How to Become a High School English Teacher

Co-authored by Diane Stubbs

Last Updated: July 12, 2022 References

Do you love working with children, helping them improve their reading and writing skills, exposing them to great literature, and preparing them for college? Then becoming a high school English teacher is the career for you. To gain a job as an English teacher will require some credentials, as well as a humble, patient, and sacrificial attitude to help further the education of students.

Part 1

Part 1 of 2:

Gaining Your Credentials

1
Decide if the job is for you. Becoming a high school teacher often requires someone who has a lot of patience, is willing to sacrifice time and energy for the betterment of his or her students, and has a passion for the subject he or she is teaching — you also need to be open to change and new experiences. Because the job outlook for English teachers isn't great, and the pay is mediocre, a teacher needs to be someone who has authority and cares about making an impact in students' lives.
- The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the job growth between 2012-2022 for high school teachers is six percent. Teachers who focus on math and science subjects have a higher chance of gaining a job, so with English, understand that it may take a little bit of time before you are able to earn a full time position.^{[1]
  X
  Research source}
- As a teacher your job often doesn't remain in the classroom. You will likely have papers to grade after school, parent-teacher conferences to attend, and other extracurricular activities. However, with a good mindset you can have a lot of fun doing these things, especially if you make some teacher friends along the way.
2
Be prepared to work with students who are apathetic. Some teachers have luck and have a class of students who are all really passionate and engaged in the class material, but the truth is that in many schools, a lot of the students don't want to be there or don't care about reading literature. As a teacher, your job is to make them excited and passionate to learn -- to teach so well and be so passionate yourself that the students can't help but be engaged in the lesson.
- Think of it as striving to be like the teacher in "Dead Poets Society" or "Stand and Deliver." These teachers were able to ignite passion and motivation in their students in the specific subject areas they were teaching.
Advertisement
3
Gain a bachelor's degree. Most states require that a teacher receive their bachelor's degree before they begin to teach at a high school. In order to teach high school, the bachelor's degree you obtain should be in English, and it can be helpful to focus on a track like literature.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- To teach English for elementary or middle schoolers, people often pursue bachelor's degrees in education, but because you will be covering different topics as a high school instructor, it's best to pursue a degree in a specific subject, as you'll have better foundation in the subject matter. You can then go on to learn about the education side through your teaching certification or through other courses during your bachelor's program.^{[3]
  X
  Research source}
- Many schools with English degrees give you options for different tracks to pursue like creative writing, rhetoric, and literature. Because you will most likely be focusing on the literature aspect with your students, its helpful to pursue that track in college.
- Some of the top ranked schools to obtain your bachelor's degree from are:
  - Stanford University
  - Harvard
  - University of Pennsylvania
  - Duke University
  - University of Notre Dame
  - Georgetown University
  - Vanderbilt University
  - University of Florida
4
Attend a teacher education program. After you have completed your bachelor's, you'll need to gain your teaching certification before you can actually begin teaching. You can find these education programs at many universities and they usually take 12 to 24 months to complete. Some bachelor's programs allow you to take courses towards your certification as well, so often times you can graduate and jump straight into student teaching.^{[4]
X
Research source}
- All public schools require certification, but if you are looking to work in a private school there may be different requirements.^{[5]
  X
  Research source}
5
Take the required tests. After you have attended a teacher education program, most states require you to take a standardized Praxis test, which will test you on your basic skills or on a specific subject area. Some states require you to take the Praxis I before you begin your teacher education program and others require both that test and the Praxis II.^{[6]
X
Research source}
- Make sure you review your state's licensure requirements, because all of the states vary in what they require to become a licensed teacher. Keep in mind too that just because you have a license to teach in Texas doesn't mean you will be able to teach in New York.
6
Consider obtaining the National Board Certification. This certification is not necessary to teach, but it can help the job mobility of a teacher as well as providing extra benefits. Depending on the school you work at, if you are National Board Certified you may receive a higher salary, gain compensation for continuing your education, and have greater opportunities for advancement.^{[7]
X
Research source}
7
Student teach for a semester. Most states require that teachers gain teaching experience under the supervision of a licensed teacher for a semester before they begin teaching on their own. Usually student teaching is part of your teacher education program, and your program should help locate a school for you where you can gain experience teaching.^{[8]
X
Research source}
- Student teaching is unpaid, but you have the opportunity to practice teaching real classes, with a teacher over you that can help guide you through the process. You will usually student teach in the same setting you hope to teach in later -- if you are looking to become a high school English teacher you will likely student teach in a high school English class. Oftentimes you can pick the specific grade level and type of school too, just so you are better able to discern if this is the type of school and grade level you want to teach.
8
Gain a master's degree. A master's degree isn't usually required to teach in a high school (although some schools do require it), but it can help you have an advantage when applying for jobs. A master's degree also allows you to teach at a junior college. Some teachers go on to pursue their master's so that they can teach dual credit courses at their high school, which also increases their salary.^{[9]
X
Research source}
- Many teachers will get a master's degree in education, and may focus on a specific track like curriculum development, depending on their career ambitions for the future. Some teachers will earn a master's in their specific subject area like English or a degree in educational leadership so that they can eventually go on to become principal or district supervisors.^{[10]
  X
  Research source}
- It's best to think about your career ambitions before you pursue a master's so that you know what master's program would be most beneficial to you. Then, search for the top schools with those programs. Some high schools offer to pay for part of the teacher's master's program, so check with your school as well to see what they can offer you.

