A teacher is an essential part of the economy; the service a teacher renders cannot be replaced by any other alternative. A teacher is practically grooming the workforce of tomorrow. Therefore it is very important for people who are aspiring to be teachers to be dedicated to this profession. It is also important for the teachers to identify what is their specific area of interest and what working conditions are the most compatible with. The teaching profession is very much divided and is not at all simple as it sounds. Therefore, it becomes really important for aspirants to familiarize themselves with the nuances. 

First of all, the teachers are divided into the age group they are qualified to teach. There are professional and vocational courses available for teachers which determines their qualification to teach different age groups. For example, if you have a knack with toddlers and want to teach with children aged 3-5 you have to take up a course called NTT( Nursery Teacher Training), and if you’re going to teach children from elementary school, you need to take up a course called PTT (Primary Teacher Training). Apart from this, you need to have a bachelor’s or master’s degree, which mainly depends upon the requirement of the schools or organizations you want to work with. This article mainly elaborates upon how you can enter the teaching sector and work at different levels. 

How to Become Teacher in India?

As mentioned earlier, there are vocational as well as academic qualifications required to become a teacher. If you attained a bachelor’s or master’s in any subject, it would be better for you to take up a diploma course instead of doing B.El.Ed, which is a four year program. You can also take up examinations of central or state government examination after graduation or post graduation degree and go through the teaching training they provide. Since there are many courses and ways through which you can become a teacher in India, this article mainly tells you how to go about it through a course specific lens.

1. Through B.Ed And M.Ed

B.Ed and M.Ed, Bachelors of Education and Master’s of Education, are two integrated programs recognized by the Ministry Of Human Resource and Development, Government of India. Pursuing these two courses will make an individual gain a Bachelor’s and Master’s equivalent of teaching. They are two years long each if pursued separately, but the integrated course can be completed in 3 years, saving yourself time and labor. This course, however, can be pursued only by those who hold a PG degree in Science/Social Science/Humanities/Other relevant disciplines from a recognized University/Institute. Different institutes follow different criteria, but mainly they admit based on merit.  

After completing this course, the candidate can sit for CTET (Central Teaching Eligibility Test) or its State equivalent and apply for teaching jobs at central or state government schools.

2. Through NTT and PTT

NTT (Nursery Teachers Training) and PTT (Primary Teachers Training) are also vocational courses available for you if you are aspiring to be a nursery or primary teachers. This courses done with bachelor’s or master’s in any subject can land you a teaching job easily. 

Apart from appearing for CTET or its state equivalent you can also apply for teaching positions in private schools and institutions. But these jobs prefer previous experiences which eventually means you will have to work as a temporary teacher or at ad-hoc basis for a while before getting a full-fledged private school teaching job. 

Qualities Schools Looking Out for While Hiring Teachers

1. Compassion

While dealing with toddlers, children and young adults, it’s very important to have compassion and empathy in your manoeuvre since it can hard to deal with them otherwise. Moreover, strict behavior to a tendency to get physical in a compulsive manner is entirely avoided since it creates a bad impression on the students and is prohibited in schools.

2. Patience

Patience goes hand in hand with compassion. Patience to listen to the students and dealing with mischiefs and mistakes with patience is the simplest and best way to get along with children without harming their mental space, and therefore it is a quality which is demanded by most of the educational institutions in their teaching staff.

3. Innovative Ideas for Teaching

Innovation and creativity are required in almost every job, but it is very much crucial in the teaching sector since monotony and rigidity in the curriculum can make children repulsive to education. To teach and make the children understand the concepts in an innovative or creative manner which can grab the attention of the children is essential in the personality of the teacher so that the children are always willing to learn.

4. Thorough Knowledge of the Curriculum

Although curriculums vary from school to school, it is important to make the interviewer believe that you are thorough with the knowledge provided to the children you are about to teach.

There are many more things that need to be taken care of, but teaching is a dynamic profession, it is subjective and changes with time. Therefore it is very important to experience, and ten learn from it.