| Those college and university students who want to | | | | teaching certificate to fall back on. Alternative Route |
| pursue careers as teachers will be required to | | | | Teaching Courses While all public schools in the US, |
| concentrate on teaching courses. While the specific | | | | under the "No Child Left Behind" act, require their |
| teaching courses they take may differ from college | | | | teachers to have Bachelor's Degrees, some states |
| to college, all of the teaching courses will fit into a | | | | offer "alternative route" teaching certificates for |
| few broader categories. Elementary and Secondary | | | | those who begin one career and decide to switch to |
| Teaching Courses If you are interested in becoming | | | | teaching. These certificate programs will accept |
| an elementary school teacher you will have to either | | | | professional experience and college degree in areas |
| major or minor in education with a preponderance of | | | | other than education towards qualification for a |
| teaching courses to get your bachelor's Degree. If | | | | teaching certificate, but most will also require you to |
| you get a bachelor's Degree in some other field, you | | | | take some teaching courses. Once you have |
| can still qualify for a teaching career by getting taking | | | | completed the teaching courses, you will take the |
| several post-graduate level teaching courses and | | | | state exams and participate in any mandatory |
| getting your a Master's Degree in Education. If you | | | | student teaching or supervised teaching to get |
| intend to teach on the secondary level, you will have | | | | classroom experience. You can find out what |
| to narrow your focus and get a Bachelor's Degree in | | | | teaching curses are necessary in your state by |
| the area on which you wish to concentrate--math, | | | | visiting its Department of Education website. For |
| history, English, political science, art--any field for | | | | more info see on Teaching. You may even be able to |
| which you have a passion and which you would be | | | | get academic credit for your work and life |
| happy devoting your life to teaching. You'll | | | | experiences in an education degree program which |
| supplement the coursework you do in that specific | | | | includes teaching courses and move from that to a |
| field with teaching courses and student teaching to | | | | teaching career. Check with the admissions programs |
| prepare you for getting your teaching credential | | | | at each college or university in which you are |
| when you graduate. You can also major in something | | | | interested to find their policies on accepting work and |
| unrelated to education, and then go for a year of | | | | life experience for credit. |
| teaching courses in a post-graduate program. You will | | | | You can also find more info on Teaching Credentials |
| then have the choice of looking for a career in your | | | | and Teaching Degrees. is a comprehensive resource |
| chosen field, and if it does not pan out, have a | | | | to known more about teaching jobs. |