teaching experience. During this experience, you can practice how to manage a classroom with the help of your college professors or cooperating teachers.
This experience is vital because it helps give you a sense of how to teach in a real-live setting. It will also help increase your confidence and prepare you for a successful teaching career.
Certification Exams
The next step would be to take a teacher certification exam. This will help you become a certified teacher.
The exam should relate to both your course of study, and the state you want to work in. This is because the passing scores differ by each state.
How Long Does It Take To Become a Teacher?
Typically, earning your education degree takes around four years to complete. However, students with an associate’s degree may be able to finish their course sooner. It also depends on your course of study, and of course, when you complete your state certification exams.
A great tip would be to determine what you want to teach before starting your bachelor’s degree. This will help you focus on your goals, and prevent you from changing majors right in the middle of your bachelor’s degree education. Hence, saving you a lot more time.
Other factors to consider are what grade level you’re interested in teaching, and if you plan on taking your education career a degree further down the road.
Once you have your teacher certification exam completed, you can now apply for jobs in the state you want to work in. Teachers have competitive salaries depending on the state, and what subject you want to teach. Currently, there is a growing need for teachers in fields such as math, bilingual education, science and special education.
Now you know what degree you need to be a teacher. Plus a whole lot more. We hope this article was helpful. And we wish you the best of luck in pursuing a rewarding career as a teacher.
