Are you fed up with your job? Then you should become a teacher

According to Angela Pagano, senior assistant principal for teacher education and partnerships for the SUNY systems, 180,000 new teachers will be needed in the next decade to meet New York State's needs.

“There are several reasons for the teacher shortage, including retirements – one in three teachers here could retire in the next five years – and teachers who left after the pandemic due to stress and low morale,” she said.

The most pressing areas of need nationwide include science, technology, engineering and mathematics, early childhood, health and physical fitness.

New York City also has a high demand for Spanish and foreign language teachers, bilingual education/ESL teachers, and special education teachers.

For anyone considering a career change into this profession, there are a variety of teacher training programs and support channels to facilitate the transition.

Because the majority of New York City's 8.4 million residents are people of color, NYC Men Teach was created in partnership with the Young Men's Initiative, the Department of Education, the City University of New York, and the Center for Economic Opportunity.

Their goal is to recruit and bring together Black, Latino and Asian men who are committed to educating today's diverse student body.

One of those new recruits was 29-year-old Armando Cosme of Jersey City, who was eager to enter the teaching profession to help better represent diversity in classrooms across the tri-state area.

In 2013, Cosme realized that his acting dreams were far-fetched and that the demand for teachers, especially math specialists, was high. Since he already had some experience as a tutor, he was motivated to switch to teaching.

“Back in high school, I helped my cousin, a struggling student, pass her math test,” he said.

“I worked hard with her and got her through it. I felt like I could do this full time.”

Cosme first earned his associate degree in mathematics from Borough of Manhattan Community College and took the school's tutoring course before earning his Bachelor of Science in mathematics education and discovering NYC Men Teach.

They offered workshops that helped with coursework and preparation for certification exams and addressed culturally relevant education, classroom management, and supporting students with special educational needs.

“I ended up teaching at my cram school, Science Skills Center High School in Brooklyn,” Cosme said.

He has now been working as a high school math teacher for geometry and AP analysis for seven years.

“The events and keynote speakers organized by NYC Men Teach are so cool. The program grows every year,” said Cosme, who is excited about his career change.

“It's important to have teachers in the classroom who match the students' appearance. It's easier and more relatable for them to connect. They're more open to conversations about diversity issues in America,” Cosme said.

To obtain teacher certification, according to SUNY, you typically must have completed a four-year undergraduate degree, a two-year graduate school preparatory program, or an accredited college certificate program that leads to teacher certification.

Another option is to have an individual certificate evaluation carried out.

Through this New York State Department of Education process, you can apply for certificates at various levels, including areas of interest such as coach, classroom teacher, school administrator, teaching assistant, and student personnel service.

Alternatively, if you have a bachelor's degree, you can enroll in an accredited and registered alternative teacher training program offered by a college.

Other special programs include Teach for America, which recruits and trains leaders for 250 urban and rural communities across the country.

To teach in needy schools and to be a lifelong teacher, a two-year commitment is required.

Additional entry-level programs for career changers include TeachNYC, a centralized application and selection portal that “gives you access to the system and allows you to view and apply for job openings,” says Ashleigh Thompson, dean of education at the City University of New York.

“There are so many schools and different requirements. There are countless ways to find the right one for you.”

Another path is through the NYC Teaching Fellows, which allows individuals to teach while earning their master's degree in education. Working with New York City public schools, “career changers take courses in the summer, begin teaching in a real classroom in New York City the following September, and continue their university courses at a partner university alongside their full-time job, resulting in them earning their master's degree at the same time. For adults with some professional experience, this is a different entry point.”

Last March, a new statewide initiative was launched in collaboration with the New York State Department of Education.

Teach New York offers free career advice from a coach, step-by-step certification guides, teacher exam preparation, financial aid for education, help applying to teacher programs, jobs, and more.

Gary Crump, 61, grew up in the South Bronx. He left the law school and now works as a social studies teacher for grades 5 through 12 in the Buffalo public school system.

As a paralegal at a large Manhattan law firm, Crump was particularly inspired by the clients his firm defended.

“Ten years ago, our lawyers represented three leading gang members,” he said.

“They were found guilty and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 50 to 70 years. They came from a public housing project in the community where I grew up. I decided I needed to do more to make a difference. I started looking for an apprenticeship.”

Crump was introduced to the University of Buffalo’s Teacher Residency Program.

The one-year, paid residency includes professional certification in child and youth education and in English for speakers of other languages.

“It’s a lot of work – writing papers, planning lessons, learning from mentors,” he said.

“The big draw of the program was the partnership with the Buffalo Public School System. We all knew that after graduation we could transition into a classroom teaching role.”

For others, an inner calling is motivation enough to switch to teaching.

While working as a medical assistant in Buffalo, Denise Grandits, then in her 30s, decided to pursue a career as a teacher.

“My boss at the time encouraged me to pursue a higher degree. It was a wow moment that someone saw something greater in me,” Grandits said.

Grandits completed SUNY Empire State College's online Bachelor of Arts program and earned a degree and later her Master of Arts in education.

Despite the hard work, “I am driven to make a difference in these children’s lives and to support them through difficult times,” she said.

“I am destined to give back to this community. This is the best way we can do that – to help our young people realize their potential. That's the only reason I came here.”