January 12th, 2011 
jvremec
How to Become an Elementary School Teacher
Author: Kelli Smith
If you’ve thought about becoming a teacher, one of the most important decisions you may have to make is which level of teaching suits you the best. Elementary, secondary, and post-secondary teaching all have very different characteristics and requirements, and shifting tracks once you get started would be likely to require that you go back to school. Therefore, your career path may be smoother if you choose carefully at the beginning, and focus your educational preparation accordingly.
Distinguishing Characteristics of Elementary School Teachers
There are some characteristics that distinguish good teachers at all levels: a solid understanding of the subject matter; good communication skills, energy, creativity, leadership ability, and patience. But what are some of the particular characteristics that distinguish elementary school teachers?
In many ways, those characteristics can be defined by some of the special requirements of the job, such as:
- A good base of generalist knowledge. Rather than specializing in a particular subject, elementary school teachers often teach a range of subjects to a given class or age group.
- A fundamental understanding of child psychology. Elementary school children are just learning to learn, and teachers need to be able to perceive how different children are motivated, and what factors may be inhibiting some of them.
- A basic knowledge of child development. Many learning disabilities are not spotted until a child is in elementary school, and the earlier a teacher can help identify special needs, the more can be done for the child.
- Sensitivity to non-verbal cues. Small children have often not yet learned how to express themselves clearly, so a sensitivity to non-verbal signals can be the key to communication.
- A tactful nature for dealing with parents. Parents are an especially important part of the learning experience at the elementary school level, and being able to communicate in a clear yet non-threatening way is a useful attribute.
In addition to the above broad range of skills, there are specific educational credentials needed to become an elementary school teacher.
Elementary School Teacher Education
Although requirements for elementary school teacher education vary from state to state, here are three common elements of most programs:
- A bachelor’s degree. This would include both a broad background in general studies and specific education in teaching-related subjects such as classroom techniques and child psychology.
- Student-teaching experience. Education degree programs commonly include a requirement for a student-teaching internship.
- State certification. Public schools in all 50 states require teachers to be licensed, with the license often specific to the age group being taught. Private schools are less likely to require licensure.
Employment Outlook
Employment growth for teachers is expected to be about typical for the economy as a whole, but it is projected to be especially strong at the elementary school level. This occupation is less cyclical than most, so overall the job market is both promising and stable. Median income levels are above the national average.
Teaching is not an occupation for someone looking to get rich. However, for the personally enriching experience of helping children get a good start along the educational path, it can be an ideal choice.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/education-articles/how-to-become-an-elementary-school-teacher-1115702.html
About the Author
Edu411.org lists programs that help you to become an Elementary Teacher and schools for those interested in pursuing a career in the education field.
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I am in school for teacher certification and already have a BS degree. How can I get a job right out of school
I am in school for teacher certification and already have a BS degree. I have worked in the corp. field for 10 years. How can I get a job right out of school without having to substitute teach? I am learning spanish right now and am bilingual in Russian. I also dont want to work as a para first and want a job teaching 3-5th grade.
Which state do you live in?
Here in California we have http://www.edjoin.org
But if you know where you want to teach, go to the school district, tell them your situation and ask them how to apply. Either they will give a website, or each city will have you apply through them via paperwork. Make sure that you get copies of all your certifications, and diplomas ahead of time, because you will most likely have to include those.
If there aren’t any positions in that particular city, try the surrounding cities. Good luck!
website to check north carolina public school teacher certification?
how do i research nc teachers to see what certification they have and see if they are licensed? and or any disciplinary problems?
With the NCLB guidelines in place most places in NC have had to tighten constraints regarding teacher licensure. Teachers must be licensed for the specific subj. they are teaching.
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us is the NC Dept. of Public Instruction’s website. I’m not sure about specific teachers, but NC does provide a report card for individual schools. The link to the various reports including student performance, class size, teacher quality, and school safety is:
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/data/reports/
Best of luck to you!
a MATH middle school teacher certification program?
Do you know which college/university in the United States offers a MATH middle school teacher certification program?
Well, I’m going into secondary education. With the secondary ed. program at the University of Akron, you can teach from 7th-12th grade in your specialized area. If you are looking to teach at the middle school level, the required courses are in every subject.
If you only want to teach math, I suggest secondary education. You still get to teach middle school with that degree.
Good luck in your field!
Can I teach High School with a PhD but no teacher certification?
I’m doing my PhD and I guess somewhat bummed by the prospective job market and make it more difficult by not being geographically mobile. I really love where I’m living right not and don’t want to relocate. So if I cannot find a job at the University level or even the community college level can I teach at a High School/Middle School despite not having teacher certification? I am emergency certified to substitute teach for the public schools currently and will have hours as a TA at college level.
No – one answerer hit it on the head – not in the US. Talk to your academic office on campus and ask if your university offers alternative pathways to certification.
Other options are serving 2 years in “Teach for America” (if you’re in the US). You earn certification after 2 years of basically teaching in an inner-city or poverty-level school. You attend teacher education courses (geared towards how to teach) once per week and you get paid a normal salary with a living stipend on top. You also get a certain amount of student loans forgiven for serving.
However, if you earn your certification, you will have an extreme challenge with finding employment because often schools cannot afford to hire someone with a PhD. Different degrees earn different salaries and typically only the “richest” schools can afford teachers who have a PhD, and in most circumstances, you only find rich schools in very large cities. Some administration will pick a teacher with only a Bachelor’s degree over the one with a PhD because they simply can’t afford the latter.
Advice on going back to school for teacher certification?
I graduated with a BA in psychology nine years ago; since then I’ve been in retail management. I’ve decided I want to go back to school either to become certified to teach or to study library science, but I’m not sure what steps to take. Money is an issue, since I’m still paying $300 a month on my old college loans, and I’ll still have to work full time. Any advice?
Check out the job situation where you want to teach. My state publishes a map of the state and reports on what the status of different areas of teaching. You also may want to check out the requirements of substitute teaching in your area, some high need areas will grant an emergency sub license. That way you can get a feel for teaching.
In my urban district they are offering $4000/yr stipend for education towards spec. ed. certification in addition to a salary from the district. It is not the ideal way to get certified but it’s a bargain.
Another thing, may be difficult since you have a degree, is the loan forgiveness program. If you sign on to teach in a high need area, your loan will be forgiven, something each year, for five years.
I had a degree in actuarial science(math) and after I got my certification in a post-bacc program and it was the best thing I ever did!