If you're thinking about becoming a teacher, you may wonder if you have what it takes to effectively manage a classroom and give students a meaningful education. While there is no magic recipe for effective teaching, successful teachers do share some traits. Great teachers are generally:
- Effective communicators
- Able to work with various types of people
- Intuitive
- Trustworthy
- Dependable
- Creative
- Patient
- Flexible
- Energetic
If you possess several of the above traits, a career in teaching might be a good fit. To get started, research teaching degree programs and teacher certification requirements in your state. Our educational system can always use more dedicated teachers.
A Bachelor's Degree in Teaching Prepares You to Teach at Multiple Levels
Whether you want to teach kindergarten or 11th grade biology, earning a bachelor's degree in education can point you in the right direction.
Most teacher preparation bachelor's degree programs take four years to complete and begin with two years of general education coursework. General education courses typically include mathematics, physical science, English composition, history, literature, art, and music. After you complete these courses, you can pursue courses specific to your area of interest, such as early childhood (Pre-K through 3rd grade), elementary (K through 8), or K-12 education. During these final two years, you typically also perform classroom observations and gain the field experience required for certification.
If you have an associate's degree in education, you can begin work as a teaching assistant while you work toward completing a bachelor's degree. As a teaching assistant, you become familiar with classroom management and assist the lead teacher in daily activities. However, you are not able to become a lead teacher in a public school without returning to school for a bachelor's degree. If you can't return to school full time, online education degree programs offer bachelor's degrees with flexible course schedules and online options. Chances are, some of your associate's degree coursework can be applied toward your bachelor's degree and enable you to complete your requirements in two years.
Changing Careers to Become a Teacher
If you have a bachelor's degree in an area other than education, it's not too late to become a teacher--many colleges and universities offer teacher certification programs designed for students who already hold a bachelor's degree. Most of these teacher certification programs can be completed in one year, and some schools offer online teacher certification courses. Online teaching courses are especially convenient if you currently work full time and need to fit your courses into an already packed schedule. At the end of a one-year teacher certification program, you should feel prepared to handle your own classroom of students.
Another way to transition into teaching is to earn a master's degree in education. Master's degree programs typically take two years to complete and may help you stand out to employers when you begin your job search.
Exact certification requirements vary by state, so do some research up front before applying to a program. For example, California teaching credentials require a five-year preliminary credential with continued education, whereas New York teacher certification does not require a preliminary credential period.
How to Pay for Teaching Degree Programs
Going back to school is an investment, but the federal government offers several ways to help students pay for traditional and online degrees in education. The major sources of federal financial aid include grants, which don't need to be repaid, and campus-based loan and work-study programs.
Federal financial aid was created to make higher education attainable, and some grants apply specifically to students pursuing a teaching career. Explore the federal financial aid Web site for more information on the following grants and campus-based aid:
Federal Grants
- Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education Grant (TEACH)
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
- Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG)
- Pell Grant
Campus-Based Aid
- Federal Work-Study
- Federal Perkins Loan
- Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG)
Financial aid and scholarships may also be available from the institution you're attending, your state's office of higher education, and local corporations or foundations. If you explore all of your financing options, you will likely find a way to attend school and pursue your dream of becoming a teacher.
