Price School of Education

We know how overwhelming it can be to make important decisions about your college experience.  We’ve done everything we can to put all the information you’re looking for right here.  If you need any additional information, please don’t hesitate to contact us. 

So you think you want to be a teacher?  Here’s how to achieve your goal:

1. Volunteer or work with kids – While you are working on your high school diploma (or your first year of college), find a job or volunteer with kids.  You can teach swimming lessons, coach a team or spend some time babysitting.  You’ll want to figure out what age group best suits you.
2. Find a good fit – Find an accredited high-quality education program and decide what age level you’d like to teach–elementary, middle school or high school.  If you choose middle school, you’ll need to choose the two subjects areas that you’d like to teach.   Of course, at the high school level, you select one area, such as English, mathematics, science, or social studies.
3. Substitute teach – During your first two years of college, you can seek employment as a substitute teacher in a local public school system.  Some counties even offer a substitute teacher workshop–a great way to help you learn some basics before you get started.  This will help you earn some extra money and practice your teaching skills.
4. Prepare for the GACE – In order to be certified as a teacher in Georgia, you must pass the Georgia Assessment for the Certification of Educators (GACE) test in your teaching field.  You take this test during your senior of college.  You must pass it in order to obtain a teaching job in Georgia.
5. Apply for teaching jobs – Resume writing and mock interviews are part of your clinical residency seminar experience (during your final semester of college). After completing your clinical residency experience, you can apply for employment with one or more of your local counties.
6. Carefully consider where you will teach – Here’s something to think about:  It might be possible for you to cancel or defer your student loans if you agree to teach in a low-income area or an area where there is a shortage of teachers.
7. Keep learning – Be sure to continue learning after you get your first job.  Join a professional  association in your teaching specialty, such as the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) or the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).  This is a great way to continue growing as a professional.

The instructional methods in the Price School of Education are based on sound research. The PSOE teacher education conceptual framework establishes the shared vision in preparing educators to work in Pre-Kindergarten through Grade 12 schools and provides direction for all programs, courses, teaching, teacher candidate performance, scholarship, service and unit accountability.

The conceptual framework is built upon three basic beliefs about teaching:

1. Student differences are understood, appreciated and built upon through respectful, meaningful work in a collaborative, nurturing classroom environment;
2. Student growth and success are developed through the process of ongoing assessment and adjusted instruction; and
3. Teachers who are extremely knowledgeable about their subject matter, a variety of wise and flexible instructional practices and multiple options for student assessment are better equipped to adjust the essential curriculum content, their own instructional practices and student assessment options to address learner differences within their classroom.

The purpose of all PSOE teacher preparation programs is to prepare educators who can create a learning community of care and challenge. This purpose is realized through the DATA Instructional Model that describes different approaches for teaching and assessment. The PSOE conceptual framework represents a strong commitment to the preparation of effective teachers who adapt instruction to support students’ diverse learning needs and to maximize student learning.