How do I make the career transition from banking to teaching?
Posted on July 20th, 2009 by admin
Banking
I’ve been in banking for 3 years but have recently decided that I would like to pursue a career in teaching (something I’ve wanted to do since I was young). I’m worried I’ll have difficulties since I’ve been in banking since I graduated college and haven’t really worked with children. My degree is in psychology and I graduated in 2002. Would substitute teaching for a little while be good enough to get experience?
I’ve been in banking for 3 years but have recently decided that I would like to pursue a career in teaching (something I’ve wanted to do since I was young). I’m worried I’ll have difficulties since I’ve been in banking since I graduated college and haven’t really worked with children. My degree is in psychology and I graduated in 2002. Would substitute teaching for a little while be good enough to get experience?
Filed under: Teaching
Substitute teaching would get your feet wet, but you will probaby need to go back to college. THere are so many more qualifications for teachers today then there were just 5 years ago thanks to things like NCLB (No Child Left Behind). You could probably easily get into a Master’s of Education curriculum at your local college/university and be teaching in less than two years. Most likely you will need to take at least one of the Praxis tests (basically like an SAT but for teachers). I’m not really sure how that works with someone who already has a degree so maybe not. Odds are you can take night classes so if you wanted to sub you could do that in the day until you graduate. They may even be willing to let you come on full time or work as a teacher’s assistant as long as you are actively enrolled in a Master’s program for education. Good luck!
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Kevin, Liverpool, England.
Street Fighter: The Later Years
lol, I taught K-8 math for 35 years. I always wished I had gone into something quiet like banking.
Your best bet would be to go to your local board of education and talk to them. They will tell you what your state requires.
Good luck. Teaching is the hardest job on the Earth but when done well it is also the most rewarding.
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You will be required to take education classes and student teach. Be prepared for another 2 or 3 semesters of school. Then about 12 weeks in a classroom teaching.
Substituting used to be the way to get your foot in the door in a school system. A lot of current teachers started that way. But substituting is nothing like teaching your own class. It would make a good job while you take some classes. Schools really need the substitutes!
However, you cannot substitute when you are student teaching. Students teaching is very difficult. You are expected to do all types of journals and reports for your college credit as well as lesson plans and grading for the classes you teach. If you survive student teaching the world is yours! Even the first year for a new teacher is easier than the student teaching!
MateMediaSoft
Your degree in psychology is wonderful and will certainly help you get into teaching, I suggest though you get some qualifications for teaching maths. or accounts in a higher grade perhaps? Your banking experience will come in handy. You could try substituting maths for a while and see how you do and if you want to take it further. Best of luck!