To teach or not to teach? That may not be a question for those of you in pursuit of a teacher certification. After all, it’s in your blood. But some of you may embark upon a teaching career because it’s a near-guarantee for a job and is the career with which we’re most familiar, having been around teachers day in, day out, for most of our lives.
If you find yourself pursuing that teaching certificate with uncertainty, rest assured that a degree in education does not limit you to the classroom.
“A teaching certification is a specialized degree that prepares one to teach. But it is also a general-studies degree that prepares you to work for companies that require a degree to work for them,” assures Susan Burns, an academic advisor whose husband has teaching credentials and works for an insurance company.
Scan the job descriptions in the want-ad section of your local newspaper. You will find that companies are looking for applicants who possess skills congruent with the objectives of current trends in teacher training: leadership, teamwork, multitasking and program-design skills. Technology is integrated into teacher training so that graduates can in turn integrate it into their own students’ learning environments.
Teachers who want to go beyond the limitations of the standard classroom become adept at writing grants, another sought-after skill of private, public and non-profit corporations.
If the business world lures you, a bit more information, experience or coursework related to a company’s specialized field may be all you need to get your foot in the door. And with teaching credentials, you are poised for the job of training employees and directing personal development for corporations. Training is a close neighbour to teaching, it’s goal being personal discovery in the context of work instead of the school context. Nonprofit agencies that hire trainers include adoption agencies and community recreation centres, scouting camps and mental health agencies.
Government jobs are also for the teacher’s taking once you become familiar with job-application procedures at the federal, state or local level. Volunteering in the Peace Corps or Volunteers In Service To America (VISTA) is another way to explore your teaching options.
And don’t overlook the areas of adult and continuing education. Careers in in-service education, staff or professional development require upper-level degrees. GED preparation, literacy development or English as a second language require certification or accreditation.
The growing age of the population is creating a demand for teachers of leisure-time activities, arts, fitness and trades. And if working with the elderly feels like a match, the activity-director position in a nursing home or senior centre could be a rewarding job. There, the sky is the limit for creativity and variety in classes you can teach: cooking, sewing projects, music, poetry or whatever stirs the residents to action.
If you’d like to shoot for a master’s degree or a Ph.D., teacher certification is an excellent stepping stone. Perhaps you can see yourself as a guidance counsellor, school psychologist or social worker. You are also prepared to be a library/information specialist or a supervisor of a particular subject area.
Occupational and physical therapists, as well as hearing and speech pathologists, have a presence in schools. Special-education teachers have the option of working with students with disabilities in general school settings or in specialized schools. And last, but far from least, administrative jobs also require leadership and the sensitivity to the needs of children that teachers-at-heart can provide. An effective principal or superintendent oversees a school or district with both skills.
In higher education, researching and writing are as integral to the job as teaching. The career offers variety of daily routine, duties and expression of ideas within a specialized field. Working in the office of student affairs also can be a creative and challenging occupation.
Hang in there. A teaching degree opens doors to more venues than a classroom.
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Teaching credentials are a sound foundation for these many venues, providing you with skills that are in demand in the job market. Use these questions to guide you to an alternative-teaching career.
Do you prefer verbal or written communication?
Are there teaching-related organizations that particularly interest you?
Do you feel drawn to children with disabilities?
Would you prefer to develop curriculums and plan programs for other teachers or teach your own?
Do you have motivational skills? Can you work autonomously and solve problems readily?
