Ocean County College

ScienceScience Teacher

photo of science teacher in high school laboratory If you love science and want to inspire others to be independent thinkers, you might enjoy a career as a science teacher. This concentration begins to prepare students to teach general science or a combination of biological and physical science at various grade levels and transfer to an institution of higher education to complete their education.

Once you have earned a bachelor's degree or higher, there is one more step to take before you can teach in a public school at the pre-college level: you must obtain teacher certification from the department of education in the state in which you plan to teach. You will need to be licensed to teach certain grades and/or subjects.

Kean at Ocean Logo

The OCC science program has been strengthened by the addition of Kean University right on our own campus.

Did You Know?

Science teachers are in demand across the country.

Suggested Curriculum of Study
Take the first two years at OCC and transfer to a top college or university! Kean University is now right on campus!

Students who plan to transfer to a four-year college and major in biology, should take these courses beyond the liberal arts - A.A. degree core. The list below includes science and math core courses:

General Chemistry I/II (CHEM 181/182)
Biology I/II (BIOL 161/162)
Organic Chemistry I/II (CHEM 283/284)
Calculus I/II (MATH 265/266)

Physics I/II (PHYS 281/282)
General Microbiology (BIOL 264)
Biology elective

Things you can do now
There are many things you can do to prepare for a career as a science teacher before you enter the classroom. Now is the time for you to begin building skills related to teaching, management, and organization. Here is a sample of some activities you might undertake:

Expand your knowledge in all areas of science. Read books and articles from newspapers, magazines, and journals about science and education. Visit museums, zoos, planetariums, observatories, and parks. Watch films and television shows that explore all areas of science.
Visit different schools, grades, and classrooms. Observe how different science teachers teach, and interview science teachers about their careers—what they do and how they feel about their profession. Ask them for advice.
Write to organizations and ask for information. Look in the resource sections in the back of science books. Send letters to these sources requesting catalogs or educational information and materials.
Become a keen observer of nature, and keep a journal of your scientific observations. Start a collection of rocks, insects, or plants.
Put together files of science experiments, activities, and articles that you enjoy. These will come in handy later.
Strengthen your English, math, and computer skills. English skills will help you write well and explain things more clearly. This will pay off during future communication with students, parents, principals, and other educators. Math will help you understand science better. Knowing how to use computers will help you bring technology into your future classroom.
Volunteer to tutor science students or to work with a local church youth group.
Volunteer to be a teacher's aide by contacting the main office of your local school district.
Join professional science teacher organizations at local, state, and national levels.
Get a summer, part-time, or full-time job or volunteer in a field related to teaching or to science. Work in a research or industrial lab if you are interested in chemistry or microbiology; try a zoo or park if you are interested in biology or botany; consider a hospital lab, veterinary clinic, or animal shelter if you are interested in medicine, physiology, or animal science. Perhaps you can be a camp counselor to get experience working with children.
Attend science workshops, courses, or institutes.
Offer to write articles for your school or local newspaper on hot topics in science or education.

Adapted from the National Science Teachers Association