Focus on Education Options for rewarding teaching careers by Debbie Porter

Focus on Education Options for rewarding teaching careers by Debbie Porter The phrase “social capital” has become a popular term to describe how community members who regularly volunteer their time rather than simply donate money to local organizations can build a lasting social system of supportâ€"for those whom we serve and for those who labor beside us. In the teaching profession and other sectors of public service, the effects of “social capital” inspire and empower people every day. Each year, when American Education Week takes place, communities and public schools celebrate America’s system of open education. It’s a good time to reflect on the profession of teaching and to explore the benefits to society that teachers bring us. Teaching can be an extremely rewarding career, and it can be filled with challenges. The field of education continues to be a popular career choice for returning adult students who want to make a real difference. This piece lists a few instructional areas where teachers are needed and also provides college education funding ideas. Areas where teachers continue to be in high demand in public schools are special education, English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL), technical and industrial training and nursing training. Others areas will open up as experienced teachers retire over the next few decades. In general, for teaching at the elementary school level, a bachelor’s degree is required. For the middle school, high school and community college levels, a master’s degree is required, and for university professors, a doctorate (PhD) in education is needed. Graduate teachers who go on to obtain master’ s degrees in a particular subject, such as science or math, will be rewarded with “highly qualified” status under federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) guidelines, with correspondingly higher entry level salaries. Many public universities offer education bachelor’s degrees, as do independent and private colleges and universities. Many also offer master’s degree programs. Flexible programs exist for those with a four year degree who wish to obtain a teaching certificate. Funding for education students at the bachelor’s degree level starts with the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Scholarships are also available at the schools and from foundations and corporations; students at any level of study or GPA may qualify. For entry, most teacher training programs require graduate-level admission tests such as the CBEST or PRAXIS. Once admitted, most graduate students including those in education can pay for college through graduate assistantships, fellowships or other programs offered by the schools themselves, as well as through federal education loans. The advantage(!) to taking out federal education loans is that there are many loan forgiveness programs available for those in public service, including teaching. Often, forgiveness or loan reduction programs come with requirements for service in a low income school district for a certain number of years. So, if a career in teaching is your calling, give your local college or university us help you get started exploring this rewarding career. Working together, we can all increase the “social capital” in our communities by contributing to someone’s education!