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Secondary School Teacher Career Interview
Candace Vickers teaches English and speech at Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. She has been a high school teacher for 19 years.
Secondary School Teacher Career Path
Candace has always had a passion for helping students, and teaching was a natural choice for doing this.
“I was looking for a career that would allow me to use my creativity and work with young people,” she says.
Secondary School Teacher Experiences
Candace received her Bachelor of Art degree in English from Loyola University and her Master of Science degree in education and social policy from Northwestern University.
She spent her first year working at Wheaton North High School in Wheaton, Illinois, the next five years at Oswego High School in Oswego Illinois, and the last 13 years at Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
Before working as a teacher, Candace worked several other types of jobs that helped her later in her career. She worked as a corporate researcher at Northwestern University and as an administrative assistant at Silins Advertising & Design in Northbrook, Illinois.
“When I worked at the advertising company, I saw how important accuracy is in the written word,” Candace explains, “as well as how powerful the written word is in persuading people.”
Secondary School Teacher Degree Programs
To become a secondary school teacher, you at least need a Bachelor degree for the subject area in which you are teaching and to be certified in your state. Some states also require a Bachelor of Art/Science in education.
Secondary School Teacher Job Description
Candace is an English and speech teacher at Glenbard South High School in Glen Ellyn, Illinois.
Secondary School Teacher Daily Routine
A high school teacher’s normal day includes the activities one would think for someone in education: “Reviewing lesson plans, prepping lessons, gathering materials, reading and responding to E-mails and phone calls from students, parents, teachers and administrators, grading assignments, recording grades, and attending meetings.”
Secondary School Teacher: Steps to Success
“In order to be a successful high school teacher,” Candace explains, “you need a passion for teaching and for inspiring young people, flexibility, knowledge, resilience, patience, and, most of all, a sense of humor.”
Secondary School Teacher Job Opportunities
The opportunities for teachers can differ by state, and it can be difficult to find teaching positions in tough economic climate.
“With the recent state budget cuts, schools will not have as many openings,” says Candace. “However, there are going to be many retiree openings in Illinois in the next four years due to a state incentive for early retirement.”
Secondary School Teacher Favorite Aspect
Candace loves working with exciting young students everyday.
“They really motivate me to help them be successful,” adds Candace.
Secondary School Teacher’s Future Ambitions
“My dream job is teaching students who all really want to learn and love learning,” says Candace.
Advice for Prospective Secondary School Teachers
Candace could not recommend the pursuit of an education career more.
“I can’t imagine a more satisfying career,” she explains, “and having the summers off and holidays off is an awesome bonus for those like me who want to be with their families.”
But how does one get to that point? According to Candace, just keep trying.
“Don’t get discouraged by your own failures,” she advises. “It takes a lot of practice to be an effective educator and each student is different and often requires a different approach to learning. Keep an open mind to new learning strategies.”
