Have you always wanted to work as a teacher? If you intend to pursue this career after graduating from college, you might be thrilled to find that there are a variety of paths you can take to realize your teaching goals. Did you know that you don’t need to be an education major to become a teacher? In this article, we’ll explore the Most Recommended College Majors for Teaching.
While this is a great way to tackle your teaching goals, numerous undergraduate degrees can be explored. You can start your teaching career with the clarity, knowledge, and perspective that these subjects can provide.
However, there are many teachers out there who decided on an education career after they worked in different industries.
Any route you take, you will need to earn your teaching certification if you want to become a teacher. The top majors you should think about are listed below.
Education
When you become an education major, you will discover all aspects of education and what it takes to improve it. Typically, a public K–12 education system is the center of this.
And you will cover the theory, history and purpose of public education, study child and human development and the institutions, systems, structural inequalities, policies and more that impact a child’s educational outcome.
And some people choose to specialize in certain subjects, special education or early childhood education. Choosing your preferred majors to concentrate on, such as math, biology, English, or chemistry, is a good idea if you want to become a high school teacher.
STEM
Science, technology, engineering and mathematics make up STEM. Given the high demand for these disciplines, this is a good background for teachers. In these places, teacher shortages are a typical occurrence. Programs for alternative teacher certification that are specifically designed for people with STEM backgrounds are available.
English/Liberal Arts
Literacy is a huge component of the entire K-12 curriculum. The natural inclination of English majors is to flourish as classroom instructors. You will learn how to effectively communicate, analyze data, read and write a range of materials, apply critical thinking, and conduct extensive research. You’ll also pick up some logical argumentation skills. You will teach your future students these crucial abilities.
Psychology
Learning about human and child behavior is essential if you plan to work with children. An essential first step is learning how to handle the difficulties that teachers encounter. This holds true for all teachers, but is especially true for those who serve in a mentoring or guiding capacity, work with children with special needs, and educate in underprivileged areas
Sociology
Similar to psychology, this major delivers an in-depth understanding of community and family dynamics. For anyone who works in a school setting, this can be a great benefit. If you wish to work as a guidance counselor or in the administration of school, having this information is especially important.
History
Being a history major will allow you to gain insight into modern and ancient civilizations, geography, government and more. If you want to teach social studies, these topics are essential building blocks. A history degree, however, is a great starting point for any teaching expertise. This is due to the fact that knowledge of our past is essential if we are to understand our current way of life and civilization.
Basic Steps to Become a Teacher
First, clarify the licensing requirements for teachers in your state. Most likely, you’ll need a bachelor’s degree before completing the necessary teacher preparation courses. This can entail spending a specified amount of hours working as a student teacher.
Again, you will have to pass a criminal background check. Additionally, you’ll need to pass at least one certification exam. Other teaching programs exist as alternate choices intended to help people transition quickly into the profession of teaching.
Graduate School Options
If you desire to work as a teacher for your lifelong career, consider attending graduate school. You’ll be able to advance in your career and earn a higher pay by doing this while earning a master’s degree.
Enjoy Your Learning Journey
It is wise to embrace your love of learning if you want to become a teacher. There will be elective credits available for you to use in order to learn more about potential future teaching specialties while still meeting the requirements for your teaching licenses. People who are passionate about what they are teaching make the best teachers.
Becoming a teacher requires a significant investment in education. Choose a subject of study that you are passionate about learning about. Once certified, you can begin a fulfilling and difficult job that will satisfy you on many levels and provide you the opportunity to motivate people in an original and lasting way.