Ways to Pursue Teaching as a Second Career

It’s never too late to start a second career teaching. Teaching is a rewarding career that can accommodate people at any stage in their life or work history.
 
Job prospects are favorable, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 4 million teaching jobs exist in the United States and growth is expected to be about 12 percent from 2006 through 2016. This means 479,000 additional teaching positions will be created during this time, according to the bureau.

How To Make Teaching a Second Career

If you want to know how to make teaching a second career, you have to start with knowing if the profession is right for you. Consider these pros and cons of teaching as a second career.

Pros:

  • Schedules are family friendly.
  • Teaching has a high degree of autonomy.
  • The atmosphere can be invigorating when students and faculty are motivated.
  • You can make a positive impact on children.

Cons:

  • In some cases, teachers also take on roles of triage nurse or social worker.
  • Schools can be depressing, whether the facilities are dilapidated or the students are unruly.
  • You will be "on stage" all the time. It is not a profession for the timid.

Education for Second Career Teaching

If you want to know how to have teaching as a second career, then it helps to know the educational requirements.
 
Professionals who want a second career teaching must still obtain degrees and credentials that allow them to teach in their state. The process varies. Some circumstances require an education degree and teaching credentials before a second career teacher can begin.
 
For kindergarten and elementary school teachers, coursework focuses on preparing students to teach. Courses might consist of math, sciences, art and literature. Coursework will also touch on classes such as philosophy of education, psychology of learning and methods of teaching. For secondary schoolteachers, the coursework will also emphasize the subject that they hope to teach.
 
Here are some other things to consider when pursuing a teaching degree:
  • Oftentimes college students have to wait until their sophomore year to apply to the teaching school.
  • Teaching programs must include courses in using technology in order to maintain accreditation.
  • A student-teaching internship is generally required for a degree.
Some states also require a minimum grade point average and technology coursework. A master’s degree is also often required within a specified period after you begin teaching.

Evaluating Teaching Schools

When considering how to make teaching a second career, research and study the possible programs you might pursue. Here are considerations for choosing a teaching program, according to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education:
  • accreditation: It is best if the program is accredited by the state and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) or the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC).

  • career placement and development: Look at the school’s continuing education offerings as well as follow-up studies on the school’s graduates.

  • reputation: U.S. News & World Report and Gale Press annually rank the best education schools. Check these reports to get a better awareness of the reputation of schools you are considering.

  • variety of experiences: The program should offer strong courses in subject areas, teaching and field experience. Strong relationships between the college and local schools are a plus.

License Requirements for Teaching as a Second Career

Once you obtain a degree, you must obtain a license to teach in public schools (private schools usually don’t require licensing). The state Board of Education or licensure advisory committee grant licenses.
 
For licensing, a teacher might be tested in basic skills as well as teaching. Most licensing programs require proficiency from teachers in the subjects they will teach. The trend is for licensing to move toward a performance-based system where candidates display proficiency over an extended period of time.
 
Teachers must fulfill continuing education requirements in order to have their licenses renewed.
 
Alternative routes exist for entering teaching as a second career:
  • Graduates not meeting licensing requirements can sometimes take only the courses they are missing and then become licensed.

  • In some cases, second career teachers can be licensed provisionally and begin teaching with strict supervision by experienced teachers. During this time they can finish their education classes.

  • Some programs provide certification to graduates with bachelor’s degrees in the subjects they plan to teach.

  • Some states in need of teachers grant emergency licenses to people with bachelor’s degrees, particularly in high–need subject areas (math, bilingual education) or high-need geographic regions (urban areas).
There are some attractive options for people considering teaching as a second career. Because of pressing needs in inner-city areas, some states will pay for your education if you commit to teach in an inner-city school. Teach for America, a program that places teachers in high-need schools in both urban and rural areas, constantly seeks teachers for science, math and bilingual education.
 
Retired or civilian military personnel are especially equipped for teaching as a second career. A study from Old Dominion University shows that teachers with a military background often outperform teachers entering the field straight out of college. Old Dominion and nine other programs around the country offer teaching training classes specifically for military personnel.
 
The Department of Defense sponsors a "Troops to Teachers" program to assist these second career teaching candidates with obtaining the education credits and credentials necessary to become teachers.
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