| Teachers hold America's future in their hands. | | | | elementary level, $49,640 in secondary education. |
| When you pursue a degree in education, you're | | | | Beyond secondary schools, educators are needed |
| not only receiving career training--you're learning | | | | to teach at community colleges, trade schools, |
| how to be a trainer. Graduates of online education | | | | and universities. The BLS predicts 382,000 new |
| degree programs enjoy a broad range of career | | | | college teaching jobs during the 2006-2016 |
| options. You can specialize in a single subject, or | | | | decade. Some community colleges and trade |
| become a generalist with skills across the | | | | schools require teachers to hold a master's |
| disciplines. | | | | degree, while most universities require a PhD. |
| The future is bright, too, for teachers at all levels. | | | | Opportunities beyond the Classroom |
| President Barack Obama has pledged to revitalize | | | | If you're already a teacher, you may want to |
| early childhood education and to "recruit, prepare, | | | | pursue online post-graduate training in education to |
| and retain" good teachers. The Administration | | | | become an administrator. Principals and assistant |
| plans to quadruple national funding for the Early | | | | principals should have favorable job prospects, the |
| Head Start program. | | | | BLS reports. And districts where enrollments are |
| Getting into the Classroom | | | | growing rapidly--in the West and |
| Some prospective teachers choose to work with | | | | South--administrators should also be in demand. |
| young children, others hope to teach in college, | | | | Traditionally, you need at least a master's degree |
| and many dream of working with a school district, | | | | for many of these jobs, while district |
| developing curriculum and fostering teacher | | | | administrators, college administrators, and deans |
| excellence. | | | | are typically required to hold a PhD. The 2007 |
| For those who enter the public school system, | | | | median wage was $80,580 for elementary and |
| kindergarten, elementary, and secondary school | | | | secondary school administrators. Top earners |
| teachers should be in especially high demand in | | | | took home more than $117,740. The college and |
| rural districts and inner cities, according to the | | | | post-secondary administrator's median wage was |
| Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). Median 2007 | | | | $105,320, with top administrators earning |
| annual earnings were $23,130 for preschool | | | | $145,600. |
| teachers, $43,030 for elementary teachers and | | | | You may also want to consider working in adult |
| $49,420 for secondary school teachers. You can | | | | school or continuing education as a teacher or |
| take classes online to progress towards a | | | | administrator. At the elementary or secondary |
| bachelor's degree--the typical educational minimum | | | | school level, you may get your start working as a |
| requirement, in addition to a post-graduate | | | | teacher's assistant while training online for full |
| credential. | | | | certifications. Many people supplement their |
| Another area that expects to see job growth is | | | | income by working as substitute teachers. |
| special education. The job outlook for special | | | | In the business sector, companies are always |
| education teachers should be positive, with the | | | | looking for qualified trainers and educators. |
| BLS predicting a dire need to replace teachers | | | | Combine your online teacher education with a |
| heading for retirement. Districts may require a | | | | technical background and teach computer skills to |
| bachelor's degree with a specialization in learning | | | | company personnel, or work in sales, teaching |
| disabilities. The median 2007 wages for special | | | | employees how to be more effective. |
| education teachers were $48,350 at the | | | | |