Education Degree Programs: You've Always Wanted to Teach

Many teachers start out in another career, but then realize that they want to teach. It's a classic American story, and has given us a lot of really great teachers with a wide range of experience.
Online education programs have become, of late, a wonderful tool in our society for enabling career changers to become really great teachers. When you can learn on your own schedule, you can support yourself and even a family while you go to school. An education degree program may be the way to go if you've "always wanted to teach," but have a lot of other things going on as well.

Online Education: From Virtual Classroom to Workplace

The most common route for becoming a teacher is to complete a degree program and obtain a teaching license. An online degree in education can be the first step in the process. Traditional education degree programs include a variety of both general and specific education courses to prepare teachers for the classroom. Coursework may include philosophy of education, teaching methods, education theory, psychology of learning and more. Teachers may also complete specific classes in social science, mathematics, art, literature, music, and more.

Education: Career Options

Regardless of your specialization, jobs for graduates with an online degree in education should be readily available throughout the K-12 level. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment opportunities in education should increase by 12 percent through 2016. Each level of teaching should enjoy a level of growth:

• Preschool and kindergarten: 23 percent
• Elementary and middle school: 13 percent
• Secondary school: 5 percent

Most teachers earn a median annual salary above $45,000 per year. In 2007, kindergarten teachers earned $45,120, elementary school teachers earned $47,300, middle school teachers earned $47,900, and secondary school teachers earned $49,420.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Elementary School Teachers
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Kindergarten Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Middle School Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Secondary School Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Preschool Teachers, 2007 Wages
Bureau of Labor Statistics, Teachers

Andrew Freiburghouse is a writer and businessman. As a partner at Los Angeles tax preparation firm Pronto Income Tax of California, Inc., Andrew learned the fine art of growing a small business into a not-so-small business. Currently, Andrew lives in Brooklyn, NY.