How Do I Get Teaching Work Experience?

Educational authorities and other institutions typically prefer to fill teaching positions with individuals who have prior experience. In many countries, prospective teachers are able to gain teaching work experience through unpaid internships. Additionally, short-term programs in some areas are designed to provide high school students and the unemployed with teaching experience, which may enable them to eventually land permanent jobs in the industry.

Colleges and universities in many countries offer teaching degrees or non-degree teacher training programs. In many instances, undergraduates gain teaching work experience while completing their degrees because their colleges arrange for them to work as assistant teachers in local schools. Typically the undergraduates are not paid for the time spent teaching, but the teaching experience may count towards their degree. Additionally, postgraduate students wishing to become college lecturers or teachers are sometimes given the opportunity to teach undergraduate classes. Some of these students receive discounted accommodation or tuition in return for teaching these classes.

In some countries including the United Kingdom, high schools are required to arrange work experience for students. High school students with an interest in teaching often arrange teacher work experience sessions within their own school. Generally, high school students enrolled in such programs monitor the daily activities of teachers and provide administrative support. The students are not normally allowed to take an active role in the teaching process but they do gain some insight into the nature of the job.

Many municipal and regional government groups partner with non-profit organizations to arrange educational and training programs for the long-term unemployed. Partner businesses and organizations often provide short-term training courses. In some instances, school boards are involved in these programs in which case people who have no prior experience in academic institutions can gain some teaching work experience. People who perform well during these unpaid internships or training sessions are sometimes offered full-time teaching jobs although they often have to complete college-based training courses before they can accept such positions.

Charitable organizations fund and operate schools and other types of educational establishments in poor nations. These groups normally staff these establishments with volunteers. These workers are tasked with teaching local children reading, writing and arithmetic as well as other basic skills. Typically, these positions are filled by people with no prior teaching work experience because many of these nations lack the type of infrastructure and regulations that require teachers in other nations to have completed degree courses. While overseas volunteer work is generally not a substitute for formal teacher training, it at least provides the volunteers with some on-the-job training.