| Think back to when you were a kid in school. Sure, | | | | programs on a reputable online college search |
| there were challenges-maybe there were some | | | | directory. |
| mean kids in your class, or maybe you had a hard | | | | Private school teachers need a bachelor's degree but |
| time fitting in. But there was almost certainly that | | | | generally do not have to be licensed. Preschool |
| one special teacher who helped you get through it. | | | | teachers and vocational education teachers may not |
| One dedicated teacher can make a huge difference | | | | need a bachelor's degree and may be qualified |
| to a student. Maybe that one teacher could be you. | | | | because of life or work experience. |
| Teachers work in public and private schools from | | | | What's the job outlook? According to the U.S. |
| pre-kindergarten through grade 12. At the elementary | | | | Government's Bureau of Labor Statistics, in the |
| level, most teachers generalize, and teach a wide | | | | current decade from 2008 to 2018 employment of |
| variety of subjects to their home room students. In | | | | preschool, kindergarten, elementary, middle, and |
| high school, teachers are more likely to be specialists, | | | | secondary school teachers is projected to grow |
| like math teachers or Spanish teachers. | | | | about as fast as average. Job prospects are |
| Many teachers participate in other activities, such as | | | | expected to be favorable, with particularly good |
| coaching an athletic team or directing the high school | | | | prospects for teachers in high-demand fields like |
| play. Teachers oversee study halls and homerooms, | | | | math, science, and bilingual education, or in less |
| and accompany students on field trips. They may | | | | desirable urban or rural school districts. |
| identify students with mental or physical or problems | | | | In the United States, there are a lot of schools! |
| and refer the students to the proper authorities. | | | | According to the National Center for Education |
| Secondary school teachers may assist students in | | | | Statistics, in the U.S. today there are over 95,000 |
| choosing courses and provide advice on applying to | | | | public schools and over 28,000 private schools. |
| college. Teachers also participate in education | | | | Together they employ nearly 4 million teachers. With |
| workshops and conferences. | | | | the right training, one of those teachers could be you. |
| Do I need a teacher's license? To teach in public | | | | If you enjoy working with young people and helping |
| schools, yes. All 50 states and the District of | | | | them become outstanding adults, then a career in |
| Columbia require public school teachers to be licensed. | | | | teaching may be for you. But how do you get |
| However, licensure is generally not required for | | | | started? A good way is to log onto a reputable online |
| teachers in private schools. Licensure is usually | | | | career college search engine and directory. You'll be |
| granted by the State Board of Education or a | | | | able to search for schools in your area that train |
| licensure advisory committee. | | | | teachers, or find an online degree program. You can |
| What kind of training do I need? Traditionally, to | | | | compare programs and even learn about flexible |
| become a public school teacher you need to | | | | schedules and financial aid. Then you can request free |
| complete your bachelor's degree from a teacher | | | | information from the schools that interest you, visit a |
| education program, and then obtain your license. | | | | few, and make your decision. In less time than you |
| Many states now offer alternative routes to licensure | | | | think, you could be trained for a new rewarding |
| if you have a college degree in another field. You can | | | | career as a kindergarten, elementary, middle, or |
| check out colleges offering teacher education | | | | secondary school teacher. |