| Those wishing to begin a career in teaching, either | | | | anywhere in the country. |
| in the US Public School System or abroad, need | | | | A national teaching certificate, for example, can |
| to qualify for a teaching certificate. Each US state | | | | be granted for general elementary school |
| will grant a teaching certificate to those who | | | | teaching, or it could be granted for teaching math |
| meet its specific requirements for certification; | | | | to middle school students. Many states place a |
| these certificates are classified according to the | | | | premium hiring teachers with a national teaching |
| grades which the individual will be teaching. | | | | certificate, in the form of higher salaries than they |
| Teaching certificates are available early childhood, | | | | pay those teachers without them. |
| elementary, and middle grades teaching; and in | | | | Every US state has specific requirements for |
| secondary education. Teachers can also qualify to | | | | teaching certificate qualification, but the majority |
| teach specific subjects, such as music or art, to all | | | | of them demand both a that a teacher has both |
| grades from kindergarten to high school. | | | | obtained a Bachelor's Degree in education from a |
| Certifications in special educations, technical | | | | state-accredited college or university, and passed |
| education, and substitute teaching are also | | | | a state licensing test. |
| required. | | | | Various states also have different teaching |
| A teaching certificate, in other words, is a college | | | | certificates based on the age of the students and |
| or university's acknowledgement that a student | | | | the subjects to be taught. Each state's |
| has successfully completed its professional-level | | | | Department of Education website will offer details |
| education courses in a specific subject. | | | | on its requirements. |
| National Teaching Certificates | | | | Alternative Teaching Certificates |
| For those US individuals who would like to have | | | | For those who have not completed a Bachelor's |
| the freedom to teach students from kindergarten | | | | Degree course [ in education at an accredited |
| to twelfth grade in any state, the National Board | | | | college or university, some states offer an |
| for Teaching Professional Teaching Standards can | | | | alternative route teaching certificate. |
| supply a voluntary national teaching certificate. | | | | These states realize that life experience can |
| If teachers can provide an acceptable portfolio of | | | | qualify those who may have degrees in other |
| his or her classroom experience, and also pass an | | | | fields to perform well as teachers, and offers |
| exam assessing his or her teaching expertise in | | | | them a way to get into the teaching profession |
| any of seven areas depending on the age of the | | | | without having to return to school. Information will |
| students and or a specific subject, they will be | | | | be available on a state's Department of Education |
| qualified to teach that subject, or those students, | | | | website as well. |