EDUCATION
WHAT IS EDUCATION?
Education is the process by which people acquire knowledge, skills, habits, values, and attitudes. It involves both teaching and learning and is indeed a life-long process. All of us are continually learning. Hindu leader Krishnamurti states, "There is no end to education. The whole of life, from the moment you are born to the moment you die is a process of learning." Those involved in the business of formal education, the teachers, are the people to whom most of us look to find the spark of excitement that accompanies education.
WHAT COURSES DO YOU NEED TO TAKE?
The traditional "education as a major" or "bachelor's degree in education" is quickly disappearing. Accreditation agencies would rather you have a liberal arts major (elementary) or an academic major (secondary and postsecondary) first, followed by professional education preparation. In some states, the professional education courses are a fifth-year program that may not begin in your senior year. Professional education courses include education theory, courses in pedagogy, and practical field experiences.
E.C.E. (EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION). The trend is towards a major in early childhood education, which includes courses and experiences in professional early childhood and preschool education.
ELEMENTARY ED. (GRADES K-6). The trend is towards a liberal studies major leading to a bachelor's degree, followed by professional education experiences, which include student teaching for one or more semesters at an elementary school.
MIDDLE LEVEL ED. (GRADES 5-8). The trend is towards an academic major leading to a bachelor's degree (for example, in English, biology, mathematics, or history) followed by the professional education experiences, including student teaching at a middle school.
SECONDARY ED. (GRADES 7-12). The trend is towards an academic major leading to a bachelor's degree followed by the professional education experiences, including student teaching at the high school level.
COMMUNITY COLLEGE (TWO-YEAR). The requirements vary considerably because of the diversity of the community college mission. For academic fields in the transfer program (preparing students for transfer to a four-year program), a master's degree in the subject you teach is the minimum requirement. Only about half of the programs in community colleges are in the transfer area. Vocational education (in such areas as business, real estate, and traffic safety, designed to prepare or update students for careers) usually requires a bachelor's degree plus work experience in the field.
COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY (FOUR-YEAR). The usual educational requirement for full-time tenure-track employment is a doctoral degree in the field.
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH A DEGREE IN EDUCATION?
The obvious answer: teach! And the good news is that there is a big demand for teachers in the 21st century. Because of the aging of today's faculties and the growth of the country's population, the projected need for teachers at all levels will be great for the next decade. Preparation for a career in education prepares you to meet the challenges that have always faced education.