<p>blossom,
"it were my child I'd be suggesting either entering a Master's program out of undergrad, or taking a few years to teach in a private school which offered heavy mentoring by experienced, master teachers."</p>
<p>The mentoring aspect is pretty important, I would imagine. The lead my son has is for a private school, so that would be something to him to discuss. Just getting the mechanics straight is a little boggling.</p>
<p>P3T,</p>
<p>"I think working in urban or poverty districts, as I did, should only be a reasoned choice. It is very tough work, beyond the immediate issues of chemistry, grading, and so on."</p>
<p>Very true.</p>
<p>I taught in urban, suburban, and rural districts. Urban is definitely more difficult.</p>
<p>Many have pointed out the private school route. This is a very good option; however, I would still get the certification. It's beneficial to have some practice before being thrown into the classroom (and part of ed programs is practice, through observation and student teaching). Also, the vast majority of private schools are Catholic schools. Many dioceses require state teacher certification as well. Just something to keep in mind.</p>