Highest level of mathematics needed to be taken to become a high school teacher? (1 Viewer)

[BLIT2014]

For becoming a Mathematics teacher.

Many thanks,
Blit

 

[Silly Sausage]

For a Bachelor of education (secondary)/Mathematics you generally have to finish a three year science degree with a mathematics major where alot of the subjects in the later years (analysis - highly recommended) will give you a very deep understanding of the concepts for senior level mathematics. You can probably become a maths teacher if you come from other quantitative backgrounds e.g. Engineering but you'll probably have to do a master of education.

 

[seanieg89]

Unfortunately, I think you can get away with doing very little actual mathematics beyond high school level, hence the masses of teachers of subpar quality. (I once sat in a course with some people training to become mathematics teachers at ACU, and the quality of the students seemed fairly shocking.)

If you want to be a GOOD teacher, particularly of the extension courses, I would recommend a solid undergrad course like a BSc with many mathematics courses at a good university in addition to the DipEd.

(I stress that I am not sure of the exact qualifications required to be certified to teach in NSW, I'm just speaking of the level of understanding I think that any mathematics teacher of courses higher than general should aspire to have in order to best benefit his/her ability to teach.)

 

[seanieg89]

(If rigorous courses in analysis are actually a requirement that cannot be avoided, this surprises me a little. Very few teachers I have met seem to have retained this knowledge if they ever learned it!)