Becoming a school teacher, or a private tutor is a dream for many. Then comes the question, how to be a teacher? Most often, these questions are unanswered and students follow whichever alternative path they can take, as the information on the pathway to becoming a teacher is not abundantly available. So today, we will discuss the skills, qualifications, and requirements to become a teacher in Sri Lanka.
Table of Contents:
- Teacher training
- Skills for teaching
- Teaching with passion
- Things to remember
- Benefits of becoming a teacher
- Teacher salaries in Sri Lanka
- How to find teaching vacancies
First things first, teacher training!
Teacher training, meaning academic training to become a teacher in Sri Lanka is essential for your pathway. To become a school teacher, you need to possess a value teaching certificate from the National College of Education (Vidhya Peeta). You can obtain a National Diploma from these institutions. Any equivalent qualification from a private or local institution can be valid too. To obtain teaching jobs, you need to pass the written examinations and a selection process which can be in the form of an interview. Along with a teaching certificate, a university degree in the field of your teaching has become a must for teachers now. Also, in addition to the training you obtain, there are certain skills and characteristics you should possess to become a successful school teacher or a tutor.
Skills for teaching
A strong grasp of languages is a must for teaching jobs. If you’re a government teacher, proficiency in both Sinhala and English languages is a must, and if you’re a private teacher or a tutor, you will need a strong command of English. The ability to comprehend the syllabus/curriculum is essential. Good communication skills are key to becoming great at teaching, as you need to communicate effectively with your students on a daily basis.
Teach with passion!
While teaching requirements technically mean having a teaching certificate and passing the entrance examinations, it is much more than that. In fact, teaching is a job you should do with passion. As these are academic jobs, you tend to lose interest, but teaching jobs are expected to be followed with the same passion every day. Keep in mind that your students will grasp what you’re teaching with a positive mindset if you follow a positive, friendly nature.
Respect and accept!
Teaching in a school means you have to respect fellow teachers and academic staff. They will guide you, instruct you, and advise you on how to do your teaching jobs better. Accepting their suggestions, advice, and instructions can help you polish your capabilities as a teacher. Listening to your students and their feedback is also important, as they know best how your teaching reaches them. Therefore always accept feedback with a positive attitude. Ensure you evaluate yourself and take measures to improve your teaching methods.
What do you gain?
Becoming a teacher can be beneficial to you in many ways. One, it provides you with a good income and financial stability. The job security in this field is quite strong, therefore you do not need to worry about losing your job while working. Teaching jobs are highly reputed in society, therefore your social status remains dignified when you are teaching (which does not necessarily mean other jobs are not good). Most government teachers receive other benefits such as loan schemes, insurances, and pension schemes, which help you carry out a quality life. Meanwhile, teachers usually work fewer hours than most other employees, their working hours being limited to 7 hours at most. You will also receive school holidays 2-3 times a year, which cannot be said for any other employees!
Teacher Salary in Sri Lanka
Teacher Salary in Sri Lanka typically ranges between LKR 25,000 to LKR 80,000 or even higher. A government teacher’s salary increases with their years of service until the day they become retired. For private tutors in teachers in private schools, they can earn even higher than LKR 80,000 depending on their role and school. Preschool teachers can earn up to LKR 50,000 in private institutions.
Where can you find a teacher vacancy?
Now that you know how to become a teacher, your skills, requirements, and qualifications as well as what you will gain out of teaching, the question is, where to find teaching jobs. You can find teacher vacancies from the Government Gazette or easily on ikmanJOBS. ikmanJOBS offer more than 100 job ads on teaching jobs, where you can find the best placement for you. Stay tuned with the ikman blog for more interesting insights.
