Education
Careers in Education for Classics Majors
Latin and Classics teaching opportunities nationwide.
Posted March 7, 2010
In honor of Latin Teacher Recruitment Week, two previous posts have dealt with the value of a Classics major outside the academic realm as well as ways to market and brand a Classics degree to any employer. But what if you're a traditional Classics major-- that is, you would like to teach Latin, Greek, and/or Ancient History, work in an academic setting, or at an archaeological dig? Where do you go? This post is just a start-- there are tons of resources on the web for anyone considering a career in education.
GENERAL CAREER RESOURCES FOR CLASSICS MAJORS
Here are two excellent comprehensive resources of "All Things Classic" from the Classics Department at The University of Texas at Austin:
The following organizations can help you further your knowledge of the Classics field as well as provide career advice and job opportunities directly related to Classics including teaching and archaeology:
American Philological Association
Archaeological Institute of America
Association of Ancient Historians
Here's a nice summary about careers in archaeology from Dr. David Carlson, a professor at Texas A&M University, which includes links to organizations, university programs in archaeology, and suggested reading.
An excellent resource for information about careers in colleges and universities as well as job listings for professors and other academic-related positions is The Chronicle of Higher Education. Check out their Job search board.
Academic Employment Network This website provides a database of jobs in education. They charge a fee for some of their services.
Education Week provides information K-12 education and includes ads for teaching positions.
The International Educator provides job listings at overseas schools.
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHING RESOURCES
In order to teach in a public school you need to have a teaching certificate. Most universities offer certificate programs, and you do not need to major in education to obtain a secondary teaching certificate. Many students complete their college education first and then take an extra year to complete the requirements for a certificate. Check with your state education association or your local college/university for more information about obtaining a certificate. Below are some sites to start your research:
Guide to Colleges of Education
National board for professional teaching standards
National Assoc of State Boards of Education
RESOURCES FOR ALTERNATE CERTIFICATE OPTIONS
If you have graduated from college or you aren't able to fit the teaching certificate course requirements into your schedule, check out the variety of alternative teacher certfication programs here: Alternative Teacher Certification programs
The Teach for America program offers excellent teaching opportunities for college graduates who don't have teaching certificates.
RESOURCES FOR PRIVATE SCHOOL TEACHING
In general, you do not need a teaching certificate to teach in a private school,and private schools are likely to have more extensive Classics programs in their curriculum. If you're thinking about teaching in a private school, consider whether you want to work at a boarding school (where students reside on-campus) or a day school (where students go home every day). Boarding schools offer you the opportunity to live in a residence hall and take a greater part in the students' lives.
The National Association of Independent Schools has a job board which lists opportunities nationwide.
Council for American Private Education
The websites for the International Boys' Schools Coalition and the National Coalition of Girls' Schools feature directories of and links to member schools websites and information about jobs.
Several organizations offer recruiting and placement services for private school teaching:
International Schools Services
SITES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
The National Junior Classical League is an organization of middle school and high school students sponsored by the American Classical League whose purpose is "to encourage an interest in and an appreciation of the language, literature, and culture of ancient Greece and Rome and to impart an understanding of the debt of our own culture to that of Classical antiquity."
Hooked on mythology? Students from 6-12th grade can take part in an international competition by taking the Medusa mythology exam.
Check out this site if you're considering a career in archaeology.
Finally, just for fun, here are some famous people who majored in the Classics.