How to Be a Spanish Teacher in North Carolina

<p>Earning your license to teach Spanish in North Carolina requires you to study education and the language. You can do both with the correct bachelor's degree, which includes a student teaching component. Several Praxis exams are required before you can earn your first license. </p> <p /> <table border="1"><tr><td>Education/Experience Required</td><td>Bachelor's degree in foreign language education, <br />Teacher education program</td></tr> <tr><td>Exams Required</td><td>Basic skills assessment;<br /> Praxis Spanish: <br />World Language</td></tr> <tr><td>License Validity</td><td>Three years for Professional Educator's Initial License</td></tr> <tr><td>License Extension</td><td>No renewals for initial license; must be upgraded to Professional Educator Continuing License</td></tr> <tr><td>Average North Carolina Salary (2018)</td><td>$47,580 for high school, <br />$47,050 for middle school, and<br /> $46,500 for elementary school teachers*</td></tr> <tr><td>National Job Growth (2016-2026)</td><td>8% for middle and high school,<br /> 7% for kindergarten and elementary school teachers*</td></tr> </table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i> </p> <h3 id="section---JobDescription">Job Description</h3> <p>As a Spanish teacher, you will introduce students to a brand new language, as well as the culture surrounding the written and spoken words. Architecture, food, and family lifestyles are just a few of the topics you might cover in a Spanish class, which could contain students of several different grades and ages depending on the type of school that employs you. Your classes may include spoken exercises to help students with pronunciation and sentence structure, as well as homework to keep them practicing outside of the classroom. You will give tests and provide feedback with their scores to help them advance their understanding of the Spanish language. </p> <h3 id="section---EducationAndTrainingRequirements">Education and Training Requirements</h3> <p>Aspiring Spanish teachers in North Carolina will need to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish Education. This degree combines the study of the language with the courses you need to prepare for a career in your specified level of education. To prepare for your life as a teacher, you could take courses in topics such as educational psychology, technology and teaching, and diversity in student populations. Your school's foreign language department may offer opportunities to study abroad, which is an excellent way to immerse yourself in Spanish culture and the language. Before you graduate, you will also go through a student teaching experience, leading a classroom under the supervision of a licensed educator. </p> <h3 id="section---ExamRequirements">Exam Requirements</h3> <p>Before gaining admission to a teacher education program, you will need your skills evaluated by the state. You can do this with the Praxis Core Academic Skills for Educators exam, a three-part series of tests in reading, math, and writing. You can opt to take all three tests at once, or schedule multiple appointments on different dates. A license for teaching Spanish in all grades is covered by passing the Spanish: World Language content exam, which contains three hours of questions in writing, speaking, listening, and reading the language. </p> <h3 id="section---LicenseRequirements">License Requirements</h3> <p>Once you fulfill all your education and exam requirements, you can apply for a North Carolina Professional Educator Initial License. You can teach under this credential for a total of three years, but unlike some other states, you will not be able to renew it. The state requires you to upgrade your license to a Professional Educator's Continuing License, which you can earn after three years as a licensed professional. The state will evaluate your performance, and after you pass North Carolina-approved for exams or the National Board Certification tests, you can earn this new license. You will be able to renew your Continuing License every five years by fulfilling the necessary continuing education requirements.</p>