Is being a teacher the right career for me

It really depends what type of teacher you would like to be. However the main pathways are generally the same and the options vary but go along the same lines.

1. You need to graduate high school.
2. You need to attend a college/university and earn a four- year B.A. degree. You will want to get a bachelors degree in the subject-matter that you want to teach, this makes certification in your state and subject-area feasible. You may opt to minor or double-major in education. You do not need to have a bachelors in education to be a teacher. I would suggest getting a bachelors degree in the subject you would like to teach. (for example: I am an English teacher, I majored in English literature and now have a bachelors in English).
3. Once you graduate college with your bachelors degree you have a few options:

A. Go directly to Graduate school and obtain your masters in the area of teaching/education you want to teach (ie. Masters of Education, Masters of Teaching, Masters of Secondary English, Masters of Teaching in Secondary English, Masters of Teaching in Elementary, Masters of Special Education etc.). You may also opt to get a masters degree in the subject-are you wish to teach. However, while in graduate school you must obtain a masters degree in some variation of teaching/education. So you will have either a MAT (Masters of Teaching) or MED (Masters of Education). Most graduate schools have one of the two programs and offer a variation depending on the subject (ie. Masters of Teaching in Secondary English or Masters of Education in Secondary English). This option is ussually a fifth year pathway that allows you to student teach at a school while earning your masters degree.

B. You can apply to an Alternative Route to Certification (if you state has options/offers this). This would look like a program like TeachForAmerica, AmeriCorps TutorCorps, or other Teacher Residency Programs (ie. KIPP Teaching Fellows, MATCH Schools, or charter schools that offer Teacher Resident positions. Look up the options in your state or the options available if state is not a boundary for you. During the year or two-year commitment of these programs you would typically also have classes or being earning a masters degree. This option is for teachers who want to start working directly after they graduate college. Some programs lead to Certification in your state and others lead to BOTH Certification and a Masters Degree. The ARC programs lead to 90 day certifications, which then lead to Initial Educator Certification OR Resident Teacher Certification (ALL are pathways to FULL certification in your state).

1. Regardless of which route you take you will need to take the certification exams in your state. MOST states, including CT (which is the information I know because it is my state) require the PRAXIS exams. You will need to research certification requirements within your own state for more information. However, while you are earning your masters (or after you have earned your bachelors) you will want to also prepare for and take the PRAXIS Core (which can be waived if your SAT/ACT scores are high enough) and the PRAXIS II which cannot be waived and MUST be passed for certification.
2. Once you have obtained your Bachelors degree AND Masters degree AND Passed your state certification exams AND done some form of students teaching (whether that is during college or in a residency program) you can then:
3. Go to your state board of education website and complete your certification information.
4. Then, you can APPLY as a LEAD teacher in the area you are certified.

MOST pathways take 4-6 years. You will be able to start your first year of teaching as a lead teacher generally in year 5 or 6.

This professional recommends the following next steps:

• Earn a bachelors degree in the subject area you would like to teach in AND or a bachelors in Education.
• Decide if you want to do a teaching Residency program like Teach For America or if you would like to go straight to graduate school to earn your masters degree.
• Apply to Graduate schools and Teaching Residency programs. During your senior year of college.
• Begin your first year of grad school or teaching residency.
• Earn your Masters degree in Education or Teaching, in the area you would like to teach in.

As with any Career that you choose you must do some research about that career. Teaching is a wonderful profession, but it isn't right for everyone. Here are some ways to become better acquainted with the pros and cons of teaching:
1. First take a Career Assessment to find out if teaching comes out in your assessment. The SDS is an easy one to take. You can usually et one of these at your high school or college Career Counseling Office or you can go on line and take a shorter version.
2. The second thing to do is to get experience in education and teaching by volunteering at a boys and girls club or an after school day care situation or at the YMCA where children take classes, and of course if you have done some babysitting at all you will either find out if you like being around children or teens by doing some more of this.
3. This was my personnel experience: I went to college to become an elementary school teacher -- I thought that was what I wanted to do. When I was in college I took one of the interest assessments and one of my top interests was teaching. So I thought that would be great. Then when I was in my last semester of student teaching I was placed part of the semester in 1st grade and the rest in a 3rd grade class. To my surprise I realized that I loved the children, but I didn't like the fact that I went to one classroom everyday and saw the same children. I realized then that my personality needed more variety within the job and that I needed less structure and more variety and I would rather work with college or adult ages. A few years later I went back to school for Career Guidance Certification, I already had a BA degree but I needed the counseling, psychology and assessment education to work in this area. After I received my certification I worked in a high school, then a smaller company as a Personnel manager, and finally running a career center and giving classes on interviewing and resume writing. This just felt right to me, but it took me awhile to figure it out. The Personality Assessment (Myers Briggs)is also another assessment that will give you great knowledge in what environment is best for you to work in. Mine was NOT a classroom or children, but adults who were job searching.
4. I would suggest that you do points 1 and 2 and take some information from my personal experience and put it to good use. After you have researched and you feel this is the right career for you, then you can move on taking the right courses and fulfill your dream of becoming a teacher. We need good teachers to teach our children so please research this career for your own experience. I wish you luck in your research and decision making process and I know if you follow some of these suggestions you will find our what is right for you. HAPPY HUNTING!!