To obtain a teaching certificate you must have a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. For those who want to teach at a high school level, their bachelor's degree must be in the subject area they want to teach. For instance, prospective high school English teachers must have majored in English literature or have thirty-degree credits in the English department. Elementary and middle school teachers do not have to fulfill this requirement because they will be teaching several classes and subjects throughout the day. Undergraduate education majors will have to choose the subject area they want to teach and pursue those classes accordingly.
The Praxis series tests are designed for individuals who are entering the teaching profession. Depending upon state requirements, you may have to take several Praxis tests. The Praxis I Pre-Professional Skills Tests measure basic reading, writing and mathematics skills. Elementary and middle school teachers most commonly take the Praxis I exam. High school teachers may also be required to take the Praxis I in certain states. The Praxis II Subject Assessments test subject-specific knowledge and teaching skills. High school level teachers most commonly take the Praxis II Subject Assessments. Undergraduate and graduate students of education must pass their state's required Praxis tests.
Undergraduate and graduate students of education student teach in their last semester of college or university. Student teaching gives the prospective teacher the opportunity to teach in a classroom while supervised by a certified teacher. The experience is meant to help the prospective teacher feel comfortable in a classroom setting while receiving continual feedback from a certified teacher. The amount of student teaching hours needed varies according to each college and university. Generally speaking, most people student teach for one semester. Student teaching is unpaid and culminates in a pass or fail grade.
The alternative route to teaching is designed for individuals who have a bachelor's degree and want to teach without going back to college to study education. Those who choose the alternative route are most commonly career changers who did not originally plan on teaching when they were in college or university. Each state has its own set of guidelines for alternative route programs. States may also have more than one alternative route program.