Anyone considering a career as an algebra teacher should be aware that he or she will most likely teach subjects other than algebra. More math subjects than just algebra are taught at all levels of education, including college and high school/junior high. People who want to teach algebra are first and foremost math teachers, and they may not always have a say in which classes they teach. There are ways to specialize, such as becoming an algebra tutor or teaching private algebra classes, but most people in this field are proficient in a variety of math subjects and can easily teach them.
For people who want to teach algebra, there are two or three potential forks in the road. They can teach at all levels, including college, community college, high school, and middle school. Each of these represents a different level of education, but they all begin in high school with excellent math grades. Students should try to reach calculus in high school if at all possible, and they should take and pass advanced placement trigonometry and calculus if at all possible. These classes can still be taken at the college level if this doesn’t happen, but earning college credits for them earlier helps jumpstart studies in a math major.
A person interested in teaching secondary school will major in mathematics and study more advanced expressions of subjects such as geometry and various forms of algebra. They may also study statistics and a variety of other advanced topics that will help them improve their mathematical abilities. Completing a bachelor’s degree in mathematics may result in automatic credentialing to teach secondary school, depending on the school and region. Alternatively, someone who wants to teach algebra may need to complete an additional credential program before they can teach.
Someone who wants to teach algebra at the community college level takes a slightly different route. This student applies to and is accepted into a master’s program in mathematics after earning a bachelor’s degree. They can teach at most two-year colleges after finishing it, and some even get a credential and teach in high schools. At the community college level, they will teach a wide range of subjects, including those that go beyond Calculus, whereas a high school teacher will rarely cover more than pre-algebra, algebra I and II, geometry, trigonometry, and Calculus.
Teachers with a doctorate are sought four-year colleges and colleges with graduate programs, and some competitive community colleges also require it. A PhD is required for those who want to teach algebra at a four-year university or a university with a graduate school. At this level, fewer basic algebra classes are likely to be taught, though remedial algebra classes may be available on some campuses. Rather, these teachers may be more likely to teach much more difficult math topics.