Teaching K-12: The Best Years of Your Life?

As you probably well know from personal experience, a lot can happen between kindergarten and the senior year of high school. Enrolling in an online K-12 education degree program to become a teacher may enable you guide kids through those wonder years.
A K-12 degree, which can be earned through online education, will likely include courses in communication arts, critical thinking, education theory, child development, and lesson planning, among other subjects pertinent to K-12 education.

K-12 Education Career Options

Many teachers change over from other careers, making online education particularly appealing if you are currently working another job.
Once that online degree is earned and you've secured your state teaching license, career opportunities abound. Note that in addition to a degree in education, states may require a teaching internship as a prerequisite to a teaching license. Also, state requirements vary regarding K-12 teaching licensure programs, so be sure to check with your state department of education prior to enrolling.

Employment Outlook for K-12 Teachers

K-12 teaching careers are characterized by steady employment and enviable job security. People generally enjoy teaching and keep at it for many years. Additionally, teachers often enjoy membership in various teachers unions and organizations that provide greater job security.
The mean annual wage for kindergarten teachers was $47,750 as of May 2007. Elementary and high school teachers, meanwhile, averaged just over $48,000. The top five highest-paying states for teachers were:

• Rhode Island, $62, 600
• New York, $62, 320
• Connecticut, $58, 010
• New Jersey, $56, 850
• Virginia, $54,790

Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics

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.