{"id":44310,"date":"2023-10-03T16:14:50","date_gmt":"2023-10-03T21:14:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/?p=44310"},"modified":"2023-10-03T16:23:46","modified_gmt":"2023-10-03T21:23:46","slug":"how-to-become-a-teacher-in-illinois","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.teachersoftomorrow.org\/blog\/insights\/how-to-become-a-teacher-in-illinois\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Become a Teacher in Illinois? 6 Steps to Become a Teacher"},"content":{"rendered":"
Teaching in Illinois is an excellent opportunity if you are looking to work as an educator. You\u2019ll enjoy a competitive salary and valuable medical, vision, dental, and life insurance benefits.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A teaching career will give you an excellent chance to pass knowledge, educate, and support the younger generation as they prepare for their future.<\/span><\/p>\n States have different teacher education levels, experience, and licensing requirements.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Illinois report card shows <\/span>134,888<\/span><\/a> teachers in 2022. But, Illinois experienced a teacher shortage with more than <\/span>5,300 <\/span><\/a>classroom positions remaining unfilled in 2022, including administrative and support personnel.<\/span><\/p>\n The increasing demand for teachers in this state makes it an excellent one to seek <\/span>teaching licensure<\/span>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Teaching is a greatly rewarding career choice. But, it demands flexibility as anything might happen that can throw you off your schedule.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Though demanding, teaching gives you a chance to make a genuine difference in your learners’ lives.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It requires that you effectively manage your responsibilities, collaborate efficiently with colleagues, possess excellent communication skills, and have adequate knowledge of your subject areas.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Most teachers take their careers for a vocation, the motivation being the opportunity to positively inspire the next generations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As a teacher, you are also actively involved with your learners, their parents, and the surrounding communities. This demands that you possess excellent communication and interpersonal skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The monetary compensation for teachers in Illinois has been increasing over the last five years. However, teachers enjoy other motivation factors besides money. For instance, you will enjoy job stability and extended vacations.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Teacher remuneration varies from state to state; for instance, the average annual salary in\u00a0 <\/span>Illinois is $72,301 while in Michigan it\u2019s $65,198<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Requirements for teaching in a particular state vary from one state to another. The staffing situation often influences the hiring requirements in a state. For instance, states with a severe teacher shortage will enlist fewer certification requirements than other states.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The teacher licensure requirements also vary depending on the educational level you hope to teach: elementary, secondary, or high school.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The State’s Department of Education determines the requirements for licensure in Illinois. All prospective candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A bachelor’s degree in education will prepare you for a rewarding career in helping children acquire the required knowledge and skills.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The Illinois state expects its aspiring teachers to seek certification to hold a bachelor’s degree. They must also have completed a teacher preparation program approved by the Illinois Department of Education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A bachelor’s degree will equip you with the following critical learnings and skills to help you effectively carry out your duties:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here is a list of bachelor’s degree programs that lead to initial teacher licensure in Illinois.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Candidates pursuing the traditional teacher certification program must complete a state-approved teacher preparation program that satisfies the Illinois standards for teacher education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Alternative licensure programs are also available for holders of bachelor’s degrees who still need to complete the teacher preparation program. You can find a list of the approved teacher preparation programs on <\/span>Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Some of the approved teacher preparation programs in Illinois for grade 12 include:<\/span><\/p>\n A teacher certification will ensure you have the essential skills and competencies to manage and guide learners effectively while improving the quality of learning acquired.<\/span><\/p>\n Additionally, certification increases your credibility and worth as an educator.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Like many states, Illinois expects its teachers seeking licensure to have acquired student teaching experience. You must complete 32-semester hours which include a student teaching program in the final year of your teacher preparation program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n An experienced teacher will be assigned to direct and actively supervise your classroom teaching experiences. The supervision focuses on the grade range and your areas of professional educator license endorsement.<\/span><\/p>\n Classroom teaching experiences will equip you with skills in lesson planning, classroom management, tests and measurement, and feedback provision on testing.<\/span><\/p>\n Background checks involve checking on critical issues such as your criminal record, professional history, education credentials, and social media interactions.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the Illinois School Code, all public school districts in Illinois must conduct the state and the FBI background checks on all certified and non-certified applicants. The checks also include fingerprint-based checks for criminal history.