Education and Teaching Careers
Professional educators work with people of all ages, from toddlers to retirees. Their employers are public and private schools, adult education programs, and large corporations, and their students need to learn skills and knowledge ranging from the ABCs to specialized computer skills:
- Getting Certified to Teach
- Elementary School Teacher
- Education Administrator
- Middle or Secondary School Teacher
- Teaching Specializations
- Early Childhood Teachers
- School Counselor
- Special Education Teacher
- Curriculum Specialist or Instructional Coordinator
- Educational Technology Specialist
- Teaching Adults
- English As a Second Language (ESL) Teachers
- Adult Literacy Teacher
- Distance Learning Specialist
- Corporate Trainer
Teachers, Administrators, School Counselors, Curriculum Specialists - A Team
Many educators are teachers, but not all of the education professionals who work in school systems work in classrooms. School counselors, curriculum specialists, and administrators are all part of the team. What all of these people have in common are a desire to make a contribution to society by sharing their expertise with the next generation.
To work in the field of education requires strong people skills and an understanding of how individuals learn. Teaching can be extraordinarily rewarding, but it has its challenges as well. The idea that teachers have easy work schedules is a myth. They spend many hours planning lessons and grading student work. Also, they must attend in-service programs to maintain their teaching certifications. Adapting to new curriculum standards and managing a classroom of young people can also be challenging.
Teaching Adults
Classroom management can be simpler when the learners are adults. Generally, adults are motivated students. They enter the classroom with well-defined personal and professional goals. Adult education programs that are open to the public include remedial and literacy programs to self-fulfillment programs. Adult learners' educational goals range from learning English as a Second Language (ESL) to baking fancy desserts.
Corporate Training
In the private sector, education almost always has a business goal. If you're drawn to the fast-paced business world, corporate training may be for you. Trainers, managers, and e-learning specialists work together in corporate training departments to help new employees learn how to do their jobs and established employees keep their skills up-to-date.