How to Become a Teacher in New York

A teaching career allows you to leave a positive legacy and contribute to your community while having a stable source of income. 

Teaching in New York State offers attractive packages such as competitive salaries, a strong union, free health benefits, and job security, making it an excellent place to teach. New York State has 731 districts served by 212,296 public school teachers. 

The New York State’s Teachers’ Union projects that approximately 180,000 additional teachers will be required in New York for the next ten years. 

The country continues to grapple with a teacher shortage of almost 200,000 teachers, as reported by an August 2022 study. 

This article will provide a step-by-step guide on how you can become a teacher in New York– the state’s requirements, alternative certification and how to get a job as a teacher.

Is Teaching the Right Career for You?

Teaching is a valuable and rewarding profession, but it can be demanding dedication, requiring passion, and patience.

The profession also requires you to concentrate, possess good communication skills, and have adequate content mastery in your teaching subjects. 

Most teachers view teaching as a vocation rather than a job since it’s not one of the highest-paid jobs. But, the nature of the job allows teachers to be very involved with their students, the surrounding communities, and their families. 

Teaching jobs also are very stable with the extra perks of long vacations. Therefore, money should not be one of the motivation factors. 

Compensation and other benefits for teachers vary from state to state. For instance, a gap in compensation is notable, from $45,574 in Mississippi to $85,889 in New York.

State Requirements for Teaching In New York.

Different states have different requirements. Primarily, these requirements reflect the underlying education situation in the state. 

For instance, if there is a severe teacher shortage, the state might impose fewer requirements for teaching than in other states. The requirements may also be more flexible in the inner city or rural areas with higher demand for teachers. 

The teaching requirements may also differ depending on the intended teaching level, whether primary, secondary, or high school. 

1- Bachelor’s Degree

All states require that certified teachers hold a bachelor’s degree. 

The certification into teaching in New York is overseen by the New York Department of Education Office of Teaching Initiatives (OTI). 

The key learnings and skills you will acquire from this degree program center around content, pedagogy, and classroom management. 

Some of the bachelor’s degree programs that can lead to a career in teaching include; 

• Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood, English as a Second Language
• Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education
• Bachelor of Science in Math for Secondary Education
• Bachelor of Education and Digital Arts
• Bachelor of Education in Elementary Education
• Bachelor of Physical Education
• Bachelor of Music Education

Just like other states, New York requires K-12 public school teachers to complete at least a bachelor’s degree in elementary education for kindergarten and elementary teaching. 

Most states expect their high school teachers to have a degree in their specific teaching subject area rather than just an education degree. 

If you have pursued a degree in something else other than education, alternative pathways to state licensure to teaching are available. 

2- Complete an Accredited Teacher Preparation Program

To work in New York State, teachers must complete an accredited teacher preparation program. 

Accredited and state-approved teacher preparation programs focus on improving the quality of degree programs for administrators, professional educators, and teachers at all levels of education.

Accreditation ensures that the teacher satisfies set standards and has the necessary skills and is proficient in subject matter.

Accredited programs aim at preparing the teacher educator to offer quality education and guidance to learners.

Accredited teacher training programs prepare teachers to master their content, understand their students, and acquire the training to manage and teach their learners effectively. 

3- Acquire Student Teaching Experience

Teachers must gain supervised classroom experience before managing their classrooms. All states require that their aspiring teachers undertake a set number of supervised teaching in the grade level they wish to teach. 

In New York State, you must complete at least two college-supervised student-teaching experiences of at least 20 school days each. 

You will acquire student teaching experience in both pre-kindergarten through grade 6 and in grades 7 through 12. 

4- Pass a Background Check

 A background check is a tool employers use to analyze the record of their prospective employees. 

They may include credit, criminal, employment, and fingerprint checks.

Teacher background checks are analysis of previous teacher behavior by states to ensure they are living up to their responsibility of ensuring a safe, nurturing environment for their students and a secure one for its employees. 

New York State law requires the Office of School Personnel Review and Accountability to conduct a criminal history and background check on all prospective school employees of school districts and charter schools. 

You must pass the background check in New York to be allowed to teach in the state. 

5- Get Certified

New York State has two standard teaching certificates;

• Initial Teaching Certificate- valid for the first five years of service
• Professional Teaching Certificate- Advanced certificate for experienced educators

You have earned your bachelor’s degree, completed your state-approved teacher preparation program, gained hands-on classroom experience, and passed a background check. 

It is time to apply for your Initial Teaching Certificate in New York State. Your application fee is discounted after completing the New York state-approved program.

