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A Question-and-Answer Guide to Entering the Teaching Profession



What does the education job market look like? (or, put another way, will I be able to find a satisfying teaching position?)

  • Growth in the student population, efforts to reduce class size, and ongoing teacher retirements have increased the demand for teachers. As a result, it is predicted that more than two million teachers will be needed in the next decade.
  • Teachers are in short supply in subject areas such as math and science as well as in bilingual and special education.
  • The demand for teachers is critical in rural and urban areas. Urban school districts and the federal government are offering signing bonuses, housing assistance, and loan forgiveness to attract teachers.
  • More people of color are needed to join the teaching ranks. While students of color constitute nearly 40 percent of the school population, only about 15 percent of new teachers are of color.



    Can I make a decent salary as a teacher?

  • Teacher salaries have steadily improved in the last twenty years, although increases have been more modest in the last ten years.
  • In 2000, the beginning teacher salary averaged $28,000 and the average teacher salary was $41,280.
  • Teacher salaries differ by state and region. In 2000, the beginning teacher salary was $32,000 in New York, but $20,000 in North Dakota. Teacher salaries also vary significantly between school districts in the same state.



    How do I use a résumé and a portfolio in applying for a teaching position?

  • Strong résumés and portfolios provide prospective employers with critical information to decide whether an interview should be arranged.
  • While a standard résumé includes formal educational background, work experience, and other relevant information, a portfolio provides more depth and is assuming a greater role in the hiring process.
  • A portfolio is a collection of materials that demonstrates your knowledge, skills, and accomplishments. A portfolio typically includes a statement of your teaching philosophy, a résumé, references, sample lesson plans, and perhaps videotapes of actual teaching. Some portfolios, called e-portfolios, can be constructed and transferred electronically.



    What do I need in order to teach--a license or certification? (and how do I get one?)

  • Teacher certification indicates that a professional group recognizes or certifies that a teacher is competent and has met certain standards. A teacher's license, issued by the state government, grants the legal right to teach. Teacher certification is a professional designation; a teacher's license is a legal document.
  • Teaching licenses are awarded by state departments of education, not colleges and universities. Prospective teachers need to apply to their state to request a license.
  • Requirements for teacher licensure differ from state to state. A teacher's license in one state may not be valid in another, unless the states have entered into a reciprocity agreement. Accreditation of college-level teacher education programs by NASDTEC and NCATE can facilitate new graduates becoming eligible for multistate teacher licenses.
  • States issue various types of teaching licenses: an initial or probationary license to beginning teachers (generally nonrenewable), the standard or professional license to teachers who have completed a specified number of graduate-level courses and/or number of years teaching; a special license for educational careers in administration and counseling; and a temporary conditional or emergency license to fill teacher shortages in certain subject areas and geographic locations.
  • Endorsements enable experienced teachers to gain additional licensure in a second subject area.



    What teacher competency tests do I need to take?

  • Teacher competency tests are used for admission into teacher education programs, for certification, and for licensure. Teacher competency tests are currently required in forty-two out of fifty states and the District of Columbia. (See Appendix 2 for more specific details.)
  • Praxis I focuses on basic literacy, Praxis II on pedagogy and subject area competence, and the less used Praxis III on classroom performance. Many states have designed their own competency tests, which they require prospective teachers to take before being licensed.
  • The use of teacher tests is intensely debated by educators and politicians. Supporters claim that competency testing lends greater credibility and professionalism.
  • Critics claim that there is no evidence that teacher tests are related to teacher performance in the classroom. Moreover, such tests negatively impact teaching force diversity.
  • Despite the controversies surrounding these tests, there is strong support from the public and from politicians for testing teachers and their students.



    Why do teachers seek tenure? (and should I?)

  • Most states currently have tenure laws. Under such laws, a new teacher is hired for a probationary period of 2-5 years. After demonstrating teaching competence for the specified period, the teacher is awarded tenure, which provides a substantial degree of job security.
  • While tenure preserves academic freedom and protects teachers from arbitrary and unjust dismissal, it can also provide job security for ineffective teachers.
  • For teachers, tenure--the right to job security--brings a corresponding responsibility to continue professional growth.
  • Even before teachers earn tenure, they do enjoy certain legal protections.
  • For the most part, states do not offer tenure to principals.


    Are there jobs in education outside of the classroom?

  • An education degree prepares you not only for a teaching career, but for many education-related careers as well, in areas such as early childhood education, adult education, counseling and advising, and distance learning, and in organizations such as nonprofits, educational associations, private corporations, government agencies, and the media.







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