If you want to get a job as a Mathematics teacher, you need to have an in-depth knowledge of Math as it applies to the curriculum of the grade you wish to teach. You do need to hold either a Bachelor of Science or a Bachelor of Arts with a major concentration in Math. This concentration could be in Pure Mathematics or Applied Mathematics. Then you need to graduate from a teacher preparation program. If the university you attend has n Education department, you can get all the courses you need at this institution. In order to be admitted to the teacher preparation program you must take and pass the Praxis Basic Skills Assessment test in Reading, Writing and Mathematics.
For the most part, a Mathematics teacher works at the junior high and high school levels. However, you can still specialize in Math and teach elementary grades. When you take the exams needed for certification in your state, you do have several options open to you. You should make this decision when you enroll in the teacher-training program, as you will have to take methods courses in either elementary, middle school of secondary. However, you can still be eligible to write the content exams to be certified to teach Math in addition to taking the exams for the elementary grades.
As a Mathematics teacher, you will spend most of your time teaching about numbers in pre-algebra, algebra and geometry courses. With a background in Math you will be well prepared to meet the demands of the curriculum and be able to design lessons that meet the mandated outcomes of the various courses. Math is one of the areas in which there are critical shortages of teachers, especially at the junior high and high school levels. Thus, you will not have much difficulty getting a job no matter which state you want to teach in.
As you progress in your job as a mathematics teacher, you will be able to advance and attain professional and advanced teaching certificates. A background in Math is a good thing to have if you aspire to the position of principal of a school. This is because one of the major responsibilities of this position is to understand the budget process for school operation. Developing and maintaining a budget for the school is one area that often causes the most stress for school principals, especially if the school is not in an affluent area.
Mathematics teachers often progress beyond the regular school system to become instructors and professors at colleges and universities. Just as the regular school system has problems hiring qualified personnel to fill these positions, so do the institutions of higher learning. When working as a math professor, you will have opportunities to engage in research and develop courses in Math for the students. If preparing lessons is something you find that you enjoy, you can help out other teachers by writing textbooks or posting sample lessons online for them to use.