6- Consider Getting a Master’s Degree

States continually require aspiring teachers to hold a master’s degree or receive one within the first five years of teaching. 

A master’s degree will give you a competitive advantage over other candidates applying for the same teaching position. 

Alternative Pathway to Teaching In New York

Besides the traditional certification path outlined above, you can opt for the alternative pathway to certification in New York. 

The alternative certification programs are meant for holders of a bachelor’s degree in a field outside education interested in transitioning into a teaching career. It leads to the award of a certificate or a master’s degree. 

New York State has four main types of alternative teaching licenses: 

• Transition A Certificate- this is for you if you want to teach career and technical education subjects in grades 7 through 12 but have not met the initial certification requirements.
• Transition B Certificate- if you hold an undergraduate degree with a major in the subject you intend to teach, you can pursue the Transitional B program. This requires that you enrol in an NYS Registered Alternative Program. You may teach in a classroom while meeting other requirements for certification. 
• Transitional C Certificate- this is for holders of a graduate degree that seek certification. You should also complete other requirements for licensure while enrolled in the program. 
• Transitional G Certificate is suitable for college professors with a graduate degree in a teachable content area and intent to transition to K-12 teaching. 

While the traditional certification pathway typically requires four to five years to complete, alternative pathways are usually completed in two years. 

Getting Hired as a Teacher

Acquiring proper education, certification, and in-classroom experience are the most basic means of getting hired as a teacher. 

But, there are several things you should remember when applying for different employment positions.

Polish your CV

Ensure you have a good CV. You will need to adjust it to each job ad continually. 

You can get a straightforward guide on what needs to be in your CV by checking what most schools in the state require from their aspiring teachers. 

Upgrade your skillset

It would help if you also upgrade your skillset for both in-class and outside-classroom operations. 

Some of these include:

• Leadership skills- You will be a model of acceptable behavior. Learn how to enrol in short leadership courses and grow them through individual research. 
• Organization skills- if you are in primary or secondary public schools, 30 or more learners will be in your class, demanding that you possess practical organizational skills to ensure efficient learning. 
• Collaboration skills- you need these skills to integrate into the existing team and work together towards common goals. 
• Listening skills- to efficiently diagnose students, help them overcome their obstacles, and encourage growth and openness in your learners, you need to be able to listen to them. 

Begin Your Job Search

To find teaching jobs, you can contact the district you are interested in directly via email or phone and find out if they are hiring. 

Also, search through job boards advertising for teaching positions in New York State and confirm with the hiring institution. 

You could send your resume to schools you wish to teach in but have yet to be hiring. They may hire you when they need your expertise in the future. 

Join a Professional Organization and Network

Professional networks and organizations are industry associations that offer development and connections with others in similar fields. 

Joining a professional network for teachers will show your commitment to connecting with other educators, learning, sharing knowledge, and growing your career. 

Some of the organizations that are valuable for you to join include:

• New York State Council of Educational Association
• New York State Association of Teacher Educators
• New York State United Teachers

Ace Your Job Interview

You must pass an interview before being hired. An interview allows you to establish rapport with the interviewing institution and show them your passion and zeal for teaching. 

Prepare for your interview to have the best responses that clearly show who you are as a teacher and your interest in helping children realize their goals. 

Here are a few tricks and tips to acing that teacher interview;

• Research the school- Visit its website, and learn its values, extracurricular activities, and current staff. You can contact some staff and ask any questions to guide you. Adjust your responses based on the research to best align with the school’s mission.

• Focus on the students- In your answers, your focus should be on the students, not yourself. Share how your professional development, experiences, and skills will benefit the students.
• Create a portfolio of your past teaching experiences and achievements to explain your experiences to your interviewers best. It should be creative but easy to read and professional. Ensure it includes: A sample lesson plan, a copy of your resume, certifications won, awards won, and degrees attained. 

Career Outlook & Salary in New York

Teachers continue to be in high demand in New York State. Teachers in New York are the highest paid in the U.S., with their salaries increasing over five years. 

The BLS predicts a 5 percent growth in demand for high school teachers from 2021 to 2031, with about 77,900 openings for high school teachers projected yearly. 

Become a Teacher In New York

New York is an excellent state to work in, from the attractive packages to the competitive salaries to the strong union. 

Also, teaching is a gratifying career through which, once you meet all the requirements, you gain an opportunity to make a difference in the next generation’s lives.

Become in New York today and enjoy these benefits while shaping the next generation.