Teaching is a noble profession. Think about the most respected persons in our society. Yes, they are the teachers. If you ask someone about some of his favourite persons, it is most likely to find a teacher of him in his answer. So, being a teacher is an amazing thing. Besides, the career prospect in teaching is also lucrative. In England and Wales, as a Newly Qualified Teacher (NQT) you’ll earn £24,373 to £30,480 depending on location Since you have decided to become a teacher, you may be known to all of these.
Getting into teaching requires many years of preparation. If you don’t know how to become a teacher, you may find the way challenging. So, in this article, I’ll walk you through the steps to becoming a teacher in the UK.
7 Steps to becoming a teacher
Being a teacher is always exciting. It opens a new horizon for us to serve and build the nation in a noble way. In order to become a teacher, you have to undertake a number of steps. So let’s get started to explore:
1. Decide what type of teacher you want to be
Teachers can be of several types such as nursery teachers, school teachers, special teachers, professors and so on. So, before stepping into the route to become a teacher, decide first what type of teacher you want to be. In the UK, the education system is broadly divided into two systems. These are:
- Primary Schools- Age 5 to 11 years
- Secondary Schools- Age 11 to 16 years
2. Decide your preferred subject
In primary schools, you may be responsible for teaching multiple subjects. But in the secondary schools, it’s most likely that you’ll be teaching the subject in which you did your major. So, it’s your choice which subject do you want to teach. It’s necessary to decide this because it will keep you on the track to become a teacher and step forward to make your preparation.
3. Earn your bachelor degree
Unlike many other professions, teaching is very strict in its requirements. It’s because we don’t want to give the responsibility of educating our children to someone who doesn’t have the proper education and credentials. So, getting into teaching requires a minimum degree in the first place. After that, the other things come. You need a bachelor degree to become a teacher. There are also other specialized and advanced degrees, but you need your bachelor degree before everything.
If you want to be a primary teacher, then you’ll need a degree of Bachelor of Education (BEd.) But, if you want to be a secondary teacher, you have to do your bachelor in your preferred subject. Your major in your degree will determine which subject you’ll be teaching. Earning a bachelor degree will require 3 to 4 years. However, if you want to be a nursery or pre-school teacher, you don’t need a bachelor degree rather a proper license and certification in teaching children.
4. Earn a post graduate certificate in education (PGCE)
After having your bachelor degree, you’ll need a Post Graduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) as a step tp gain your Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) which is prerequisite to become a teacher in the UK. This certification will allow you to teach at all levels of schools. It takes one year to earn a PGCE certification.
5. Gain your qualified teacher status (QTS)
In England, you need to achieve Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) to teach. You’ll achieve your QTS on an Initial Teacher Training (ITT) program. Typically, it takes one year at its most to complete your ITT program. In this period, you’ll be placed in two or three separate schools where you’ll be doing the regular activities as a teacher under a mentor. You have to pass all the QTS tests. You must attain GCSE grade C/4 or equivalent in English and maths.
After completing your ITT program, you’ll earn your QTS and will be eligible to start your one-year induction period as a Newly-Qualified Teacher (NQT).
6.Complete your one-year induction period
Once you’ve achieved your QTS, then you’ll get through your one year induction period in any school. In this period, your performance will be strictly observed and monitored. Besides, there will be a school-appointed mentor to help and guide you along. After passing the induction period, you will be fully set to start your career as a full-time teacher.
7. Develop your skills
Teaching isn’t an easy task. You may be a good student with an outstanding result. Yet you may not be a good teacher. Because you need some special skills along with your academic results to be a good teacher. You should have the skills to deliver your lessons in a way so that the students can get the things right easily. There are many skill development program for teachers. Once you have passed your induction period, you should spend some times to develop your teaching skills before getting into the class.
Closing remarks
To assist you in this regard, Teachers Training provides you with a variety of skill development training and courses which are completely online. So, you can learn at your own pace without juggling your regular schedule. If you have already completed all the legal steps to become a teacher, then it’s the right time to get enrolled in a skill development course to enhance your capability to become a successful teacher.
