Are you passionate about wanting to make a difference in the lives of today’s youth or even adults? Teaching is often considered one of the most rewarding career paths available because it allows caring, inspirational adults to get involved with children and make a positive impact on their lives.
If you’re considering this career track, then here are six tips for getting a career in teaching.
Each state in Australia has a different process for certifying and hiring teachers. In Queensland, for example, teachers must register with the Queensland College of Teachers before they are allowed to hold any teaching positions.
The best place to start researching is through your state’s website. All the information needed about becoming a teacher and how to register with the state is available online. This will help you plan out your career and understand what is needed of you in order to legally work in a classroom.
The strong bond you have with your own children, niece or nephew is not the same as loving all children. Before you begin working towards a career in teaching, you need to know whether or not you truly enjoy being around children of a certain age for a long period of time.
While many people say they like children, it’s important you test yourself to ensure that you do like being around them and gain hands-on training in education. In your community, sign up for volunteer events that work directly with children. You might volunteer to work at your church’s after school care program or offer to babysit some of the children in your neighbourhood.
The more you work with children, the better you’ll be able to understand your feelings about them. Though being a teacher might sound great in theory, it won’t seem so glamorous when you dread going to work every day. Children deserve an educator who is passionate about them, so make sure you’re confident in your decision to become a teacher before you begin.
After you start working with children, you’ll be able to...
Once you have an idea about which age groups you might enjoy, dislike or tolerate, then you can start focusing your efforts on how to start working with children of those age groups. Whether you want to become a full-time teacher, daycare worker or after school care worker, it’s important to know which group is best suited for you.
Additionally, some age groups do not need a full certification from a teacher’s college. For example, working in a daycare or preschool does not often require a full degree. In most cases, daycares want people with certifications in early childhood education and development. However, working with children of different age groups all come with various challenges and struggles.
Some teachers don’t work with children at all; some work with adults. Teaching English to adults can be just as rewarding as working with children. You’re still helping to impact someone’s life in a positive manner, and you don’t have to worry about rowdy children or angsty teenagers.
Many teaching courses will offer some type of a first aid class, but you can get ahead of the competition and take a first aid class on your own. In general, these skills are great to have because you never know when you or someone you’re with may be in danger.
First aid skills are highly desirable and marketable, especially when working with young children. Toddlers especially love to put things in their mouths, so having first aid skills will be great for working in a preschool or daycare.
Teaching is hard work. The day starts long before students enter the classroom, and it doesn’t end at 3 PM when all the children go home. There are lesson plans to be made and papers to be marked. You might have to meet with parents or go to meetings with other teachers and department heads.
Before you begin working as a teacher, it’s important to start building a strong network of support. Start talking with experienced teachers and learn more about their day-to-day tasks. Ask them how they unwind after a long day and how they deal with difficult students. Listening to other teachers will help you feel more at ease and more prepared for facing your own classroom challenges.
You might also look for other reference guides and resources to help give you ideas for classroom activities and teaching games. This will help get you excited to start your career and provide you with some awesome lesson plan ideas.
Of course, no teacher can begin working without certification. If you think you want to teach but aren’t sure you want to dive right in, consider getting a Certificate IV in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) at Kangan Institute. This nationally accredited certificate will arm you with the skills needed to teach English to non-speakers both in Australia and abroad.
