SECONDARY School CAREER

Being a high school teacher involves disciplining and providing direction for young adults. You will be expected to make lesson plans, set exams, mark tests and prepare student reports. You should be able to speak in groups of people and be able to influence them. Secondary school educators train students more deeply on subjects that were introduced to them at the elementary level.

How to become a secondary School teacher- Types, description, information

Get professional qualifications. You will need at least a Higher Diploma, which is a one year postgraduate course. You can start off by doing a Bachelors degree specializing in the area that you are interested to teach. For instance, Physics, History, Math or English; you can choose to minor in another area such as a foreign language or music. This will make you more marketable when you are looking for a job since you will be able toteach more than one subject.

Then do a postgraduate or masters course that specializes in your chosen area. You will also be required to pass National Teacher Certificationexams in the particular state you want to teach in. Each state usually has requirements for you to teach there, so you need to check this out depending on the state you want to teach in by going to the State Education agency’ website.

Qualifications: Courses, Training, Certification

In teacher training programs offered by colleges and Universities that train teachers who want to pursue a secondary education career you will be required to attend classes in education courses and your preferred subject area of study. You will also need to do a supervised teacherstraining exercise for your specialized subject area in grades 8 -12.

It usually takes 4-5 years to do a Bachelor’s degree course.

The entry requirements for a college degree program are a leaving certificate in at least 6 subjects. There are no upper age restrictions for this degree course.

Secondary School Schools and Colleges

Some of the most popular schools and colleges that offer training for those who want to pursue a secondary education career involve:

• Iona College

• Manhattan College

• Ohio Northern University

• Samford University

• Troy University

Secondary School Job Opportunities, Salaries and Recruitment

There are 1.1 million jobs for secondary school teachers in the U.S alone. The job market is favorable as it is expected to grow fast in the coming years, with high demand for teachers in Science and Math.

Begin your job search by placing your files and CV in your graduating college’s placements office. There you will find the most current listings ofjobs. You can also choose to join national teacher organizations for your specialized subject area. For instance, you can join National Council forTeachers of History.

The pay for secondary school educators ranges from $43,000-48,000. The highest paid earn $67,000-$76,000.

It is important to join a union as a secondary school teacher such as the American Federation for Teachers. They usually bargain for better payand improved services for their members.