Teaching Profession questions?

[happymom]

Is becoming a teacher a very difficult process and is it difficult to find a good job? Is it true that the pay is that terrible? I am returning to school to become a teacher and every time I tell someone they say "goodluck getting a good paying job".

Also can anyone tell me anything about becoming a school psychologist? Is this a good career?

[thepawnbrokerroared]

1. Yes, becoming a teacher is a fairly difficult process, at least if you are trying to achieve QTS (Qualified Teacher Status). You have to have a degree and then complete either a PGCE or the Graduate Teacher Programme.

2. Increasingly it is difficult to find a good job, except in a shortage subject in the secondary sector. The falling birth rate and the growth of the Graduate Teacher programme has significantly eased the teacher shortage.

3. Yes, the pay is poor, at least in comparison to salaries in other graduate jobs.

4. I'm not sure there is any such thing as a school psychologist but there is such a thing as an educational psychologist. I assume that a Psychology degree is a requirement and we do have a great many people taking Psychology degrees in this country, so my guess would be that the field is competitive, but I couldn't say for certain.

[j r]

Teacher pay and job availability depends on the "area" in which you live. Be more specific on where you live. I would assume in order to be a school psychologist you should get a bachelors in Psychology...You would probably have to take classes in education as well?

[Kathryn B]

I am currently studying to become a teacher as well. The process is not a difficult one. You can either get your associates degree and apply for a job OR (this is what I'm doing) you can take your basics and then do a certificate program. Here they teach you everything you need to know, pay for your schooling and connect you with a job when you graduate. And Yes the pay is not great. The average teacher makes $27,000/year. But that depends on what you teach. The higher the grade level the more you make (very very slightly VERY). Also if you teach special Education you make more money. Being a school Psychologist is completely different. Instead of majoring in education, your major has to be psychology, and there is a LOT more schooling. However you will be making a bit more money than a teacher depending on how far you went with your schooling, $50, 000. I don't have a site for you to reference because I major Elementary Education and have looked down the same roads as you. I wish you good luck!

[Lauren b]

To become a teacher you will need a bachelor's degree in education which includes student teaching hours. Then you will need to take a certification exam for your state. There is a definite shortage of special ed, math and science teachers. You should be able to find a job very easily. Expect to get around 30-40K starting out, your lifestyle will dictate whether that is good pay or not.

A school psychologist will require a masters degree at least. This is a very competitive field and psychology masters programs are fairly difficult to get into. In addition to your education class requirements you will need several psychology classes including statistics during undergrad. There usually are very few psychologists for each school district and the pay is less than being a psychologist in private practice.

Sometimes school districts will pay for their teachers to go back to school to get a masters degree!