Teaching can be one of the most rewarding professions as you are helping to shape the minds of the next generation. It is a stimulating career that has its challenges, but overcoming them with your knowledge and caring results in children who are better educated than any of the generations before. It is not for everyone, but if you have the right aptitude and priorities it could be the career for you. All US states now require a bachelor’s degree before they will certify you as a teacher and if you want to take this path in your life, getting a teaching degree should be your first step towards that aim.
No two days will be the same as you and your students interact over different subjects and seeing their perspective on some things can be a revelation.
It Is About More Than The Money
Generally, people do not choose to become teachers because of the salary. You can expect to make between $50,000 and $70,000 a year when you graduate unless you are working at a prestigious college or university when you might make as much as $200,000. Then at the other end of the scale, there are some who work as supply teachers and as this work is not so secure some struggle to earn $30,000. Sometimes, that suits their lifestyle though and so the choice is yours.
Teaching is a profession where it has to be about more than the money or you will not be successful. It is about caring what you are teaching, the age group in your charge and doing your best to impart as much knowledge to them as possible. You need to be able to make them think about what they are being taught and not just accept everything you say. If they are questioning something, you need to be able to deal with in a clear and concise manner that will show them it is good to query things.
In some areas, funding for schools and their teachers can be a problem and this is where Teacher Funder can help. This will let parents, students and local businesses assist by making donations directly to the classrooms where it is needed the most.
Other Financial Benefits In The Teaching Profession
Most full-time teaching jobs have other financial benefits. There are usually healthcare and retirement plans included in the employment package unless you are working on a part-time basis when they do not always apply. For the teachers that do have these benefits though, it can save them a lot of money, and often the deals that they are provided with are some of the best on the market.
When you add these benefits to the salary it makes this a well-paid career to follow.
Vacation Time
Teacher’s days are longer than the hours their students are in school. They have to mark work, prepare lessons and deal with parents all outside of the normal working days hours. Then there are teachers meetings to attend and after hours activities to deal with.
The same applies to vacations. It appears that they have the same time off as the children, which is very generous vacation time. However, some of that time will be spent at meetings and preparing work for when they return to school or college. Preparation is crucial for lessons to be constructive and informative.
Even with attending to these things though, a teachers vacation time is more than in most other professions and properly arranged, they can deal with these things at a time to suit themselves, leaving the rest of the vacation time free.
Future Prospects For Teachers
When you have a teaching degree the opportunities for advancement are there all the time. The only other thing you will need is some experience and that only comes by doing the job. This is particularly the case if you have specialized in an area that there is a teacher shortage, such as math, or special education certifications.
The opportunities will be fewer in specialties like art and humanities as these tend to be some of the most popular ones for people to choose and some states have more teachers in these areas than there are jobs for.
Teachers Will Always Be Needed
There will always be a need for teachers, no matter how technology takes over our lives. Just as with the medical profession, teachers are always in demand with the number of them in the US exceeding 4 million. This can provide job security and peace of mind knowing that work should always be available.
The Degree Will Teach You To Be A Teacher
Getting a teaching degree is vital though if you want to pursue this career. It can be all you need to get started in some states. The degree will prepare you for what lies ahead and help you to be a good teacher, enabling you to make the most of your career. Some of the course will be spent working in schools, colleges or universities so you will get first-hand knowledge about the path you have chosen, and you will be able to see for yourself that teachers will always be needed.
If you have a passion for a particular subject teaching it can be a great way to earn your living and the teaching degree will help you with this goal. People who learn to play a musical instrument, as an example, often end up teaching it to others rather than trying to enter the music industry.
It Will Open Up Other Areas
Getting a teaching degree does not always mean you have to be a teacher as it can open up other career paths as well. You could become a community education officer, an education administrator, a curriculum designer, work on education projects or any one of several other options, all to do with education.
It is a safe degree that will give you choices and might be worthwhile completing. Although most people that complete the teaching degree will go on to become teachers, these other options can also provide rewarding and well-paid careers.
Hey there! My name is Rachael and I have been a private tutor for over 10 years. I earned my undergraduate degree in 2 and a half years and earned my graduate degree by age 22. I have tutored dozens of high school students, college students, and graduate students. I offer my resources and experience to help parents learn how to best help their teen or child that is struggling in school.
