How To Make a Career as a School Teacher

They say that being a school teacher is not just a career, but a true vocation, which requires real lifelong commitment and an advocacy of learning. This may sound pretty intense, but then again if you consider a teacher's long hours, constant planning and preparation for lessons, and the pressures that come with being an influence and a guide for children during their formative years, being a teacher is really something that should not be taken lightly. However, there are of course benefits to being a school teacher. If you love to be around kids, for example, you would definitely enjoy every hour you're on the job. You would also be able to feel a certain fulfillment over being able to positively change young people's lives. Plus, what other careers would give you long periods of vacation? So if you're interested in pursuing a career as a school teacher, read on to find out some options that you could consider:

1. The level. Most of the time, the level you would choose would likely depend on your own personality. Do you love to deal with little kids? Then consider being a primary school teacher, an elementary teacher or a preschool teacher. Most of those who opt to become a high school teacher have "cool" personalities that would enable them to handle the often restless and turbulent tempers of teenagers.
2. The subject. Preschool and primary school teachers usually have fewer classes to handle, although they are expected to teach all subjects for one class. On the other hand, middle school and high school teachers teach by subject. One guide that would help you choose the subject you would like to teach would be to ask yourself: what subject was I most interested in at school? In essence, the subject you choose to teach would be what you would be talking about during your career life, so you better be good at it and interested in it as well. Other related options include being a Special Education teacher (for children with special needs - you would need to obtain a degree in Special Education for this career track), or a foreign language teacher.
3. The institution. Being a school teacher, you would have the option to teach at a public school, a private school, a laboratory school, a school funded by a religious institution, and the list goes on. Know that private schools have been found to give the lowest base salary ($20,302 annually as starting salary, compared to $25,888 in public schools).
4. Other factors. There are other factors that you would have to consider. These include teacher education, teacher pay and teacher wages, and state requirements. The traditional route of becoming a teacher is to obtain a degree in Education (with a major such as Preschool education; or a particular subject such as Math, Science, etc. that would prepare you to teach that subject) from a college or university. However, if you have taken a course in fields such as the Sciences (such as Physics, Chemistry or Biology), Mathematics, Languages (Foreign languages, English Studies), etc, you could take a Teacher Certification Program that would prepare you to teach that particular subject related to your degree. You could research the rules and regulations of different states (as well as available programs in different colleges and universities) to find out the specific details and requirements of your area. If you want to teach in Illinois, for example, check out this website: illinoiseducator.illinois.edu. Teachers need to pass a State Certification Board after obtaining the educational requirements. Again, check out your specific state's requirements. Teacher salary may be considered low when compared to other career tracks; however, being a teacher does offer stability since there is a high demand for teachers virtually everywhere. Many factors determine teacher pay, but median annual salary is $40,000 to $44,000, with Special Education teachers receiving the highest pay.
5. Other alternatives. If you're still not too sure about going into a career in teaching, why not try your hand first at other opportunities to teach kids? Be a Sunday school teacher, a volunteer to tutor underprivileged kids, or a teacher's aide. You could also try out being a Teacher of English as a Foreign Language - there are many short-term programs being offered that give certifications to Native English speakers; this would enable you to professionally teach English to foreigners. This is a very in-demand occupation nowadays.

There you have it! These are just some of the career options that a school teacher could consider. Being an educator of young children would certainly be a worthwhile career to think about. Good luck!