Deciding if a Degree in Education is Right for You

Profile of a Teacher: Commitment, Passion, Openness

The decision to earn a degree in education should be profoundly well-considered. Teaching is one of a few professions that require not only passion and dedication but also the precise personality and innate ability to practice them. The responsibility that lies with a teaching staff for young people and their development is massive and the decision whether we are prepared to take this responsibility cannot be precipitate. We have to seriously consider whether we are equipped with enough character strength and realize that the path we enter, although satisfying, may also be bumpy.

Having encountered quite a few nasty types of teachers I know the harm a bad teacher can do to their students. One of the most common defects I have noticed in our educators, not really connected to their academic preparation, is their lack of commitment in a lecture and the inability to interest young people and open their minds. No matter how skilled and how very knowledgeable you are about a certain subject, you will not make a good teacher if you can’t pass this expertise to others. It may also happen that even if you are enthusiastic about your specialization you don’t possess the charisma and openness to share your passion. In that case, there is still a good chance that an appropriate sociological therapy will help you overcome the shyness and allow you to lecture directly from your heart. Remember that if students see your zeal they can easily become infected by it. Otherwise you and they will leave a lecture hall with a sense of wasted time.

Are You Ready for the Challenge?

When deciding whether to start an education degree, ask yourself if you are ready to struggle with troublesome young people and other types of difficulties and failures. Unfortunately, not all students will be passionate and easy going. It’s important not to become prejudiced and to treat all of them equally. In addition to teaching, you should be prepared to deal with many problems that will require a psychological and emotional knowledge from you. If you feel uncomfortable about discussing often tough, serious and intimate issues, you should seriously reconsider your decision.

One more thing you have to realize, when beginning an education career, is that teaching is not about boasting about how much you know but about sharing your knowledge, at the same time being aware of the fact that you don’t know everything. Discussing important matters with students and listening to their points of view should be a part of your lecture and you should not be offended if they come up with different opinions. Thus, you are required to have an open and elastic mind and a willingness to listen to and still learn from others.

The Ultimate Test

A final decision whether to undertake earning a degree in education should be, therefore, based upon a sort of a psychological test to find out if you are the right person for the job. Aside from your own considerations, ask others for an opinion. If they confirm your capacities for leadership, openness and interpersonal abilities, you are more likely to succeed as a teacher. It won’t be easy work but you’ll have a feeling of doing something really important.

By Joanna Kielczewska, a writer at Helium.com