Teaching Degree Options - Video
Teaching is widely regarded to be among the most important and rewarding professions. Teachers in elementary and secondary schools throughout the nation play an invaluable role in young people's academic, social and emotional development. Learn more about whether earning a Teaching degree might be right for you.
Description of Popular Degree Areas
Teachers play a hugely important role in preparing American school children for the future. These professionals instruct students in academic skills and help to ensure healthy social and emotional development among the students they teach. If you want to pursue a career in this rewarding profession, earning a Teaching degree is a good first step. To become a licensed educator, many teachers earn a bachelor's degree.
A bachelor's degree program provides instruction for a particular grade range or subject area. Students may, for example, specialize in education for primary grades, middle school or junior high and high school. Those teaching in secondary classrooms often specialize in providing instruction within a given subject area rather than a specific grade level.
While many professionals become teachers after earning a four-year degree, others take alternative routes to licensure. These programs allow individuals to earn Teaching certificates in lieu of a bachelor's degree, often while working in classrooms with provisional licenses under the supervision of more experienced educators. These Teaching certificate programs, which often require the completion of other postsecondary credits prior to admittance, are usually one or two years in length.
Skills Obtained/Typical Courses
Curriculum within Teaching degree programs can vary by grade level and subject area specialization, but generally you can expect to take courses in education philosophy, developmental psychology and classroom instructional methods. Additional required classes often include instruction in math, music, art, literature and the sciences. Courses in pedagogy, curriculum implementation and respective subject areas can instill you with the insight you'll need to guide students' development in the classroom. Other skills you'll develop in these programs include assigning work, administering tests and other administrative duties important toward evaluating student learning. Student teaching, may also be required prior to licensure. Some of the specific courses you can expect to take while enrolled in a Teaching degree program include:
- Classroom Management
- Educational Psychology
- Foundations in Education
- Assessment Methods
- Meeting Social and Emotional Needs
- and Multicultural Factors in Education
Career Options/Occupational Outlook
Earning a Teaching degree can prepare you for work in a variety of different environments. Those who teach at the elementary level, for example, generally instruct one classroom of students in reading, writing, math, science and art. In secondary settings, teachers more often specialize in providing instruction on a single subject to several classes within a school. In all grades, teachers help students to build academic skills necessary to succeed at subsequent grade levels. With specialized training, you might also become a special education professional, librarian, reading specialist, guidance counselor or administrator. Job prospects for educators are favorable, particularly for those in bilingual education, math and the sciences. Other high-demand employment areas include preschool education and urban districts affected by teacher shortages.
Wrap Up
Plenty of opportunities in education make the profession an attractive and secure one for recent graduates who wish to positively influence the lives of children. Next to parents or other family members, teachers are perhaps the most important adults in the lives of youth. If you're interested in promoting children's healthy academic, social and emotional development, earning a Teaching degree may be a good move for you.