Part 2

Part 2 of 2:

Applying for Jobs

1
Know the responsibilities of an English teacher. Before you begin applying for jobs, you'll want to read up on what a high school teacher primarily focuses on, so that when you go into job interviews you look prepared and educated. The basic tasks for a high school English teacher are to help students develop their critical thinking skills, hone in their writing abilities, and discover literature.^{[11]
X
Research source}
2
Figure out the school district you would like to teach in. This can be key to a positive teaching experience. Some teachers have a passion for teaching in low income schools with at-risk students, while others would prefer to teach advanced placement classes. Do some research in your area to figure out what types of students you'd like to teach before you begin applying to schools.
- Hopefully when you student taught you were able to gain an idea of the type of school you wanted to teach in. If you think you lean towards a certain type of school, then try your best to attain a student teaching position in that school so you can have some experience teaching those students before you jump in as a full-time teacher.
3
Boost your resume. Because teaching is a competitive field, your resume needs to stand out and show that you are passionate about teaching and are qualified for the position. There are a number of ways to make your resume stand out:
- Show a passion for teaching. You can demonstrate this in your objective section of the resume, or in your career summary section. Use this section to communicate your teaching philosophy, your belief about education, and your desire to help students. Make sure you are communicating that you are teaching for the right reasons. Employers want to know that you care about the students at their school.
- Credentials: Your credentials should be the first thing employers see. You should list your degrees and any certifications you have at the top of your resume along with your GPA. Because this will be the first thing employers see, you want to present yourself well and show that you are accomplished and educated.
- Use keywords: Employers may be looking for certain words throughout your resume that are industry specific. Because employers usually get a lot of resumes, they will be scanning many of them and these key words will help your resume grab their attention. Some key words to use in the education field are: teaching and learning, curriculum planning, peer tutoring, peer mentoring, teacher-parent relations, special needs students, ESL/ESOL students, technology integration, classroom management, student involvement, interdisciplinary teaching approaches, K-12, etc.
- Accomplishments and related jobs: This is really what will make you stand out from other resumes, because everyone will likely be applying with a similar bachelor's degree, but not everyone will have job related experience. Think about the accomplishments you have made throughout college that are related to teaching, leading, working with students, etc. and find a way to incorporate those into your resume through the related experience section or in your activities section. Think about the qualities that would make someone a good teacher, or the experience that could help them in teaching. Then, think about what things you have done that you can include in your resume to make you well equipped to become a teacher.
- Look up sample resumes. If you are still stumped as to how to boost your resume, there are always tons of resources online that give example resumes in specific subject matters. You can use these as references or a guideline for how to boost your resume.
4
Apply for teaching positions. Oftentimes you can visit a school's website on their jobs' or careers' page to see the positions they have available. Many universities also have career fairs in education in which you'll have the opportunity to talk to many of the schools from that state.
- If you find a job and are invited in for an interview, make sure you are prepared by learning about that school district and about the specific position. It could also be good to come up with a statement about why you decided to be a teacher and what you hope to provide to the school and students.
5
Prepare to search for a while. Because some teaching jobs aren't exactly in high demand, obtaining a position may take some time and patience. Many schools in big cities that are in low income areas, are often in higher need for teachers than schools in the suburbs or ones that have a student population that is predominantly middle class.
