Certificates in Teacher Education

Why would I want a teacher education degree?

Many people who graduate with teacher education degrees find a lot of satisfaction in their jobs, because they devote their careers to helping, teaching, and improving the lives of others. In many cases, they work exclusively with children and adolescents, so they have the opportunity to influence young people’s lives. If you like being around children and young people and you find enjoyment in teaching, then getting a degree in teacher education would be a good fit for you.

What do people with teacher education degrees do?

The vast majority of people who graduate with teacher education degrees go on to become K-12 teachers. They play a vital role in educating students during their most formative years. The things that young students learn in the classroom during these formative years will affect them for the rest of their lives. Teachers not only help to foster intellectual development, but they also help their students to foster social development.

Some of the typical daily tasks for teachers include:

• Planning, preparing, and giving lessons
• Preparing, giving, and grading tests
• Assigning and grading homework
• Communicating and working with parents to further their students’ educations
• Working with other teachers to collaborate on projects, discussing curriculum, and implementing new ideas

Teachers generally only work 10 months out of the year (the two months off are during the break in the summer). They often times, however, work more than 40 hours a week during the school year. This is due to that fact that there are many things that need to be accomplished which are required to successfully run a classroom that cannot be completed during the regular school day.

While the majority of people with teacher education degrees become K-12 teachers, there are other professions that teacher education graduates go into. The most common professions that teacher education graduates go into are listed below.

• K-12 Teachers
• Principals
• Superintendants
• School Administrators
• Day Care Centers

How much do teachers make?

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for K-12 teachers in 2008 was between $47,100 and $51,180. The lowest 10 percent of teachers earned between $30,970 and $34,280, and the top 10 percent of teachers earned between $75,190 and $80,970. According to the American Federation of Teachers, beginning teachers with a bachelor’s degree earned an average of $33,227 in the 2005-2006 school year.

How popular are teaching jobs?

Teaching jobs have always been popular and in demand, and they will continue to be that way into the foreseeable future. Teaching jobs are expected to grow by 13% through the year 2018, which is a little faster than the average growth rate among all jobs.

Job opportunities for certified teachers will be very good over the next decade. Along with a steady growth rate, there will be a large number of teachers leaving the work force, which will lead to a lot of job vacancies that will need to be filled.

How do I become a teacher?

In order to become certified as a K-12 teacher, you must first obtain at least a bachelor’s degree. The most common degrees for teachers are in education or teacher education. If you plan on being a teacher for a particular subject, you may need to receive a degree in that subject.

All states require that you obtain a teacher’s license before you can be hired as a full-time teacher. Requirements for licensing vary from state to state, so check with your school or state education department to find out the specific requirements. There are also other certifications that you can earn to further your training and possibly boost your salary level.