High School Teacher

A career in secondary education is a respected role in society and can allow a teacher to really inspire youth to learn and succeed. There are general guidelines as how to proceed in the process to become a certified high school teacher, but it should be noted that each state has different specific requirements.

The decision to become a high school teacher might be made relatively early in one’s own education or it may come years after high school graduation. There is really no requirement that stipulates that a prospective teacher must immediately declare a major of education when they go to college.

Start recording hours volunteering in a local school system or even start tutoring other students on your own to become more comfortable instructing others. Practice speeches in front of others fairly early to become experienced speaking in front of groups. Even working in summer parks and recreation programs might be a good addition to your experience.

Attending a four year college or university and obtaining a bachelor’s degree in the subject you want to teach is a practical must. A minor in a second interest might make you more marketable as a teacher who has exposure to more than one subject. Study hard and try to get the best grades you can and consider joining education clubs or societies to network with like minded people.

Before you even attend this four year school, you might want to look into the existence of any post graduate certification programs offered at the same school so you can get everything done in one location, if desired. This probably means getting a Master’s degree in Education.

During your undergraduate years you can definitely ask the Department of Education in your school what the guidelines are for test scores for national and state certification standards. During postgraduate coursework you should expect to student teach; that is, under supervision, you might teach a real class in a real school.

After graduation or certification, contact your department’s employment placement office as they should have current teacher position availability listings.

If you already have a bachelor’s and want to return to school to become a high school teacher, there are a lot of resources out there to help you achieve this goal. Tutoring, volunteering and working with youth at this point shows your interest and dedication to instructing youth. Applying for federal financial aid to fund your education might be a good choice, depending on your situation.

Being a modern teacher requires some measure of adaptability, especially in terms of understanding that not all students learn alike and using different methods to teach different subjects. Instructing high school students requires the ability to accept criticism from students and faculty alike. Some of it may be valid, some may not. However, a positive attitude can go a long way.

As a high school teacher, consider substituting for other teachers if they are not there for a day or so, teaching different subjects during summer school, if possible, and coaching. This allows for more student engagement and you can really get involved in helping students develop their educational goals.