How to Become a Teacher in California
You can become a teacher in California with proper preparation and the right desire. Make sure you have the personality and patience to teach. You want to get a bachelor's degree, a teacher’s certificate and hands-on teaching time while under instruction. If you’re in the military, take advantage of the Troops to Teachers program.
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Instructions
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Review your personality to see if you really want to become a teacher in California. Know that there’s a teaching difference when it comes to education levels. Prepare to teach at the elementary level if you like working with kids. Aspire to teach in a high school if you like to work with teenagers. Shoot for teaching special education if you like to work with special needs students. Make sure that your personality and desire are a match with one of these education groups.
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Study the requirements to become a teacher in California. Know that you need at least a bachelor’s degree, and a teaching certificate, before you could teach. Take an interest in the U.S. Constitution, a teaching requirement in California. Review the types of tests you’ll have to take to complete your certification. Create a plan to become a teacher based on this information, then carry it out.
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After you get your teacher’s certificate, search teacher positions in California. Prepare your resume; include information about any teacher-related courses you’ve completed. Obtain references from people involved with your qualifying to be a teacher. Get recommendation letters from schools where you taught under instruction while getting your certificate. Focus your search in the California school district you want to teach in.
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Contact the California school district that you want to work in to see if it has job openings. Ask whether you could submit a resume package in case of future openings. Be creative while talking to the school district representative; ask if he anticipates an opening in the future.
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Tips & Warnings
The California Department of Education website has contact information for the state’s different school districts. Their mailing address is at 1430 N Street; Sacramento, CA 95814-5901, and their phone number is 1-916-319-0800. Access their website in case this contact information changes.
If you’re in the military, and are getting out, consider the California Troops to Teachers program. Their office address is 1227 O Street, RM 313; Sacramento, CA 95814. Check their website for the latest contact information.
Offer to speak at nonprofit organizations to gain public speech experience. You may also want to volunteer for mentorship related community service. Your resume should include the impact you had with these organizations. You’d be able to get letters of recommendation from them, to supplement professional letters of recommendation.
There are schools where kids have demonstrated violence toward teachers in addition to other students. Obtain some martial arts training, and know the rules regarding self-defense, and establishing order in the school.