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A background check in Illinois will involve a State of Illinois conviction check and an FBI background check for any possible arrests and convictions. Convictions such as child abuse or neglect bar candidates from acquiring certifications to teach.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Different states have different certification processes outlined by the state’s Department of Education.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To be eligible for teacher certification in Illinois, you must pass several tests before enrolling in the teacher preparation program.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These include The Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP), or post-acceptable scores on The ACT or SAT exams.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Upon completing the teacher preparation program, you must pass tests in the applicable content areas through the <\/span>Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS)<\/span><\/a> and the edTPA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These assess your understanding of child development, teaching skills, mastery of content areas, and other relevant competencies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Illinois may also accept evidence of one year of teaching experience as an indication of your teaching competence in place of the subject areas tests.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n States continually require that their teachers possess a master’s degree or acquire one within the first five years of teaching.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A master’s degree gives you an upper hand over your colleagues when seeking similar positions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you hold a bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited institution and wish to transition into teaching, <\/span>alternative certification<\/span><\/a> may be the right fit for you.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The bachelor’s degree you possess must be in a content area that aligns with your aspiring area of certification. As a transitioning teacher, you will practice under the mentorship and guidance of an experienced teacher.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In Illinois, most alternative teacher preparation programs lead to the award of a master’s degree. Alternative certification programs take one to two years, compared to the traditional route that takes four years.<\/span><\/p>\n Licensure-only programs do not award a degree and follow a shorter curriculum.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Education, in-class experience, and certification are the essential requirements to get hired in Illinois.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Here are some of the significant steps to getting hired as a teacher in Illinois:<\/span><\/p>\n Your CV should be designed to suit each individual job advertisement. This way, it will market you as the most qualified candidate for each opportunity.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n To help design your CV, check what most hiring schools in Illinois require from their teachers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A fulfilling teaching career will demand that you acquire some essential skills:<\/span><\/p>\n To find teaching jobs in Illinois, check through teaching sites such as:<\/span><\/p>\n You can contact the school districts directly through email or phone to determine if they are hiring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Also, sending your credentials and resume to schools you wish to work in increases your chances of getting hired even when they are not hiring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Joining some professional organizations and networks in Illinois may be valuable in growing your teaching career. Some of these include:<\/span><\/p>\n Networking with other educators in Illinois helps you to compare notes on classroom management, teaching techniques, and learning styles. Also, you can share lesson plans and visual teaching aids.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Lastly, to get hired in Illinois, you must pass an interview to measure your readiness for the job. Here are some tips to help you ace your job interview:<\/span><\/p>\n With more than 132,000 teachers working in Illinois, the state still experiences a teacher shortage. Illinois’ average teacher’s salary rose to above $70,000 in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n Illinois State also offers <\/span>scholarship support<\/span><\/a> to students considering teaching careers. The <\/span>Golden Apple Scholarship<\/span><\/a> program assists aspiring educators to kick start their teaching careers. The program provides up to $23,000 in monetary assistance, classroom teaching experience, and job placement assistance.<\/span><\/p>\n You can find unfilled positions by subject area in the <\/span>Illinois State Board of Education<\/span><\/a>. Some specialization areas, such as bilingual education, special needs education, <\/span>science<\/span><\/a>, math, and elementary education, are considered high-need areas in the state.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\nIs Teaching the Right Career for You?<\/b><\/h2>\n
State Requirements for Teaching In Illinois<\/b><\/h2>\n
1. Bachelor’s Degree<\/b><\/h3>\n
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2. Complete an Accredited Teacher Preparation Program<\/b><\/h3>\n
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3. Gain Student Teaching Experience<\/b><\/h3>\n
4. Pass a Background Check<\/b><\/h3>\n
5. Get Certified<\/b><\/h3>\n
6. Consider Getting a Master’s Degree<\/b><\/h3>\n
Alternative Pathway to Teaching in Illinois<\/b><\/h2>\n
Getting Hired as a Teacher<\/b><\/h2>\n
Polish Your CV<\/b><\/h3>\n
Upgrade Your Skill Set<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Begin Your Job Search<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Join a Professional Organization and Network<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Ace Your Job Interview<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Career Outlook & Salary in Illinois<\/b><\/h2>\n
Become a Teacher in Illinois<\/b><\/h2>\n