The General Educational Development test is an exam created to prove that a student has the educational standards equivalent to a traditional high school diploma. Many of students taking GED classes have dropped out of high school and never received their diploma. Some attend GED classes shortly after dropping out of high school while some will attend GED classes many years after leaving high school. Still others may take classes after coming from another country and want to receive a GED certificate.
GED instructors will have to know how to connect with students who vary greatly by ages. Classrooms can consist of teenagers as well as older adults. For other students, English may be the second language and instructors will have to determine what those students will need for them to be successful in the classroom. A GED instructor must also be versatile in subjects. GED test covers language, writing, reading, math, science and social studies and instructors may have to teach multiple subjects in some programs.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, GED instructors will need at least a bachelor’s degree and some may even need a master’s degree in adult education. Some instructors will need to earn state teacher licenses and meet requirements needed to teach students who English may be their second language. The labor department said many colleges will offer either graduate certificates or master’s degrees in adult education.
Many programs will require teachers to continue their education through professional development classes and programs. State and local school districts will have their own specific policies about professional development. In Florida, for example, GED teachers can earn in-service points for taking web-based professional development curriculum.
Other GED instructor training should focus on communication skills, prioritizing and assigning work, preparing reports, speaking in public, designing a curriculum, working with students of diverse backgrounds and incorporating a variety of teaching methods.
To find out additional information about GED instructor training, you should start at you local public school district's main office and ask for an application and job description for a GED teacher. Each school district should have an administrator who runs the adult education program for that district and that person can give you information on local training. The education department of most universities and community colleges will have classes and at least give out certificates on adult education training as well.