Teaching students to read is one of the most important careers in education. In order to work with struggling readers at any grade level, most school districts and state departments require a master's degree in reading. Many teachers work full time and take classes, too. Some programs are on-line.
Check With Your State Department First
When you pursue a new career in education, you should check with the department of elementary and secondary education in your state. Each state has its own requirements that a reading teacher must meet for certification. If you want to become a reading teacher-- sometimes called a remedial reading teacher, reading specialist, or literacy coach--you will need to take a certain number of graduate level courses in reading instruction. You can get an online master's degree in reading or a reading specialist degree. These courses teach you how to diagnose reading problems, administer reading assessments, and use strategies to correct reading problems.
Enroll in a University or College
Many colleges and universities offer graduate degrees in reading. Many of these programs are on-line master's degrees in reading. These programs are necessary for the career in education: reading teacher.
These programs often fit around a full-time teacher's schedule. For example, at the University of Missouri Columbia, reading classes are offered starting at 4:00 pm or later on weekdays, after most schools are out. Some classes can be taken as an independent study, where you work one-on-one with the instructor and meet with her to discuss your progress when it is convenient to your schedule. There are also several classes offered in the summer, when teachers are out of school.
Another example of a program is at Capella University in Minneapolis, Minnesota. This is an on-line program where you can receive a master's degree in reading and literacy if you are already a certified K-12 teacher. For more information on other graduate schools with on-line programs, you can check out the website, GradSchools.com (http://www.gradschools.com).
If you do not have a graduate degree in reading or a graduate degree in education with an emphasis in reading education, it will not be possible to have a career in education as a reading teacher.
What to Expect
Most of your on-line master's degree in reading courses will require you to practice administering reading assessments, such as a Daily Reading Assessment (DRA) or running record, to elementary, middle school, or high school students. If you work at a school already, you should have access to students you can practice on. Most instructors ask you not to assess a relative. After you have given the assessment, you will usually need to write up your results and create a plan for the student to improve his or her reading. This is practical experience for a career as a reading teacher.
In your on-line graduate courses, you will learn about many reading assessments, types of reading problems, current research on reading education, and different types of reading programs currently in schools.
If you are working as a classroom teacher, you will be able to use many of the techniques and strategies you are learning in your graduate classes in your current career in education.
Becoming a Remedial Reading Teacher
One career in education is a remedial reading teacher. This teacher's main job is to diagnosis and help struggling readers. A graduate degree in reading and literacy education is usually required or at least a certain number of hours in these subject areas. A degree can be pursued while working.