Becoming an algebra teacher requires a strong foundation in mathematics, including advanced courses like calculus and trigonometry. There are different paths to teaching at different levels, including high school, community college, and four-year universities, with varying requirements for degrees and credentials. Teachers may also need to be skilled in other areas of math beyond algebra.
The person planning to become an algebra teacher needs to understand that he is likely to teach more than algebra. Whether in college or high school, there is more to math taught than just algebra. People who intend to become an algebra teacher are math teachers first and don’t always get to choose which classes they are assigned to teach. There are ways to specialize, such as becoming an algebra tutor or tutoring in algebra, but most people in this field are generally skilled in many areas of mathematics and can easily teach them.
There are two or three potential forks in the road for people who want to become an algebra teacher. They can teach in colleges, community colleges, or in middle and high school. They each represent a different level of education, but they all start in high school, getting very good grades in math. When possible, students should aim to achieve high school calculus and, most importantly, should attempt to obtain and pass advanced placement trigonometry and calculus. When this is not the case, these classes can still be taken at the college level, but earning college credits earlier helps you get started on a math course.
The person interested in high school will specialize in mathematics and study more advanced expressions of subjects such as geometry and different forms of algebra. They can also study statistics and various other advanced topics that increase math skills. Depending on the school and region, completion of a bachelor’s degree in mathematics may lead to automatic accreditation to high school. Alternatively, the person who wants to become an algebra teacher may have to follow an additional credentialing program before being able to teach.
Someone who would like to become an algebra teacher at the community college level takes a slightly different path. After earning a bachelor’s degree, that student applies and is accepted into a master’s program in mathematics. Upon completion, they can teach in most two-year schools, and sometimes they gain a credential and teach in secondary schools. They will teach many more subjects at the community college level, including those that extend beyond calculus, while the high school teacher rarely focuses on more than pre-algebra, algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, and calculus.
Four-year colleges and colleges with graduate departments look for professors with doctoral degrees, and some community colleges that are competitive require this as well. Those who want to become an algebra professor at a four-year university or with a graduate school will definitely have to have a doctorate. Less basic algebra classes are likely to be taught at this level, although remedial classes may be available on some campuses. Instead, these teachers often teach much more complicated math topics.
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