Minimum Education

• Teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree. Typically, teachers complete a teacher education program as part of their bachelor's program. However, some teachers complete non-education programs and later enroll in alternate-route programs in order to meet teacher licensure requirements.
  
  

Types

• Teacher education programs vary according to what a prospective teacher intends to teach once she begins her career. Prospective elementary teachers complete programs that include coursework concerning educational philosophies and strategies, along with coursework in multiple subjects areas such as reading, math, science and social studies.
  
  Prospective secondary teachers complete programs that include educational philosophies and strategies along with coursework in at least one content area, such as English, math, biology and history. Teachers may also elect to complete specialized programs that qualify them to teach K-12 students in areas such as special education, bilingual education, music, art and physical education.
  
  

Features

• Teacher education programs should include many components designed to prepare prospective teachers to be effective in their endeavors. Features of successful teacher education programs include classroom management coursework, educational psychology coursework, learning-research coursework and coursework that addresses how to meet individual students' needs. Teacher education programs should also include a supervised teacher internship component.
  
  

Advanced Education Programs

• Teachers can improve their job prospects and increase their salary by completing additional education. Teacher pay scales increase when a teacher completes a master's, specialist's or doctoral degree. Teachers may also be able to increase their salary by completing National Board Certification.
  
  

Considerations

• In addition to meeting education requirements, prospective teachers should possess certain qualities that make an effective teacher. Such qualities include excellent interpersonal skills, positive attitude, empathy, compassion, superior organizational skills, computer literacy and self-confidence.