Being an elementary school teacher can be the perfect career for the person who enjoys working with children and helping them learn. As an elementary school teacher, you can put your creativity to use in the classroom everyday. You can think of extraordinary lectures to teach to your students. Perhaps you are the type of teacher who wants to give your students a true understanding of the struggles of different groups of people in history. Maybe you want to help your students become more aware of their roles in society and how they relate to one another. As an elementary school teacher, you hold the tremendous power to help students learn more about themselves and each other. Maybe you have wondered, “How do I become an elementary school teacher?” When you want to become an elementary school teacher, it is important for you to receive a bachelor’s degree in education.

What’s it like to be an elementary school teacher?

Elementary school teachers enjoy being able to walk into a classroom everyday and offer their students a new perspective or lesson in life. Elementary school teachers also enjoy sharing their knowledge of subjects like math, reading and art with children. An elementary school teacher can empower a student who feels like he or she lacks control over different areas of his or her life. There may be a young student who is struggling with certain family or emotional issues in class, and an elementary school teacher can help that student feel less alone in the world. Elementary school teachers also enjoy being able to inspire and motivate young children to develop interests in future careers. A child may learn that he or she wants to become a doctor after taking a science course that absolutely fascinates him or her.

Education Requirements

To become an elementary school teacher, one should pursue a degree in education. One should obtain a four-year bachelor’s degree in education. It is also helpful if an elementary school teacher chooses a specialty that may help him or her in teaching in the future. One may wish to receive additional minors or certifications in subjects like biology, physics or a particular language. These sorts of certifications give an elementary school teacher the opportunity to teach a class in a specific field for his or her students.

Salary & How to Get a Job

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary of an elementary school teacher is about $51,000 a year. When a person wants to become an elementary school teacher, he or she should apply for positions at local public schools. It may be easier for a person to find a position at a private school too. Another way to get a job as an elementary school teacher is to begin one’s career as a teacher assistant. If one serves as a teacher assistant in a school, then one may be more likely to obtain an actual position on the faculty of that school.

References:
1. http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Education-Training-and-Library/Kindergarten-and-elementary-school-teachers.htm
2. http://www.ehow.com/how_3592_become-elementary-school.html