Teaching is considered to be one of the noble professions in the world. Anyone who aspires to become a teacher would agree that a teacher has the authority and the responsibility to mould his/her students. Being a vast field, teaching career requires different skills and type of training at different levels. From being a pre-school teacher to a college teacher, the skill sets are different for different levels and so are the qualifications. Teachers can make a difference to the lives of their students by rousing their curiosity and watching them grow. At school level, mostly there are female teachers though there are male teachers too but their percentage is low. At university level, there is an equal mix of male and female teachers.
The different areas of specialization for being a teacher include teaching at nursery schools, primary schools, middle schools, high schools, colleges, universities, institutes, special schools etc. Different type of expertise is required at each level. For those who love to be with children, teaching at schools is a very good option and for those who want to mentor young adults, teaching at college or university level would be preferable. The eligibility and criteria for each level is different. The best part about a teaching job is that it is not restricted to any one field or area of study. No matter what stream have you studied, you can still become a teacher if you are expert at your field and have the necessary qualities required in a teaching job.
The very basic qualities of a teacher are that he/she would be patient, perseverant, ready to adapt to the demands of the students and would have a pleasing personality. Students should look up to a teacher and should not be wary of him/her. To be popular among students, a teacher requires understanding their psychology and speaking to them in their language. Through their intelligence, wisdom and patience, a teacher should be able to exert influence on the students in a positive manner. Students should have confidence in their teacher and should consider him/her as a role model. Such teachers are a boon to the society as they are capable of producing responsible citizens with well-rounded personalities.
There are different courses for teaching at different levels. To get a pre-primary teaching job, one could pursue NTT course offered at most polytechnics and vocational training centres. The eligibility for this course is Class XII with 50% aggregate. To get a teaching job at primary level, one can earn a diploma in education or a Bachelors in Education. Graduates of Home Science can also apply for primary teachers' job. To be a secondary or senior secondary teacher, one has to have a B.Ed degree after graduation. These are called Trained Graduate Teachers (TGTs), and after post-graduation they are called postgraduate trained teachers (PGTs).
To pursue teaching at the university level, one needs to have a good academic record which means minimum of 55% at master's degree in the relevant subject and after which one has to take the eligibility test for lecturers called National Eligibility Test (NET). This test is conducted by UGC, CSIR or similar tests accredited by the UGC. When one clears this exam, one becomes eligible for the job of a lecturer or a university teacher.
To be a successful teacher, one has to be passionate about the subject that one is teaching. It is one's interest in the subject that can secure one's future. Teaching should not be taken up as a back-up option. It should be taken up only if one strongly believes in oneself as a mentor because teachers are responsible for the future of many a student. A disinterested teacher can completely ruin a student's interest. These days, teaching has also become a lucrative career option. Both government and private school teachers are paid handsomely for their services. One could also get hired for teaching job at a private coaching institute. Or one could start one's own venture. The options for teachers are wide-ranging, from joining schools, to private institutions, to NGOs to teaching in colleges. Thus, a teaching job is full of options and avenues and can open up a path of growth for those who believe in themselves and can train others.
