Home Economics Teacher Qualifications

By Business & Finance Last updated Monday, April/15/2024

Skills

A good home economics teacher should enjoy working with students. Patience is a necessary skill, as you'll be working with teenagers and young adults. You may need a wide range of skills, from an understanding of textiles and apparel to knowledge of nutrition. As a teacher, you have to be able to show students how to cope with and handle the challenges of adulthood, from running a home to raising children. Since some home economics teachers instruct students in the basics of sewing and home design, you should have a good eye for design.

You'll need a bachelor's degree in family and consumer science education to become a teacher. At some schools, the degree is offered jointly by the education department and the family and consumer sciences department. Some schools offer the degree through the department of human ecology. Look for a college that is accredited by the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences to ensure that you are getting a high-quality education that is relevant to the contemporary world. Most degree programs require you to student teach before earning your degree. You have the option of pursuing a master's or doctorate degree after finishing your undergraduate program.

If you plan on teaching in a public high or middle school, you'll need to take an examination, usually the general Praxis exam, to become a licensed or certified teacher in your state. Some states may require you to take the family and consumer sciences Praxis exam as well. You'll most likely have to complete a certain number of education courses and complete your student teaching before you are able to take the licensing exam.

While you do not have to seek certification from the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) or be a member to work as a home economics teacher, achieving AAFCS certification can boost your job prospects and make you more credible as a teacher. To earn certification, you'll have to pass the National Family & Consumer Sciences Certification Examination, which is not the same as the exam for state licensure. You can also simply choose to join AAFCS as a member. As a student, you may be initiated into Phi Upsilon Omicron, the national family and consumer sciences honor society.