1. Bachelor's Degree: A bachelor's degree in English is typically the minimum educational requirement for teaching English at the secondary school level.
2. Teacher Preparation Program: In many places, you may need to complete a teacher preparation program or coursework in education to gain the necessary pedagogical knowledge and skills for teaching. This can be done through a bachelor's degree in education or a post-baccalaureate teaching certification program.
3. Student Teaching: A student teaching component is often required as part of the teacher preparation program. This provides hands-on experience teaching in a classroom under the supervision of an experienced teacher.
4. State Certification or Licensure: After completing the teacher preparation program, you may need to obtain state certification or licensure to teach English in a secondary school. The specific requirements vary by state, but typically involve passing a subject matter competency exam and meeting other criteria such as completing student teaching and demonstrating pedagogical competence.
5. Continuing Education: Some states require teachers to complete continuing education courses or professional development activities to maintain their teaching certification or license.
It's important to note that the specific requirements may differ in different jurisdictions, so it's best to check with your state's department of education or the school district you're interested in teaching in for the most accurate and up-to-date information.