Always in Demand: Teaching as a Profession

In the next decade, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects nearly 1.9 million job openings for teachers of preschool through postsecondary school. In fact, the United States is actually facing a teacher shortage, creating tons of opportunities for those in the teaching profession. If you are thinking about a career in education, read on to see some of the many benefits.

A Helping Profession: Working in a helping profession like teaching can nurture your soul. We know that being happy at work leads to general satisfaction in life and to a sense of purpose. Being a teacher can provide this all-important fulfillment. Ahmed Banafa, an educator for fifteen years says what’s fulfilling about teaching is “changing lives, opening minds, and dealing with vast landscape of ways of thinking.”

Well-Compensated: While it’s great to help people, it’s also important to earn a solid living. Teaching provides excellent benefits, good pay, time off, and job security. In today’s fluctuating economy, the importance of this cannot be underestimated. The perks that come with a career in teaching are numerous, and let’s face it, when you’re not worried about job security, you can better focus on the task at hand.

A Subject You Love: I’ve taught English for the past eleven years. I got lucky, because this is my subject. I’ve always loved reading and writing, I studied English in college, and I’m a published writer. When a subject is “in your wheelhouse,” it’s a pleasure to teach it. Through the passion you have for the subject, you transmit knowledge and help students excel.

Room to Grow: If you see a name with the abbreviation “M.Ed” after it, you’re looking at a professional with a master’s degree in education. Many of these now administrators or higher-ranking school officials started in the classroom. Not only can this field allow you to hone your teaching skills, it also provides a lot of room to expand your profession and to move up the ranks. Education is one field where you are not boxed into one mundane task. Indeed, your own education can be a vital component to your career in teaching others.

An Enduring Legacy: Former anchorman Dan Rather once said “the dream begins with a teacher who believes in you,” and this is a reminder of the life-long impact that a teacher can have on a student. To think that Rather’s amazing career in journalism may have been sparked by one inspirational teacher speaks to the value of educators. Most of us remember the best teachers we had no matter how long ago we were in school. The legacy you can leave is worth all the grading and paperwork in the world.

Links: So if you know you’re interested in education as a course of study, what schools should you look at? Obviously, your ultimate decision should be based on much more than simple rankings, but here are some links to information about top-rated education programs. As always, look with caution and don’t hesitate to seek the help of a college counselor.

Written by Phil Lane

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