Clueless Undergrad- How to Pursue a Career as a High School Teacher?

[teddyta]

Hi everyone,

I know this request may seem like a lazy or "dumb" one, but I honestly feel very flustered about the googleplex of paths that my internet searches has been leading me on. I am currently a college sophomore aspiring to teach high school social studies.

Is there any way I can recieve a simple crackdown of the steps I need to get there?

I have looked into a variety of programs and their requirements as well.

My questions are:

What are the usual tests that I need to take, and when do I take them? (ex. Teaching credential, CSET, CBSET, GRE, etc?)

What is the average GPA/extracurriculars of those admitted to generally top tier masters education programs? (ex. Claremont, UCLA)

- Of course a 4.0 is optimal, but I wish to gauge the level of probability. Do they tend to look more into overall GPA or mainly Major GPA? I am also aware that the SOP and LOR are equally important.

My high school teacher got her job while she was in a masters program for education right after her undergrad. However, to become a teacher, (in California) my sources say you need to have been enrolled in/completed a teacher education program. Can anyone clarify this?

Should I double major in the field I wish to teach AND in education? Or is the field I wish to teach adequate? Will it boost my chances for graduate school?

Obviously, I am very clueless. I will sincerely be overwhelmingly greatful to have a few answers from people who are going or have been through the same route!

Edited December 24, 2014 by teddyta

[rising_star]

The rules vary somewhat from one state to the next. I would check with the CA Dept of Education (if CA is where you want to teach). You don't necessarily have to enroll in the master's before being able to teach. There are alternate paths, like TNTP or Teach for America (or in some states alternate certification through community college), that you could pursue after completing your bachelor's. In terms of tests, the Praxis tests are fairly common nationwide these days, but CA may have state-specific tests you'd need to take. If you're really interested in being a teacher, you need to start getting teaching experience ASAP. Volunteer to work with high school students, teach for a summer program if you can, etc.

 

Also, why not major in education so that you'd graduate with a certification if you're really interested in teaching? You could always go back and get a master's either in education or in a content area later. You don't always have to have the master's to be able to start teaching. And, at the high school level, you're going to have to have at least 24 hours in the content area whether you're an education major or not to be eligible for certification.

 

Last, but not least, you should know that HS social studies is not an area with lots of job openings. It's not as in-demand as math, science, ESL, or English, which means finding a job will be harder and you'll likely be competing against experienced teachers for those positions.

[travelgirl125]

What does your undergraduate institution say?  Mine, for example, requires that we major in our content area and simultaneously enroll in their certification program to become certified to teach.

[teddyta]

Thanks for the replies!

My school actually does not provide a certification program. Therefore, I will probably try to get my credentials through a joint MA program since both seem to take the same amount of time to fulfill. The thing is now, assessing the chances of getting into a great grad program.

I also understand that I do not need to get an MA to teach, however, I believe that it may offer a higher chance for job opportunities and higher pay as well. I have also taught for a summer program, underwent private tutoring, and am in a volunteering tutor club at school. I also work in my university's student affairs office and have enrolled in courses that requires me to be a tutor/mentor at a local high school.

I was told that the general route teachers go through nowadays is to major in content area and get teaching experience elsewhere.

I am quite disappointed that there are limited job opportunities for HS SS, however I do love all the subjects that within it. I am also willing to get the single subject teaching credential in biology as well.

Edited December 24, 2014 by teddyta

[rising_star]

If you're willing to get a credential in biology, then you definitely should. Maybe you should get both?

[omnomnam]

http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl560c.pdf

 

You'll need to take the CBEST along with the CSET in the subject you plan to teach. This you can do right now, if you wanted to.

 

After that, things get admittedly confusing, particularly for students - like yourself - who attend schools without education certification/credential programs. The Cal States offer such programs, but the UCs typically don't.

 

The most straightforward way to get your credential is to enroll in a teacher preparation program. Many teacher preparation programs also give you a Master's degree. Some teacher prep programs require the GRE as a part of the application process, but not all. All will require passing CBEST and CSET scores. You could also do something like TFA, if you are interested in urban teaching or social justice-minded education.

 

Also, UCLA and Claremont are definitely not "top tier" teacher preparation programs. The 2014 NCTQ report ranks UCLA as #368 in the nation and Claremont as #380 in the nation. http://www.nctq.org/dmsView/TPR_2014_All_Programs That being said, all teacher preparation programs are being notoriously "scrutinized" lately, with many questioning their quality of instruction and preparation. This is why many prospective teachers are drawn to TFA. So, to be honest, it might not be a bad idea to simply attend the teacher preparation program most convenient/least expensive for you.

 

You don't need to major in education as an undergrad. Just major in something relevant to what you plan to teach.

 

You'll likely have no issues getting into a master's + credential program. With the exception of competitive programs like STEP at Stanford, most programs in California are not that selective. What IS hard, though, is finding a job. Your opportunities will increase tenfold if you pursue biology instead of social studies.

Edited December 28, 2014 by omnomnam

[teddyta]

Thanks so much for the honest and detailed response!

I have a much better understanding now, however, there is some information I would like to clarify.

How may I obtain a single subject teaching credential for two different subjects and will I be able to do this simultaneously?

Edited December 29, 2014 by teddyta

[rising_star]

You'd have to meet the requirements for both subjects in terms of coursework and the CBEST/Praxis II tests. It'll be much harder to earn both if they aren't related but it's probably possible.