How is the teacher certification process different in the USA than in Canada?

Question

Here in Canada you need to go through the following steps to become a teacher:
1. Four-year undergraduate degree in your specialization (or general studies for elementary teachers)
2. Next, a two-year undergraduate degree in Education (focusing on either elementary or a secondary specialization)

If you want to do a Master's degree, it's another two years of full-time studies (meaning someone with a Master's degree in Education has spent eight years in post-secondary studies).

How is this process different in the USA?

Answer 1

One big difference is that there is no national standard. Each state sets the standards for that state. In Texas, you don't have to have a Master's. You can obtain the credentials to teach with a Bachelor's and the appropriate education methods courses to equip you to pass standarized certification tests, which demonstrate your knowledge of educational theory and practice, and the particulars of your teaching fields (usually two).

Answer 2

Now that is not necessarily true in Canada, you can be a certified teacher with as little as a 3 year undergrad and a one year bed. The certification is similar, in the states you need to take a praxis test to get certified, then apply for a license. In most provinces it isjust a matter of applying for your license. As for the masters, in some states after a certain number of years it is required for a teacher to get one. This is not the same in Canada, although the more years of education you have the more you get paid in Canada, I don't know about the states on that one but I am pretty sure it's the same. For instance someone with a 3-year BA and a 1-year BEd would get paid a good 6-8 grand a year less than someone who has 4 and 2, depending on the province. Some provinces and states have individual requirements like a local history credit, in Nova Scotia you have to meet the requirements of wherever you got your BEd before you can get a NS license.

Answer 3

They are very similar depending on what state you are in. In my state your have a 4 year undergraduate degree (identical to canada) then you have 1 year of Grad school for a temporary license. Then you have 5 years to complete 1 more year of grad school courses for a 5 year license. Then, you have to take a certain number of hours of college or development classes to keep your license (every 5 years until you retire).

Answer 4

To smartazz, how long did it take you to formulate that answer? It was very detailed and informative. Do you have an American Masters in Education?

Answer 5

The process is different in that US teachers tend to be more intelligent than their Canadian counterparts, eh?