APU Careers & Learning Online Learning

Tomorrow’s Vision for Today’s Educator

As a teacher, each step you take to broaden your own education is a step forward for the students whose lives you enrich. If you have a passion to teach, but are new to the field, a degree in education may help qualify you to teach in a variety of areas. If you’re already in the field, a master’s degree may be the next step in your academic progression. While there are never guarantees a degree will land you your dream job, earning one is a move in the right direction if want to learn transformative educational strategies.

[If you’re looking to get started on a quality degree in education, check out these offered at APU’s School of Education.]

Career Outlook

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website, “Employment of kindergarten, elementary, middle, and secondary school teachers is expected to grow by 13 percent between 2008 and 2018, which is about as fast as the average for all occupations.” It’s important to understand that this increase is actually rising slower than it did in the past, so you may want to focus your knowledge on a specialized subject. The Bureau adds, “Job prospects are best for teachers in high-demand fields, such as mathematics, science, and bilingual education.”

Speaking of which, there’s currently a nationwide push to advance Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), education in the classroom. The STEM Education Coalition is creating programs to develop highly skilled STEM educators with the hope that our nation can improve its overall world rankings in these core subjects.

[Teaching math and science? Check out this great library of how-to-videos covering these topics for elementary, middle, and high school education.]

Teaching is Universal

It’s natural to associate teaching strictly with the classroom, but remember, you can always teach outside the classroom. Whether you’re working as an instructional designer, people manager, coach, social worker, counselor, or a private tutor (just to name a few), a degree in education can be applied universally and help you become a more effective educator overall.

– By J. Thompson
Online Learning Tips Staff Writer

J. Thompson is the Vice President of the Content team at American Public University. He earned an M.F.A in Screenwriting from the American Film Institute in Los Angeles and performed his undergraduate studies in English literature, political science and business management between the University of New Mexico and East Carolina University. His career insights draw upon experience as a communications vice president supporting learning management, applicant tracking, and talent and leadership development for Bank of America and other Fortune 500 firms.

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