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Teaching With Provisional Certification Article
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Secondary Education Careers
from: Kyle BesserMiddle school teachers and high school teachers specialize in a specific subject area, such as English, mathematics, history or a foreign language. In addition to teaching classes in their subject area, most teachers also oversee study halls and homerooms and supervise extracurricular activities. Teachers also participate in education conferences and workshops.
Middle school teachers and high school teachers often work with students from varied ethnic, racial and religious backgrounds. With growing minority populations in many parts of the country, it is important for teachers to be able to work effectively with a diverse student population. Some schools offer training to help teachers enhance their awareness and understanding of different cultures.
Most middle school and high school teachers work the traditional 10-month school year with a 2-month summer break. During the summer break, many teach in summer sessions, take other jobs, travel or take a continuing education course. Teachers in districts with a year-round schedule typically work 8 weeks followed with a 1 week break and a 5-week midwinter break.
Teaching can be a very rewarding career when one sees students learn and develop new skills. Teaching can also be frustrating when one is dealing with unmotivated or disrespectful students. Teachers must be able to cope with unruly behavior and violence in the schools. Teachers may experience stress in dealing with large classes, heavy workloads, or older school buildings that may lack modern amenities. Accountability standards also may increase stress levels, with teachers expected to produce students who are able to exhibit satisfactory performance on standardized tests in core subjects.
Teaching in private schools has some advantages over teaching in public schools. Generally private school teachers enjoy smaller class sizes and have more control over establishing the curriculum and setting standards for performance and discipline. Their students also tend to be more motivated since private schools can be selective in their admissions and more able to expel unruly students.
All the states and the District of Columbia require teachers in public schools to be certified. Teachers at private schools don't always need to be certified. The State Board of Education or a certification advisory committee typically awards certification. There are secondary education subject certifications for grades 7 though 12. There are also certifications for teaching a special subject, such as music or physical education, which usually apply to grades kindergarten though 12th grade.
Each state has requirements to earn certification, and the requirements vary depending on the state. Every state does require general education teachers to complete an approved teacher education program that has a certain number of subject and education credits for a bachelor's degree. Qualifications such as technology training and a certain grade point average are requirements in some states.
Teachers in many states must earn a master's degree in education within a particular amount of time after they start teaching, and teachers must attend workshops and other continuing education programs to renew their teaching certification in most states. There are reciprocity arrangements in most states that make it easier for certified teachers in one state to receive certification in another.
Those who have a bachelor's degree in subjects they can teach but have not taken the education classes necessary for regular teaching certification can receive certification through an alternative program in most states. Alternative certification programs were initially created in response to teacher shortages in particular subject areas, such as science and mathematics. People who are in transition from another career to the teaching profession or those who have recently graduated from college without education training can qualify for teaching by the alternative certification programs.
There are programs that quickly launch people into teaching with provisional certification. If they demonstrate adequate performance while working for 1 or 2 years under the supervision of an experienced educator and take the required education classes, they can earn regular certification. Other programs grant certification to college graduates once they have completed the classes they lack for certification. Participants in this program can usually obtain certification after 1 or 2 semesters of full-time study.
There are programs that award teaching certification as well as a master's degree in education to teachers who need certification. When schools cannot attract qualified teachers to fill positions, states may offer emergency certification to applicants who don't have regular certification.
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