A Career in Teaching - Choosing a Teaching Degree

teaching elementary teacher
If you value education and would enjoy inspiring young people to learn, now is a great time to become a teacher. As aging baby boomers retire and student enrollments in elementary, secondary and middle schools continue to grow, the need for skilled teachers is on the rise.
 
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are currently 4 million teaching jobs in the United States, and the number of positions is expected to grow by 12 percent between 2006 and 2016. This means that 479,000 additional teaching positions will be created during the coming decade, according to the Bureau.
 
Job prospects are especially favorable for teachers in high-demand fields such as bilingual education, math and science. The need for teachers in substitute teaching and teaching assistant positions will also be on the rise, along with a need for teachers willing to fill positions in underserved urban areas or rural school districts.

Work Life

Teachers enjoy the rewarding work of helping children to develop intellectually and socially during their most formative years. A good teacher can help instill a love of learning in a child early on, affecting his or her enthusiasm for a subject or overall experience of education for years to come.

A Teacher's Many Roles

A teacher's work is often challenging, however, because you are required to "wear many hats." In an average workday, a teacher may be responsible for:
  • acting as a role model: Students look up to their teachers and are often highly sensitive to a teacher's tone, attitude and behavior.
  • being part of a team: A teacher's work is not performed in isolation. In addition to interacting with students and parents, a teacher often must meet and communicate with other teachers and with school administrators.
  • communicating information: Teachers must possess excellent communication skills to convey information to students in a way that engages them and holds their attention.
  • counseling students: In most cases, behavioral issues or emotional problems come to a teacher's attention first, before being handled by a school counselor or principal.
  • disciplining students: Teachers must be keenly aware of classroom dynamics and treat conflict and disruption fairly and assertively.
  • evaluating: Grading students' assignments and exams, analyzing their progress and preparing them to meet testing standards are all part of a teacher's ongoing work.

  • planning and organizing: When the school bell rings, a teacher's day is not done. Creating a lesson plan and organizing materials for the next day keep a teacher busy well after students head home.

Working Hours

With the inclusion of duties performed outside the classroom, like grading assignments and lesson plan preparation, many elementary and high school teachers work more than 40 hours per week. Preschool and kindergarten teachers tend to work less and are more likely to have part-time schedules.
 
Most schools have a 10-month academic year, followed by a 2-month break for summer vacation. Some teachers may utilize their break to teach extra summer sessions, work other jobs or pursue continuing education. Preschool teachers usually work year round.

Teaching Salaries

Currently, elementary school teachers earn an average income of $39,361 annually. High school teachers gross an annual income of $41, 949, and special education and preschool teachers earn an average salary of $41,426. Salaries vary with experience and can reach up to $59,000 for high school teachers with 20 years or more of experience. Higher paying jobs are usually reserved for candidates who possess an advanced teaching degree or certificate in addition to a bachelor's degree in the subject they intend to teach.
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