Additional Information
You'll need at least a bachelor's degree in education plus a teaching certificate.
A master's degree in education can lead to additional opportunities or higher
salaries in some areas.
"Some teachers are secured through alternative programs that consider candidates
from non-teaching areas (business, medical, etc.,)" says Leasa Codner. She's
a teacher in Florida.
"Students should look for a program that mixes scholarly research on best
practices (in areas such as classroom behavior management) with an abundance
of varied hands-on and authentic learning experiences."
Teacher Steve Adnam says it's about more than academics. "I think training
in special education, classroom management and mental health are all very
important," he says.
"To increase your marketability, I recommend specializing in a high-demand
subject area," says Julie F. She teaches Grades 1 and 2. "For instance, physics,
learning assistance, music and early literacy are specialties that are in
higher demand than subjects such as physical education and social studies."
Some universities want you to have an undergraduate degree before you enrol
in an education program. Be sure to check admission requirements. In some
areas, teachers must also complete a certain number of professional development
hours. You should be prepared to attend workshops and complete additional
courses.