More students are enrolling in schools, creating a need for more teachers. Along with special education, teachers of English as a second language, mathematics, and some sciences will be particularly needed. Private school teachers had lower average salaries. Some reform proposals do call for lengthening the school day and year-round schooling. Teachers generally are off from mid-June until late August, but often spend some of that time attending professional development or continuing licensure classes.
Many teachers join professional organizations for their speciality areas.
Pi Lambda Theta is an international honor society and professional association. While in middle or high school, students can talk to teachers, read about teaching, tutor younger students, work with children at a summer camp, join or start a chapter of Future Educators of America, or attend a magnet school for the teaching profession. Once you have decided on a teaching career, selecting the right school, college, or department of education to attend is important.