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If you’re considering a career in education, you may be wondering if you can teach high school with an elementary education degree. The answer is yes! With the right training and certification, you can absolutely teach high school with an elementary education degree. Keep reading to learn more about what you need to do to make this happen.
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Introduction
Teaching at the high school level requires specialized knowledge and skills, so you might wonder if you can teach high school with an elementary education degree. The answer is yes, but it will take some additional coursework to prepare you for the challenges of teaching high school students.
High school teachers need to be able to design and deliver lessons that engage and challenge their students. They also need to have a good understanding of adolescent development and the ability to work with teenagers who are going through a lot of changes in their lives. In addition, high school teachers need to be experts in their content area and be able to effectively teach that content to their students.
If you have an elementary education degree and are interested in teaching at the high school level, there are a few things you can do to prepare yourself for the challenges of the job. First, consider taking some courses in adolescent development and psychology. These courses will give you a better understanding of how teenagers think and learn, which will be helpful when you’re designing your lessons. Secondly, make sure you are well-versed in the content area you want to teach. Take some extra courses or read up on your subject so that you can be confident in your ability to teach it effectively. Finally, consider getting some experience working with teenagers in a volunteer or extracurricular setting so that you can get a feel for what it’s like to work with them on a daily basis.
Can You Teach High School With an Elementary Education Degree?
Elementary education degrees are becoming increasingly popular, but can you actually teach high school with one? The answer is yes, but it may not be as easy as you think. In order to teach high school, you will need to get a teaching certification in the specific subject you want to teach.
The Pros
There are a few pros to pursuing a career in high school teaching with an elementary education degree. One of the biggest pros is that you may already have a lot of the necessary content knowledge. Another pro is that you would likely be able to complete a high school teaching degree relatively quickly and easily since you would have many of the required courses already under your belt. Finally, having an elementary education degree may give you an edge in the job market since there is currently a high demand for elementary school teachers.
The Cons
However, before you make the jump from teaching lower grades to teaching high school, there are a few things you should consider. Teaching high school is very different from teaching elementary grades, and an elementary degree may not adequately prepare you for the challenges you will face.
Here are some of the potential cons of trying to teach high school with an elementary degree:
-You may not have the necessary content knowledge. An elementary education degree generally covers math through 6th grade, but high school math includes Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and sometimes even Calculus. If you majored in Elementary Education with a math concentration, you may be able to get away with teaching lower-level high school math courses, but anything above that could be a challenge. The same goes for other core subjects like English and Social Studies.
-You may not be prepared to deal with older students. High school students are teenagers, which means they can be moody, hormonal, and sometimes uncooperative. They are also more likely to challenge your authority and push boundaries. If you’re not prepared to deal with these things, it could make for a difficult and stressful experience.
-You could find yourself at a disadvantage when it comes to job applications. Though there are always exceptions, most schools will prefer to hire teachers who have a degree in Secondary Education or at least a concentration in the subject they want to teach. If you’re up against candidates with more appropriate credentials, you may have a harder time getting hired.
The Bottom Line
While you may be able to teach high school with an elementary education degree, it will likely be difficult to do so. High school teachers must have a bachelor’s degree in their content area, and many states require them to have a teaching license specifically for high school. If you want to teach high school, it’s best to pursue a degree and certification specifically in high school education.
What You Need to Know
If you have a passion for working with children and want to make a difference in their lives, you may be wondering if you can teach high school with an elementary education degree. The short answer is yes, you can. However, there are a few things you should know before making the leap from elementary to high school teacher.
Certification
To teach in a public school in the United States, you must be certified. The certification process begins with the completion of a state-approved teacher education program. Once you have completed your teacher education program, you will need to pass a state-specific certification exam.
In order to be eligible for certification, you will need to hold at least a Bachelor’s degree. While some states allow you to begin teaching with an elementary education degree, most states require that you have a secondary education degree or a Bachelor’s degree in the subject area that you wish to teach. In order to teach high school, you will need to complete a teacher education program that offers certification in secondary education.
Coursework
In order to teach high school, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree and a teaching certification program. Many states require that you also complete a master’s degree within a certain number of years after beginning your teaching career.
The specific coursework you will need to complete will depend on the state in which you plan to teach. However, all teaching certification programs will include classes on pedagogy (the science of teaching), diverse learners, and classroom management. You will also likely complete student teaching or practicum experiences in order to get real-world experience working with high school students.
Practicum
All states require public school teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree, although some states offer alternative pathways for teachers of vocational subjects. In most cases, elementary education majors take education coursework specifically geared toward teaching younger students (between pre-kindergarten and grade 6). If you want to teach high school, you will need to earn a secondary education degree or additional certification.
Some schools offer a combined elementary/secondary education degree program, which would allow you to complete the coursework necessary to teach both elementary and high school. However, keep in mind that even if you have a degree in both elementary and secondary education, you will still need to get certified or licensed to teach high school in most states.
Before you can begin your career, you will also need to complete a period of practical training known as a student-teaching practicum. This usually takes place during your final year of college and gives you the chance to put your classroom knowledge into practice by working with real students in an actual school setting.
How to Get Started
While most states require high school teachers to have at least a bachelor’s degree, there are a few states that allow elementary education majors to teach high school classes. If you’re interested in teaching high school with an elementary education degree, you’ll need to check the requirements for the state where you want to teach. Although you may be able to teach high school with an elementary education degree, you may not be able to get a job in every state.
Research
The first step is to research the requirements for becoming a teacher in your state. You can find this information on your state’s department of education website. In most states, you will need to complete a bachelor’s degree and a teacher preparation program. Some states may require you to pass a series of exams, such as the Praxis, before you can be licensed to teach.
Once you have completed all of the necessary steps, you can apply for open teaching positions at high schools in your area. You may also want to consider applying for online teaching positions, as many schools are now offering distance learning options.
Networking
When you are job searching, it is important to have a game plan. Many people job search aimlessly, sending out resumes to every job that remotely matches their skillsets without any focus. This approach may eventually land you a job, but it will likely take much longer than if you took a more strategic approach.
One way to be strategic in your job search is to start by building a list of schools that you are interested in working at. Try to limit your list to no more than 10-15 schools. Once you have your list narrowed down, your next step is to start networking with people who work at those schools or who have connections to people who work at those schools.
Networking can be done in person or online. If you choose to network online, LinkedIn is a great platform to start with. You can join relevant LinkedIn groups and start interacting with others in the group. Another option for online networking is Twitter. You can search for relevant hashtags and tweet at other users who use those hashtags. Finally, don’t forget about good old-fashioned emailing and calling potential contacts.
Building relationships takes time, so don’t expect results overnight. The key is to be patient and consistent in your efforts. If you make networking a habit, eventually you will start seeing results in the form of connections and opportunities.
Applying
You will need to have a bachelor’s degree, a teaching license, and in some cases,
a master’s degree. Most states require a bachelor’s degree in elementary education
or a closely related field. Once you have your degree, you will need to complete
a teacher preparation program that leads to licensure in the state where you plan
to work. Some states will award you a provisional license if you agree to complete
a master’s degree within a certain period of time after you begin teaching.
