| 1) If you are still in college and getting a degree in | | | | E) Take full advantage of services that your school or |
| education, your program will supply you with all the | | | | certification program offers in job assistance. Use |
| necessary tools to acquire a position, how to get | | | | them to put your resume and cover letters together. |
| certified, and additional steps that you need to take to | | | | Use them to help you locate teaching positions, |
| complete the process. | | | | prepare for interviews, and help you put a teaching |
| 2) If you already have a degree or are working | | | | portfolio together for your interviews. |
| towards your degree and it's not in education you | | | | F) Transcripts - be ready to have official copies of |
| should follow these steps: | | | | your transcripts together as schools will require them |
| A) Find the website for the Board of Education for | | | | either when you get hired or at the actual interview |
| your specific state and see what their criteria is to | | | | itself. Not having them readily available can delay the |
| become a teacher. | | | | process. |
| B) If you don't want to switch your major or get | | | | G) Networking - Get ready to contact anybody and |
| another degree you might want to look into getting into | | | | everybody you can to find people who are already |
| an alternative certification program. These programs | | | | teachers or in administration. Talk to them, find out as |
| will help you with the necessary steps needed to get | | | | much as you can about the teaching profession. Many |
| that certification. The Board of Education websites will | | | | principals or assistant principals do the hiring for the |
| have a list of the programs available in your state. | | | | schools so if you are lucky enough to know |
| Research them to find out which one appeals to you | | | | somebody who does that for a living, talk to them and |
| based on the requirements, cost, length of time to | | | | show them your resume, cover letter, and portfolio. |
| complete, and the assistance they offer you to help | | | | Ask them for feedback on what, if any, improvements |
| you get your first teaching job. Some require | | | | can be made on them. Talk to them as well about the |
| attendance of classes/workshops and student | | | | interview process. If you are new to the teaching |
| teaching. Others can be done almost completely online | | | | profession you will hear alot of terminology that you |
| in the privacy of your own home. | | | | may not have heard before, become familiar with |
| C) Certification exams - all states require you to pass | | | | these as quickly as possible as some of these may |
| a certification exam in the field that you want to teach. | | | | come up in the interview process. |
| My advice is to find out through your State Board of | | | | H) Other requirements - check with your program or |
| Education website, the requirements to register for the | | | | the State Board of Education as to the process/fees |
| exam and take and pass them as quickly as you can. | | | | for getting your fingerprints registered and the |
| Having passed these exams will go a long way in | | | | application for your probationary certificate. |
| getting you to your first teaching assignment. | | | | In conclusion, teaching can be the most rewarding and |
| D) Take any additional classes/workshops required | | | | noble of professions. There is great joy in watching the |
| through your program as soon as you can. Your first | | | | face of a child when you see the expression that tells |
| year of teaching will be hectic and the more prepared | | | | you he/she is understanding the material that you are |
| you are when you first step into your new classroom | | | | teaching. I hope this brief synopsis will be helpful to the |
| the better. | | | | great teachers of tomorrow. |