How can I become an elementary school teacher

Hi, Okalanie: I can see you're getting good advice so far. I was a third grade teacher for four years right after college and enjoyed that for the most part. I think I was motivated to teach younger kids because I had been a camp counselor during middle and high school. I also thought children's books were a lot of fun, and I liked the idea of teaching multiple subjects (reading, math, social studies, etc.) And, then, in college, I was a volunteer teacher at a local public school. In other words, I tried to get a feeling for what it was like being in the classroom and helping kids learn.

There's no question that you should go to college if you want to teach. And, if you want to be a master teacher, getting a masters degree in childhood education would be wise. So, my question to you is: what draws you to this age group? Do you just like working with kids? If that's your primary interest then it would be good to take courses in psychology, developmental psych, children's psych, etc. Most colleges teach these courses. Also, most colleges have a plan for those who want to teach. You will probably have to do some student teaching if you want to get certified and teach in a public school. (See http://www.texasteachers.org/ for details.) Private or independent schools often don't require certification, but they do expect that you will have worked with kids in some capacity.

One of the best things to do is to go back to your old school and talk with some of your favorite teachers there. They will give you all the positives and negatives about teaching grade school. They may also have the latest info on what's new and interesting about teaching, the latest development in curriculum. Also, as I mentioned above it's good to get experience working with kids, so you might want to start looking for things to do this summer or after school. If you have good experience and have done well in your coursework, you'll have a very good chance of getting a teaching job.

Then, of course, you have to decide if you like teaching a whole class or working with kids one-on-one. I found that I preferred working with students one on one because I didn't like having to deal with discipline in the classroom. That's something to ask your old teachers. I think you'll enjoy discovering whether or not teaching is for you. Keep researching and I think you'll find lots of info about teaching . . . but, you'll probably get more valuable advice by talking to teachers in person.

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.