3 Ways To Enhance Your Marketability
Teachers decide to become teachers for all kinds of good reasons. Perhaps you were inspired by a teacher. Maybe you were simply passionate about your subject and wanted to teach it at the secondary level. Nothing wrong with that! But now that you have embarked on your journey towards that education degree, you must also think aboutwhat kinds of teachers will be needed when you graduate.
Choose Specialties Which Are In Demand
So you want to be a phys ed, social studies or an elementary education teacher? Good luck! There are too many of them now! But add some kind of specialist certification to those more general qualifications and you will have something much more marketable. Or choose a science subject or something to do with technology, and presto, you will be in great demand!
Be Willing To Relocate
Of course, we would all like to teach AP History at Hotchkiss! Who wouldn't?!? The reality is that a beginning teacher is not very likely to get hired at a top tier school. It happens, but not very often. So you must prepared to go where the jobs are. And you also have to deal with that Catch 22 of not being able to get a job unless you have experience. (Of course, you can't get experience without a job.) That means that you will look for a job overseas or at a school stateside which is willing to take a chance on a novice teacher. Don't be ashamed by this. Two or three years experience after graduation will refine your teaching style and force you to adopt efficiencies in your class room management techniques. Guaranteed!
Become Bilingual
The United States has historically been a melting pot of peoples from every nation. Even more so today. The ability to teach in at least one other language besides English will prove invaluable professionally. Spanish seems to be the secondary language most in demand, particularly in California, Florida and North Carolina. Creole, French, and Asian languages are close seconds. Certification in English as a Second Language will also prove useful.
By now you have gotten the message: make certain that your skills suit the ever-changing job market. If you do, you will teach happily for a life time!
What You Need To Do To Stay Marketable
There comes a moment in every career where you begin to wonder whether you should stay where you are presently. Perhaps the school atmosphere is not as congenial as you would prefer. Maybe it's the curriculum. The location? The compensation? Whatever the factors are which conspire to make you feel restless, use them as an excuse to review your career goals.
You will also want to update your resume and reconnect with colleagues in other areas. Act on your feelings. You will be glad you did. Either you will affirm your present situation or you will see clearly what you have to do to move on.
Teaching in the 21st century is not like it was in the 20th century. The world truly is a different place these days. The reality is that you must prepare yourself for constant change and unexpected challenges. So it is important to stick to basics. You became a teacher because you are passionate about your subject. You will remain a teacher because you are passionate about your subject. The only difference is that you must continually find new and exciting ways to connect with students. Technology is critical in that transformation process.
