Ready For A Career Change?
Tired of the corporate grind? Want to make a difference? Enjoy shaping young minds and lives? These are just some of the many reasons why skilled, experienced people in all walks of life leave their employment and become teachers in mid-career. I know! I did it! It was one of the best things I ever did.
Now, this is not the traditional route for becoming a teacher. But it is one which is encouraging more life-experienced men and women to enter the teaching profession. So what are the pitfalls, the challenges and the steps which you must take to equip yourself for your new calling?
Teacher Training And Certification
Public school systems generally require a teacher to be trained and certified before they can hire. It's the law. Some states have developed tracks especially for teachers coming into the profession after time spent in another career. Verify the requirements for certification in your state by going to the State Departments of Education pages on this site. Read Alternative Teacher Certification in Education Week for a summary of the issues involved.
Private schools generally can do their own thing. The requirements in other words are left entirely up to the school. Most schools will want to see some evidence of training and proof of in-depth subject knowledge. Most private schools have extremely rigorous academic standards. They offer the equivalent of college level courses in a wide variety of subjects, and need highly-knowledgeable, skilled professionals to teach the curriculum. Just take a look at the AP and IB programs to understand more fully what I mean.
Continuing Education
You and I know that the learning process never stops. The new teacher, however, must refine and improve his skills in his new profession as quickly as possible. Some schools will make this a condition of continued employment. Courses in technology and psychology will be particularly useful. The About Grad School Admissions and Distance Learning Guides offer comprehensive resources to help you accomplish that goal.
Mentoring
Find a teacher whose methods and style you admire. Spend some time exploring why he is successful. Certainly you cannot clone him, but you can adopt those skills and techniques which work and make them yours. Interestingly enough you will find in every successful teacher the same two underlying critical elements: a love of subject and a love of people.
ConclusionListen to your heart. Do your due diligence. Then become a teacher. You will earn something which money can never buy: the satisfaction which comes from shaping and encouraging young people as they journey through life.
Resources
Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification
National Center for Alternative Certification
Troops to Teachers
Teach for America
Blog from a 2nd Year Teacher
