It's a Good Time to Become a Teacher

- Are you looking for a rewarding career? - Have you ever thought of becoming a teacher? Turn your love of learning in to a love of teaching and experience the joy of helping students discover their potential. Teaching today requires more than just caring about students and knowing one's subject well. It is the job of an educator to know what motivates students, how to diagnose their strengths and weaknesses, and how to create and atmosphere in which students thrive. Being a teacher is a rewarding and demanding profession and it has the power to shape America's future. If you want to change lives for the better, pursuing a teching career can be the right choice for you. Teacher Responsibilities Teachers help students learn and apply concepts in subjects such as English, Science and mathematics. They take action using interactive debate or a practical approach to help children understand conceptual ideas, use problem-solving skills and build up critical thinking processes. Teachers will prepare students for the future by To encourage collaboration in solving problems, students are increasingly working in groups to discuss and solve problems together. Teachers prepare students for the future by having them interact with others in group settings. Teachers will prepare their students further by training them to understand new technology, and lean logical thinking. It is the ultimate responsibility of a teacher to provide the proper environment in which to teach and practice these skills. Work Environment Teachers often work more than 40 hours per week. There is a great deal of time spent outside of the classroom setting where teachers prepare the lessons for their students. Teachers do, however, only work 9-10 months out of the year. Teachers can find their working conditions to be frustrating at times. Students are sometimes disrespectful and unmotivated, leaving a teacher to cope with the strain of unmanageable behavior and students who exhibit unsatisfactory performance. Additional factors such as classroom overcrowding, and lack of school funding can make a teachers work environment even more stressful. Education and Training Every state requires teachers to be licensed by the state in which they work, and those requirements vary from state to state. All states do, however, require that all teachers hold at least a Bachelor's degree and to have completed an approved teacher training program with an approved number of education credits, as well as supervised practice teaching. Many states require continuing education for teachers to maintain licensure. Teachers may also study further to become board certified which gives them higher status and pay in their position. The National Board for Professional Teaching Standards offers this voluntary national certification. To become nationally accredited, skilled educators confirm their ability to teach by collecting a portfolio showing their effort in the classroom and by passing a written assessment and evaluation of their teaching knowledge. Employment Outlook is Good for Teachers Job Opportunities for teachers are excellent ? and will continue to be. There is currently a shortage of qualified teachers in many areas across the country, and there is expected to be a great deal of current educators retiring over the next 10 years. This will ensure many available opportunities for those wanted to earn their degree to become a teacher. * According to the American Federation of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor's degree earned an average of $31,704 in the 2003?04 school year. The estimated average salary of all public elementary and secondary school teachers in the 2003?04 school year was $46,597.

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