Teaching Careers
There are many different paths to take toward your teaching career, and many choices to make on the way. If you are just starting out in the education field you will need to decide what age group or specialty you would like to teach: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education. There is also the option of Special Education, which some programs will certify kindergarten through high school.
How do I know which grade level or specialty I want to teach?
The best advice I can give is to simply think about which age group you enjoy working with the most in your day to day life. Do you work with children in your local community or church? Do you have your own children? Which age did you enjoy the most?
If you are looking toward a specialty, simply think of the subject(s) you enjoyed the most in school. What subjects did you excel at? Did you have a knack for teaching your other classmates?
Do you have a desire to help children with special needs (learning disabilities, autism, behavior and emotional problems, etc.)?
Once you’ve narrowed it down….
Once you have narrowed the choices down to the specific age group or specialty you would like to teach, I would recommend registering to be a substitute teacher. This will help you to get a sense of what teaching a particular age group would be like. You will get a real world perspective of teaching your own class and gain valuable classroom experience.
If substitute teaching will not work with your current schedule, I would recommend finding some free time (during the week or weekends) to volunteer working with the particular age group of your choice. Examples of this would be; local YMCA programs, church activities and classes, coaching a particular sport activity in your community, etc.
Have a good understanding of yourself and what you want!
Once you have this, you can make a well informed decision to begin your education degree or expand your current teaching career.
I do want to note that this site highlights online degree programs. These programs of course may offer many advantages over traditional universities. There are many fine programs at traditional universities as well and may also offer incentives that an online program can not. It is always a good idea to check what your particular in-state tuition rates would be, as some states may have more affordable rates than others. I highly recommend looking at all your options before choosing a school to begin your education degree. Best wishes to you on your endeavor!