Before you take any steps to become a teacher trainee, you should understand that teaching is a difficult profession that will require you to develop a passion for working with various types of students. It is a good idea to try job shadowing a teacher to get a sense of what is involved in this job so you are prepared for the career you wish to pursue. If you are sure you want to become a teacher, you will first need to become a teacher trainee, which usually occurs while you are in college earning a degree.
This means, of course, that you will need to complete a high school education and then apply for a college degree program in order to become a teacher trainee. You can earn a degree in elementary education or secondary education, or you can earn a degree in a broad category such as mathematics, English, or sciences. While you earn such degrees, it is a good idea — and often required — to take education courses, especially if you do not intend to go on to earn a master's degree. You will usually have an opportunity to become a teacher trainee toward the end of your undergraduate education.
You will need to apply to a teacher trainee program, which will usually be offered by the education department at your school. In fact, in order to graduate, you will probably need to complete a teacher training requirement that will allow you to deliver instruction to students under the guidance and supervision of an experienced, full time teacher.
If, however, you are not enrolled in a college education program but have already earned a college degree, your path to become a teacher trainee will be quite different. You will need to research the various requirements in your region for becoming a teacher, and then you will need to go about earning the various certifications and completing the required college coursework. In the meantime, you can gain some teaching experience by becoming certified as a substitute teacher.
In many regions, you will need to undergo some sort of teaching apprenticeship or training in order to become certified. You can set up such a traineeship by applying at the local school district offices. You will also need to obtain a fingerprint clearance card in many regions throughout the world to ensure the safety of the children you will be hired to teach. Be prepared to undergo a criminal background check as well.
