1) If you are still in college and getting a degree in education, your program will supply you with all the necessary tools to acquire a position, how to get certified, and additional steps that you need to take to complete the process.

2) If you already have a degree or are working towards your degree and it’s not in education you should follow these steps:

A) Find the website for the Board of Education for your specific state and see what their criteria is to become a teacher.

B) If you don’t want to switch your major or get another degree you might want to look into getting into an alternative certification program. These programs will help you with the necessary steps needed to get that certification. The Board of Education websites will have a list of the programs available in your state. Research them to find out which one appeals to you based on the requirements, cost, length of time to complete, and the assistance they offer you to help you get your first teaching job. Some require attendance of classes/workshops and student teaching. Others can be done almost completely online in the privacy of your own home.

C) Certification exams – all states require you to pass a certification exam in the field that you want to teach. My advice is to find out through your State Board of Education website, the requirements to register for the exam and take and pass them as quickly as you can. Having passed these exams will go a long way in getting you to your first teaching assignment.

D) Take any additional classes/workshops required through your program as soon as you can. Your first year of teaching will be hectic and the more prepared you are when you first step into your new classroom the better.

E) Take full advantage of services that your school or certification program offers in job assistance. Use them to put your resume and cover letters together. Use them to help you locate teaching positions, prepare for interviews, and help you put a teaching portfolio together for your interviews.

F) Transcripts – be ready to have official copies of your transcripts together as schools will require them either when you get hired or at the actual interview itself. Not having them readily available can delay the process.

G) Networking – Get ready to contact anybody and everybody you can to find people who are already teachers or in administration. Talk to them, find out as much as you can about the teaching profession. Many principals or assistant principals do the hiring for the schools so if you are lucky enough to know somebody who does that for a living, talk to them and show them your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. Ask them for feedback on what, if any, improvements can be made on them. Talk to them as well about the interview process. If you are new to the teaching profession you will hear alot of terminology that you may not have heard before, become familiar with these as quickly as possible as some of these may come up in the interview process.

H) Other requirements – check with your program or the State Board of Education as to the process/fees for getting your fingerprints registered and the application for your probationary certificate.

In conclusion, teaching can be the most rewarding and noble of professions. There is great joy in watching the face of a child when you see the expression that tells you he/she is understanding the material that you are teaching. I hope this brief synopsis will be helpful to the great teachers of tomorrow.

By: Tony Cadena

About the Author:

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