In Indian culture, teachers have always been venerated and held in great esteem, their importance often acknowledged next only to parents. With playschools growing in importance, a teacher's role is significant, not only during the formative years of a child's development but also in moulding the child's philosophy. It's the teacher that drops the fount of higher knowledge in the learner, and makes of him paragon of great ideals.

The demands

"A career in teaching is for the brave-hearted," says Clementina D’Souza, teacher from Sacred Heart High School, Worli. She says, “One should have the virtue of patience and the ability to adjust to different types of children. There should be clarity of speech and thought. One should be able to hold one’s own against the children, able to command respect without meting out corporal punishment."

It is a give and take relationship between student and teacher and the bottom-line is if you love doing this and can go the extra length to establish a beautiful relationship of trust and love between, student and teacher take it up as a career, otherwise do not, she says.

Different options available

One has the option of teaching in pre-primary, primary, high school or in college.

Pre-Primary

This covers playschool, nursery, junior and senior K.G. If you love small children and have oodles of patience and tolerance, then this will be your cup of milk. Pre-primary usually has two teachers per classroom, the main (class) teacher and the co-teacher (assistant).

To be a co-teacher, no formal training is necessary, though it might vary from school to school. The only requirement is your ability to handle tiny tots and your talent to teach them. One should have had training in the Montessori way of teaching or have a diploma in 'Early Childcare and education'.

Association Montessori Internationale (AMI) training courses last a minimum of one academic year and are full-time courses of study. Some AMI courses are offered over a period of two or three consecutive summers, with interim work. One can do one's Montessori training from RTI and Bombay SZM at N.S. Patkar Marg and Shri Jain Mahila Samaj at H.Cross Rd. The ‘Early Childcare and education (ECCE)’ course can be done from Sophia Polytechnic, Ratan Tata Institute, St.Xavier’s Institute of Education, MRICE, to name a few.

As Trupti Salian from Kangaroo kids puts it, "The latter method may be preferred because it is a play way method of teaching. While teaching primary kids, the stress is on how you are able to communicate with them, since small kids cannot be communicated the same way as adults," While ECCE is also a fulltime course, some schools like MRICE and Sophia’s polytechnic also offer part-time courses whereby those who are interested can study and work at the same time till they become trained teachers.

Primary

This covers standards one to seven. Basic requirement is a D.Ed (a diploma in education) of two years duration after class twelve.

Secondary

A BA, B. Ed. (Bachelor in Education) of one year's duration, with specialisation in subject one wishes to teach, is enough to qualify one to teach high school. i.e. standards eight, nine and 10th. To become the principal of a school, one has to be at least M.A, B. Ed with minimum 10 years of teaching experience.

One can do their D.Ed, B.Ed, M.Ed from St.Xavier’s Institute of Education, St.Teresa’s Institute of Education, Bombay Teachers Training College, Secondary Training College (govt.) to name a few.

College

College lecturers require a good academic record with at least 55% or an equivalent grade at master's degree level in the relevant subject. Also they have to take the eligibility test for lecturers, National Eligibility Test (NET), conducted by UGC, CSIR or similar tests accredited by the UGC. The State level test SLET is for appointments within the state. The promotion is based on performance, duration of service, and research publications.

To become a principal of a college, PhD in any subject with minimum 10 years teaching experience in Degree College is essential. Outlining a few traits that a principal should possess, Manju Nichani, Principal, K C College, says, "One should be an all-rounder with administrative, communication skills, the ability to be firm when necessary, an eye for accounts, knowledge about the rules of the government, information on all the funding agencies etc.”

Pay scales In Teaching Profession

At primary level remuneration may vary from Rs 3,500 pm for a co-teacher to 5,000 pm for a main teacher. While a temporary teacher at the primary, secondary level might take home Rs 3000 pm. On confirmation, the starting pay ranges from Rs 8,000 pm to Rs 10,000 pm. Lecturers might take home anything between Rs 10,000 pm and Rs 15,000 pm.

So if you have what it takes – patience and love for children – then teaching is the right career for you.

Career In Teaching In Singapore