How to become a teacher
Teaching has long been referred to as the noble profession. Educating future generations and telling them all about the world is the name of the game, and that’s not easy. That’s why teacher training is rigorous and a career in teaching shouldn’t be opted for lightly. But for those who are unsure about whether they want to enter the profession or not the below information will help to explain exactly what training to be a teacher is all about.
Why get into teaching?
There are many reasons why people get into teaching. They don’t have to be noble or particularly inspirational, just as long as the individual in question has the lust for education. Many of the advantages of teaching are:
- The future is in the hands of the teacher. Teachers could find themselves educating the leaders of tomorrow, and that’s a pretty big benefit for those who want a career in teaching.
- Life as a teacher can be hard, but as a reward for this there are lots of holidays.
- Teachers are allowed to be creative with how they teach their students. It’s not just a matter of reading through a book.
- A career in teaching is rewarding in that it has a good salary for graduates, and this goes up each year.
- Teaching makes a difference and enriches the lives of others.
What does a potential teacher need?
Before entering the teaching profession it’s important to be able to evaluate and compare oneself against the skills needed to become a good teacher. If these traits aren’t present then the person in question has to be able to turn that around during their teacher training.
If the individual has these traits then they may be a prime candidate for the profession:
- Charisma is needed to be able to enforce one’s will throughout the classroom.
- Adaptability is necessary as many teachers will often find themselves substituting for their colleagues in the event of illness or other engagements.
- A willingness to work with more difficult students.
- A love for one’s subject.
- Tolerance and the ability to accept all students no matter how academically able they happen to be.
Teacher training
Training to be a teacher usually requires a degree in the subject the potential educator wants to teach. For example, if the individual wanted to teach history then they would require a 2:1 in that degree; it should be noted that the degree requirements for new teachers have become stricter in the past few years. They must then take an additional course, which is what teacher training is.
In England the Teaching Agency is responsible for all Initial Teacher Training (ITT) courses. It should be noted that this course can be taken and the qualification gained alongside a degree. Firstly it’s important to take into account all the requirements needed to take the course.
- All teachers must have at least a C in GCSE maths and English language, or an equivalent qualification.
- A degree in the necessary subject, but it’s important to remember that if the degree is not relevant then additional training can be sought; which is a requirement if the teacher wants to teach at secondary level.
If the degree isn’t relevant to the subject then it’s simple to take some additional courses. The Teaching Agency provides courses in a variety of subjects, such as: six-month courses in maths, six-month courses in science, and three-month modern language courses.
However, if the trainee teacher is ready to go straight to the ITT then it’s just a matter of deciding exactly where they want to train. Training can be given in a variety of locations, but the three major places are schools, higher education institutions, or by being employed at a school.
Already employed at a school?
For those teachers who decide to become employed at a school in order to become qualified they will find the experience to be rewarding yet challenging. It’s important to note that this is the best way to find out whether the individual wants to be a teacher or not due to the fact that they will be in contact with students from the very beginning.
The course for this route is the Graduate Teacher Programme (GTP). This program is for graduates who want to work at a school and be trained onsite. However, even though these places do pay a salary for trainees, competition is incredibly high so don’t expect to get a place in this programme easily. Always have a second option set up. For those who want to find places checking local and national newspapers can be a great starting point.
Higher Education Institution
Perhaps the most popular option for teacher training is to train at a higher education institution. This will typically involve going back to university and learning through formal tutorials and seminars. But sometimes teachers are able to go to a place like the Open University and study completely from home. These courses are typically available both full-time and part-time. The only problem with this method is that teachers will have a lack of experience of working in a school environment with genuine students.
School-Centred Initial Teacher Training (SCITT)
The SCITT is for graduates and is run through schools. This isn’t as hands-on as actually being employed by a school, but it still involves that experience that future employers love. All of these SCITT courses will lead to being a qualified teacher and many also award the postgraduate certificate in education, which saves more time spent learning later on.
Finding out more
A career in teaching has never been so popular like the present time. If you want more information about getting into teaching, it is strongly advised that you visit the TDA website. You can get useful information and resources about the many different routes that will help you become a qualified teacher.