- As an English teacher, keep in mind that you are probably going to be looking for a longer time than someone who is planning on teaching math or science. This is because, for some reason, there is a shortage of teachers in those subject areas. English, on the other hand, is a popular degree for students to study in college to become an English teacher, and so you are competing with more people for those jobs. English also tends to be a favorite among students when it comes to their classes, and so those students are more likely to pursue a degree in English to become an English teacher.^{[12]
  X
  Research source}
6
Consider subbing in the meantime. While you may not be able to gain a teaching position right out of college, a great way to get your foot in the door in the schools you would like to teach in is by subbing. Subbing is a great way to meet the administrators and students at the school as well as getting some part-time teaching experience before you obtain a full-time position.
- Some states and cities require that substitute teachers have a teaching certificate, so you may already have an advantage over others.
- Take as many substitute teacher positions as possible so you can get a lot of exposure to the schools you are subbing in.
7
Explore options like Teach for America. Teach for America is an alternative to directly applying for a position in a school. TFA is an organization that places students passionate about learning in a low income school district and gives them the opportunity to teach for a year. To apply for this program you won't need a teaching certification, but you will need a bachelor's degree.
- You will apply to the program through the TFA website, and will be taken through a several part interview process. At the final stage of the interview you will prepare a fake lesson to give in front of some of the staff for Teach for America. You will also have the opportunity to choose the top cities you would like to teach in as well as your preferred subjects and grades you would like to teach. If hired, you will then be placed in one of those cities to begin teaching.
- While TFA is a great way to gain teaching experience, it is not for everyone because oftentimes you won't receive much training beforehand, and for someone who didn't go through the teacher education program, you might be a little lost. Depending on the school district, you may receive adequate help from other faculty, or you may have to navigate most things yourself.
8
Consider joining the Peace Corps. The Peace Corps gives you the opportunity to teach in another country, usually in areas that you will be very immersed in the culture. This organization allows you to enter as a "Volunteer," which means you aren't making a salary, but you will be given a housing and living stipend as well as paid transportation. Peace Corps openings can be found on their website, in a number of different fields, and a minimum of a bachelor's degree with some teaching or tutoring experience is usually required.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- With the Peace Corps you will be placed with a host family or in a dwelling determined by the local host organization. You will be asked to adhere to cultural norms, as the Peace Corps is also an opportunity for your to learn about different cultures and respect the differences between your country and the one you visit.
- The benefit of the Peace Corps is it gives you teaching experience, but also offers entry into unique graduate school opportunities as well as the option to forgive or defer certain public loans.^{[14]
  X
  Research source}
9
Pursue continuing education. This includes getting a master's or Phd in your desired field. You can also participate in workshops and training sessions that may equip you to serve in different roles or help advance your teaching experience and skills. Some states require you to participate in professional development to renew or maintain your license. Visit or contact your state's agency to learn about the education requirements for your state.^{[15]
X
Research source}

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I become a good high school English teacher?

Diane Stubbs
Secondary English Teacher
Diane Stubbs is a Secondary English Teacher with over 22 years of experience teaching all high school grade levels and AP courses. She specializes in secondary education, classroom management, and educational technology. Diane earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Delaware and a Master of Education from Wesley College.

Diane Stubbs

Secondary English Teacher

Expert Answer

Focus on being open to change and developing a rapport with your students. You can't expect your students to automatically want to read classic British literature. Instead, show them how to connect with the literature—you will accomplish much more when you help them see themselves in what they're reading.