If you want to become a GED instructor in the United States, the educational requirements may vary depending on where you live. In some states, these teachers must possess the same credentials as any high school teacher. For the most part, this means that potential candidates will need to have a bachelor's degree in education, and hold a current teaching license. Other states might only require that individuals pass a GED certification test in order to be qualified to teach.
Regardless of the education requirements that need to be met, there are other considerations that play a role in determining whether you will be able to find a job. To become a GED instructor, many job listings require applicants to have prior teaching experience. It may not matter whether your teaching experience is on the high school level, though that would probably be a bonus. In many of these teaching jobs, employers are happy if candidates have any teaching experience at all, regardless of the grade level.
To become a GED instructor, it may be helpful if you have some experience working with adult students. The majority of GED class members are likely to be adults who are over the age of 25, so people who have work experience that involves instructing adults in any capacity might have an advantage. To become a GED instructor and make yourself more marketable as an instructor, you could take some continuing education classes that are designed to help you learn about teaching adults.
Some teachers find adult education classes to be uniquely different from teaching teenagers, even in situations where age differences are not great. In order to be prepared for instructing adults in the classroom, it is often recommended that aspiring teachers volunteer their time at a local community college in order to gain experience. It is usually not too difficult to find such an opportunity at these institutions, as many of the instructors are overworked and would welcome the help of a capable volunteer.
The best way to find out if unpaid opportunities exist is to contact the personnel office of your local community college. These people can also provide you with the contact information of GED teachers. In some cases, even if there is not an official job posting with the college, teachers may be willing and able to hire volunteers who have the skills to help them with their workload.