Monday, 20 February 2012

Life-Changing Careers With a Masters in Education

A number of college students feel so inspired by one teacher throughout their lives that they want to inspire other students in the same way. Pursuing an online degree in education is one of the best ways for students to take the first steps to being a leader and an educator in their community. Teaching can be tough, but it's also one of the most rewarding jobs out there.
Education as a whole is the second largest industry in the entire United States, employing roughly 13.3 million jobs. Within the broad definition of education fall the four most recognizable jobs: teaching in kindergarten, elementary school, middle school and high school. These teachers held approximately 3.5 million jobs as of 2008, and employment in these fields is expected to grow about 13 percent between now and 2018.
Traditionally, the road to becoming a public school teacher at any of the levels of education requires completion of a bachelor's degree from a school with a teacher education program followed by obtaining a license. Education programs are designed specifically for those who want to teach and include classes that teach education philosophies, psychology of learning classes and teaching methods. Most programs, even online programs, will require students to perform a student-teaching internship in order to get the first-hand experience of teaching before moving on to doing so professionally and independently.
Licensing is required in all 50 states and the District of Colombia before a graduate can teach on their own and is granted by the State Board of Education or a licensure advisory committee. In order to earn a license, all states require general education teachers to have their bachelor's degree and have completed their internship. Other details vary by state and sometimes include earning a master's degree within a specific period of time after graduation, technology training and earning a minimum GPA through college. After meeting all requirements, students will be able to pursue a job in education.
Completing a degree and earning a license are the easy parts of a teaching career. Education requires a person with a certain type of personality. Teachers must be excellent communicators who can inspire confidence to motive students of any age. In addition to those skills, they must be able to recognize differences in students' needs and employ individual teaching methods that will result in higher student achievement.
For teachers who have the right stuff to earn their degree and license, job opportunities will vary but generally seem positive. Between 2008 and 2018, a large number of teachers are expected to retire, leaving open positions for new graduates. The need for qualified teachers in areas like mathematics and the sciences is great, as well as is the need for bilingual teachers. As public interest in education grows, states are more and more implementing policies that are teacher friendly and encourage graduates to pursue a career in education.
As of this decade, the majority of practicing teachers belong to unions that bargain with school systems to fairly create salaries and other conditions of employment. The salary for teachers can vary, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median annual wage of public school educators ranged from $47,100 to $51,180. Teachers can also supplement their income by pursuing a master's degree, teaching summer school, or working with students in extracurricular activities.

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