How to Become a High School Teacher (2024)

FAQs

How to Become a High School Teacher? ›

How to Become a High School Teacher. High school teachers typically have at least a bachelor's degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license, which may require an academic background in the subject(s) they will be certified to teach.

Next, earning a bachelor's degree — such as a Bachelor of Arts in Teacher Education — is essential, with general education courses as well as specific courses to prepare prospective teachers in different subjects such as math, science, the arts, history, English, and more.

Teaching certification requires satisfactory completion of a bachelor's degree, a state-approved teacher-preparation program, and state assessments. The Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GaPSC) must approve or accept candidates' teacher-preparation program.

Once you determine that high school — more formally known as secondary — education is right for you, you will need to complete an accredited teaching program, gain student teaching experience, and pass the state's licensing tests to earn your teaching credential and be qualified to teach high school in California.

Teaching high school is a big responsibility, and it's one that comes with a lot of hard work. Certainly you'll spend a lot of time in the classroom, teaching lessons about your chosen specialty, but there's also all the effort you'll be expected to put in during your out-of-classroom hours.

English, math, and science teacher shortages are concentrated at the middle school level, while special education teachers are needed across all grade levels and specializations.

While specific needs vary by institution, science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are subjects that are always in high demand. Qualified math teachers should be able to teach in multiple areas, including algebra, calculus, and trigonometry.

What is a teachers salary in Georgia? ›

Avg Salary

Wages typically start from $47,310 and go up to $96,550.

To teach full time in Georgia, you'll need to hold at least a bachelor's degree in education from an accredited program. The GaPSC maintains a list of approved programs that meet its standards for teacher preparation.

High school teachers typically have at least a bachelor's degree. In addition, public school teachers must have a state-issued certification or license, which may require an academic background in the subject(s) they will be certified to teach.

Education majors study how people learn and how to best teach them. Classes cover such topics as educational psychology, school health and safety issues, and the planning of classroom activities.

The average salary for a public school teacher in California is $65,500 per year.

Standardized Testing May Cause Grades 3 and Up to Be the Hardest Elementary Grades to Teach. Many educators argue that the hardest elementary grade to teach is one with standardized testing pressures.

There are over 587,684 high school teachers currently employed in the United States. 53.5% of all high school teachers are women, while 46.5% are men. The average age of an employed high school teacher is 43 years old.

And so you wonder, do teachers make enough money to live comfortably? Yes, in general, K-12 teachers in the U.S. make enough money to live comfortably depending on how they are accustomed to living.

If your really love helping young learners grow and play, preschool, kindergarten, or grades 1 through 3 are great. If you're more interested in helping children develop good thinking skills as they mature, grade 4 is a good place to start.

What grade is the easiest in high school? ›

Going into high school, many students hear that freshman year is the “easiest” year. Some think that colleges don't consider it as much as they do one's sophom*ore, junior, and senior years. While this is typically true, it doesn't mean that students should entirely dismiss the importance of their freshman year.

In California, the minimum education requirement for teacher certification is a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. You must also complete a teacher preparation program approved by the CTC. An approved program provides both educational curriculum and fieldwork.

All states require elementary school teachers to have at least a bachelor's degree. Most teachers major in elementary education, while some states require them to also specialize in a content area, like social studies or history.

1. New York. New York is among the best-paying states for teachers. Reasons include an average annual salary of $92,222 that, although below the state's average income of $107,000, is still more than the salaries paid in other states.

Spring (March, April, May)

If you're a chemistry buff, you're in luck — chemistry is one of the highest-paid subjects to teach in high schools. Chemistry teachers typically major in chemistry or a related field during their undergraduate education.

How do you know if I should be a teacher? ›

How much does an Entry Level Teacher make in Georgia? The average Entry Level Teacher salary in Georgia is $41,474 as of May 25, 2023, but the range typically falls between $34,634 and $50,579.

If the teacher works for the summer, the teacher is to be paid additional monies for the summer months, see below. The Supplemental compensation is cumulative based on the Lead Teacher's work history as a Georgia Pre-K Lead Teacher and or history as a certified Lead Teacher in a K-12 public school.

How and when am I paid? All employees are paid on a semi-monthly basis and receive 24 evenly distributed paychecks for the school year.

Dekalb County has the highest starting Salary in Georgia State at $53,751. This is 18% more than Hery's $39,250, with the lowest starting salary on our list.

Master Teacher Salary in Georgia:$25,652 - ZipRecruiter.

The GACE ^® Assessments

The Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators ^® (GACE ^®) is Georgia's state-approved educator certification assessment program. These computer-delivered assessments have been developed by the GaPSC and Educational Testing Service (ETS).

The most direct route to earning alternative teacher certification in Georgia is the Georgia Teacher Academy for Preparation and Pedagogy (GaTAPP) pathway. This pathway is designed to encourage highly qualified prospective teachers to switch careers to the classroom.

How long does it take to become a high school teacher in the US? ›

Typically, it takes four years for an individual to earn a bachelor's degree. A bachelor's degree is usually required to become a high school teacher. After that, individuals can take an additional fifth year to earn a teaching credential in a single subject.

The minimum age to become a teacher in the United States is 18, although some states have this requirement set to 21. Typically, the age requirement for teachers is not important because most people take enough years to complete the requirements for becoming a teacher that age is not a worry for them.

Yet you may also be wondering if education is a hard major. Of course, it can be quite a challenging major, but it is a challenge worth embracing because of the many rewards involved in taking on the task of education.

Education majors are oftentimes portrayed as easy, but that is simply not the case. Education majors have a unique variety of workloads designed to form well-rounded educators and mimic the real-life duties of teachers to a lesser degree. Being an education major means a career full of work but also one full of life.

The answer is yes — if you aspire to further your education to help you solve real-world problems in your field of expertise, prepare you for a leadership role, or carve a new career path.

How much does an Entry Level Teacher make in California? The average Entry Level Teacher salary in California is $47,144 as of May 25, 2023, but the range typically falls between $39,369 and $57,495.

Have a bachelor's degree. Complete an accredited teacher preparation program. Pass a criminal background check. Earn sufficient scores on basic skills and/or subject matter exams, such as the Praxis Core, Praxis Subject Assessments or the Praxis Knowledge for Teaching Test.

What age do most high school teachers start? ›

Here are the general steps (in most states) to get a teaching certification or license: Obtain a relevant bachelor's degree. Complete a district- or state-approved teacher preparation program. Pass required exams in the school district and/or state (like the Praxis).

The first year of teaching is the hardest. While being an educator is never without its struggles, the first year is by far the most challenging — pieced together with idealism, confusion, good intentions, excitement, fear, and expectations.

Yes, in general, K-12 teachers in the U.S. make enough money to live comfortably depending on how they are accustomed to living.

It's important to know that stress is extremely common for new teachers, and having a supportive group of friends, family and other teachers can help you decompress, commiserate and recharge your emotional energy after a stressful day.

Although some people might find that freshman year of high school is challenging, junior year would typically be the most difficult, busy, and important year because of everything you have to juggle from academics, extracurricular activities, and college preparation to still keeping a social life.