Employment
Teaching Positions
What are the requirements for teaching positions?
Sources
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Elementary School and Kindergarten Teachers
- elementary school teacher
- English as a second language teacher - elementary school
- French immersion teacher - elementary school
- kindergarten teacher
- primary school teacher
- reading clinician - elementary school
- special needs teacher - elementary school
- substitute teacher - elementary school
- supply teacher - elementary school
To work in this field, you should be patient, imaginative, objective and resourceful. Leadership skills and the ability to motivate students are important. You must be able to communicate ideas in a clear, concise and interesting way. Planning and organizational skills are also necessary. Energy and stamina are often needed, as a teacher's workday involves more than just school hours. Teachers must be knowledgeable about their subjects and keep informed of new material and methods of teaching.
- A bachelor's degree in education is required.
- A bachelor's degree in child development may be required.
- Additional training is required to specialize in special education or second language instruction.
- A provincial teaching certificate is required. Additional certification is required to teach English or French as a second language.
- Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers' association or federation is usually required.
Secondary School Teachers
- adult education teacher, secondary school
- cooperative education teacher
- English as a second language teacher, high school
- high school teacher
- private teacher - secondary school
- secondary school department head
- secondary school teacher
- special needs teacher - secondary school
- substitute teacher - secondary school
To work in this field, you should be patient, imaginative, objective and resourceful. Leadership skills and the ability to motivate students are important. You must be able to communicate ideas in a clear, concise and interesting way. Planning and organizational skills are also necessary. Energy and stamina are often needed, as a teacher's workday involves more than just school hours. Teachers must be knowledgeable about their subjects and keep informed of new material and methods of teaching.
- Teachers of academic subjects require a bachelor's degree in education which is often preceded by a bachelor's degree in the arts or sciences.
- Teachers of vocational or technical subjects require a bachelor's degree in education which is usually preceded by specialized training or experience in the subject.
- Department heads usually require several years of teaching experience.
- To specialize in special education or English or French as a second language, additional training is required.
- A provincial teaching certificate is required.
- Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers' association or federation may be required.
Substitute Teachers
- adult education teacher, secondary school
- cooperative education teacher
- English as a second language teacher, high school
- high school teacher
- private teacher - secondary school
- secondary school department head
- secondary school teacher
- special needs teacher - secondary school
- substitute teacher - secondary school
To work in this field, you should be patient, imaginative, objective and resourceful. Leadership skills and the ability to motivate students are important. You must be able to communicate ideas in a clear, concise and interesting way. Planning and organizational skills are also necessary. Energy and stamina are often needed, as a teacher's workday involves more than just school hours. Teachers must be knowledgeable about their subjects and keep informed of new material and methods of teaching.
- Teachers of academic subjects require a bachelor's degree in education which is often preceded by a bachelor's degree in the arts or sciences.
- Teachers of vocational or technical subjects require a bachelor's degree in education which is usually preceded by specialized training or experience in the subject.
- Department heads usually require several years of teaching experience.
- To specialize in special education or English or French as a second language, additional training is required.
- A provincial teaching certificate is required.
- Membership in a provincial or territorial teachers' association or federation may be required.
Substitute Teachers
A substitute teacher is a person who teaches a school class when the regular teacher is unavailable because of illness, personal leave or other reasons. \"Substitute teacher\" is often abbreviated to \"sub\". Short term substitute assignments may be a day, a few days or a week. A substitute teacher may be hired for a longer term to cover an extended illness or leave.
Substitute teachers are generally required to follow lesson plans, take attendance, handle teaching duties and keep students safe throughout the day. They may also be expected to monitor lunch, recess or bus duties. Short term substitutes do not usually attend meetings, do grading or make calls to families, but a longer-term substitute teacher may be required to perform all the duties of a full time teacher.
It is common for a newly graduated teacher to begin their career by doing substitute teaching. Generally, a substitute teacher is required to have a Nova Scotia Teachers Certificate and a Bachelor of Education, but there may be some exceptions.
For more details about additional requirements and the process to apply for work as a substitute teacher, look at the regional centre websites (section 2). There is particularly good information on substitute teaching on the website of the Halifax Regional Centre for Education. Visit here for details on registering as a substitute. (Read More 1)
Term and Permanent Teaching Positions
A term position with a specific start and end date is another great way to begin your Nova Scotia teaching career.
Visit here for frequently asked questions about term teaching positions. (Read More 2)
Permanent teaching positions may open up if a teacher leaves or a new position is created. Applicants must have a Nova Scotia Teachers Certificate but other requirements may vary according to the position and the regional centre.