Becoming a teacher requires almost no effort.

Hahaha. Haha. Woah. Slow down, buddy.

Compared to just going to school for some generic business degree, becoming a teacher is a HUGE effort. I know, because I used to be in a teacher cert preparation program at a SUNY college.

First, you have to get in to a school with a teaching program. At least in NY, most of those schools are really competitive. If you're coming from high school, you have to be at the top of your class to just enter the college, and that doesn't guarantee you a spot in the education program. You're actually at an advantage if you transfer in later on, as the minimum is a 2.5 GPA then. Still, you can't just stumble on in with the minimum of everything to be accepted.

Next, you have to somehow get 40 hours of experience working with kids and have someone write you a reference letter for that. It's not well communicated until the last minute, either. These hours don't count towards your field experiences once you're in the program, by the way.

You then have to apply to get into the program before you can take the appropriate coursework towards certification. This involves what I wrote above, plus an essay and a minimum C+ grade in every class, not just average. Getting in, again, is competitive. Some students have to try twice or just change their mind.

Most programs in NY make you take courses towards a dual certification in what you chose and then also special education. This is the only way they can bolster employment ratings for graduates. It also means extra courses and field experience.

Field experiences are before you student teach, and they're 40 hours per semester for three semesters. In most cases, this is not paid (though I managed to get some in as paid 'cause I'm crafty like that, heh). Some teachers want you involved, others will make you just sit there like a bump on a log. It's expected that you spread out the hours, and for many students, this means frequent, long drives. It can really cut into things like your gas budget or your ability to work a part-time job. Every semester, you have a project, so while you might be bored most of the time, there's generally some out of class work that goes with it.

Finally, there's student teaching, also unpaid. You're not really allowed to work a second job, either, or at least we were sternly told not to.

And during that time, you should also be studying for your certification tests, of which there's a bunch, all costing you a pretty penny.

Once you're done, after spending maybe 5 years as a sub putting miles on your car and not having a steady full-time job, or doing the same time at a very bad school district where students might hit or threaten you frequently, then maybe you'll get a real teaching job.

But wait, you're not done yet! In many states, including my own, you still need your masters degree. Most do it in the evenings while working their first job. You only have 5 years to get it done.

So no, no effort at all. Easiest thing ever.