How to Become an Elementary School Teacher

Elementary school teaching is one of those fields that require a true calling and passion. If you are passionate about teaching and love spending time with kids, then this might just be the profession for you. The minimum requirements for becoming an elementary school teacher differ from state to state. However, the general qualification required is usually a bachelor degree in elementary education, and the completion of teachers approved preparatory program in most states. A traditional student will have to follow the following path to successfully become an elementary teacher;

1. Earn a bachelor degree

(1)A teacher at an elementary school needs to possess a wide variety of skills. These include instructional strategies, pedagogy and child development knowledge.

(2)To acquire these skills, a prospective student has to undergo an online or on-campus degree. Choose according to what suits your financial situation, schedule and learning style.

(3)A degree in elementary education could focus on an urban school setting. Some will instead focus on preparing teachers for a private, rural, independent

2. Get an internship at an elementary school

(1) First and foremost you will need to look for internship opportunities. While there are other options, searching online is probably the easiest there is. You can get a wide variety of interesting elementary school internships at sites like indeed.com.

(2) You will have to make an application for the internship opportunity you are interested in. There are others on the search too so be sure to send out more than one application.

(3)Once you secure an internship, try and learn all you can go to completion. You will benefit immensely from this hands-on experience that will let you put to practice what you learned in the classroom,

3. Take the state licensing exam for elementary school teaching

(1)To get certified as a teacher in almost any state, you will have to pass a standardized test to ensure that you are qualified to teach.

(2) Each state has its own its standardized tests. This means that en though you pass the California test you won’t be able to teach in New York until you pass the New York teacher certification examinations.

(3) The most common are the National Evaluation Series and the Praxis Series. You need to consult your state board of education before taking any of the tests.

4. Apply for an elementary school teaching license

(1) Once you have confirmed that you have all the necessary minimum requirements required by your state board of education. You can apply for an elementary school teaching credential

(2)You can apply for a certain subject or a particular grade level according to your interests and the specifications of your state education department.

(3) In most states elementary school teachers are generalists. You can take either the early childhood certification that includes kindergarten to grade 3. Another option is the elementary teacher certification that includes kindergarten to grade 6.

With a license, you will now be able to apply for job openings. As an elementary school teacher, you will play a very important role in society. You will be responsible for the creation of a strong foundation who are going to contribute to society. The world is changing so after getting a job start thinking about getting that masters degree. Some states are already looking to upgrade their minimum requirements so you should stay ahead of the curve.