Choosing The Right Degree Program For You

W.B. Yeats said, "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." If you want to be the one to light the fire for learning in the hearts of students, becoming an educator is right for you. But what degree program should you pursue? Because the field of Education is so incredibly diverse, you have many options to choose from. Here is a brief listing of just some of the career opportunities available to those that decide to seek a degree in Education.

o Teacher Certification & Certification Programs. Looking to earn your Teacher Certification or credential? If you already have a Bachelor's degree and have decided to teach, earning your Teaching Certificate is the next step to take to launch your career as an educator.

o K-12. Completing your K-12 education degree will put you on the path toward a rewarding career teaching children of all ages.

o Adult Education. Graduates of adult education degree programs are given special instruction in adult learning to accommodate the unique needs of adult learners. With more and more people choosing to continue their education well into old age, opportunities for adult educators continue to grow.

o Art Education. Become an art teacher! Get your degree in Art Education and combine your passion for painting with a talent for teaching. Teaching art to others can be an extremely fulfilling and rewarding career.

o Business Education. Become a business teacher and learn the rewards of teaching business to others. From accounting and finance to marketing and operations, business teachers not only teach people how to succeed in business, but how to succeed in life.

o Distance & Online Education Programs for Teachers. Earn your degree in distance learning education and be on the cutting edge of learning technology. Learn about the newest advances in online education technology and discover how to create innovative online experiences for your students.

o Early Childhood Education Programs for Teachers. Thinking of becoming a preschool teacher? Start by getting your degree in Early Childhood Education. Early childhood teachers are the first to shape the minds of young children and mold the leaders of tomorrow.

o English Teacher Programs. Teach English and help students discover the language arts. Earning a bachelor's or master's degree in English education is the first step toward a rewarding career as an English teacher. English teachers are needed to fill positions in public, private and English language schools.

o Elementary Teacher Programs. Elementary school teachers work with children in grades K-8, giving them an introduction to a variety of subjects.

o Higher Education Programs for Teachers. Interested in teaching higher education? Get your doctorate or master's degree in higher education and take the first step toward teaching at the college level.

o History Teacher Degree Programs. Get your degree in history education and get on track to a rewarding career teaching history to others.

o Instructional Technology Degree Programs. Get an instructional technology degree and be on the leading edge of learning technology. Instructional designers create new ways for people to learn by incorporating current technologies such as video and the Internet into a curriculum. Instructional technology is a burgeoning field with many positions expected to open up in the next few years.

o Math Education Degrees. Want reap the rewards of teaching math to others! Then become a math teacher! Teachers are needed to give mathematics instruction at the elementary, middle school and high school levels.

o Middle School Education Degrees. Get your middle school education degree today and teach children from sixth to eight grades.

o Reading & Literacy Education Degrees for Teachers. Teach someone how to read! Become a reading teacher by completing your degree in Reading and Literacy Education.

o Secondary Education Degrees for Teachers. Focusing on Secondary Education means teaching children in high school. Help shape the next generation by providing a solid education to young students before college.

o Science Teacher Degree Programs. Science education teachers are high in demand to teach science in Elementary and Secondary schools.

o Social Studies Education Degree Programs. Social studies teachers are needed to teach in both Elementary and Secondary schools. Get on the path to this rewarding career by earning your degree in social studies education.

o Special Education Teaching Degrees. Special Education Teachers are some of the most in-demand teachers in education. Special Education teachers held a total of about 441,000 teaching jobs in 2004. The U.S. Dept. of Labor-Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the demand for qualified special education teachers to grow faster than average through 2014. This makes it a great time to get your special education degree.

o TESOL (ESL) Education Programs for Teachers. Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) can be an exciting and rewarding career with job opportunities in both the U.S. and abroad. The U.S. Dept. of Labor-Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that the number of non-English-speaking students will continue to grow, creating demand for bilingual teachers and for those who teach English as a second language.

o Curriculum & Instruction Programs for Teachers. Get your curriculum and instruction degree and improve your teaching skills while learning to create fascinating new curriculums that bring learning to life.

o Education Administration Degree Programs for Teachers. Earn your Education Administration degree today and jump-start your career. This advanced degree, either a Master's or a PhD, will give you the leadership skills you need to manage large educational programs, both in public schools and the private sector.

o Educational Counseling Degree Programs. Begin a rewarding career in school counseling by earning your education counseling degree. This degree is the perfect way to combine a love of education with a love of psychology.

o Educational Leadership Degree Programs. Earn your Educational Leadership degree and prepare yourself for a new and exciting career as a school administrator or principal.

o Library Science / Media / Technology Degree Programs. Get your degree in library science, educational media or technology and begin a rewarding new career helping children access information. Graduates of a library science programs are eligible to become a School Librarian. Graduates of educational media and technology programs have learned ways to incorporate new technologies, such as video and the Internet, into their classrooms.

Online Nursing Degree Programs

According to a recent U.S. News and World Report article, the healthcare field will offer some of the best opportunities for employment in 2010. Because of the rise in the median age of the U.S. population, registered nurses, x-ray and lab technicians and physical therapists (among other nursing-related occupations) are in great demand. And online nursing degree programs are an excellent and convenient way to become part of this lucrative and growing field.

Online degree programs offer stay-at-home or working people the opportunity to advance their education and work toward a nursing degree and do so at hours that are convenient for them, as well as the chance to study at home or wherever they have a computer and an internet connection. Students can study at their own pace, return to material they need to study further or skip ahead over material they already know. In addition, online classes are often less expensive than traditional in-university classes.

Despite the non-traditional approach to education, online nursing degree programs are the equivalent of university and college degree programs. While students may not be able to directly and immediately ask questions of their instructors, they can still communicate with them via email or online chats and often get one-on-one answers to their questions rather than having to compete for an instructor's attention. You should note, however, that some online nursing degree programs do require you to spend some time on a local participating campus, but often no more than a few days or a couple of weeks.

So how do online nursing programs work? The method may vary slightly, but generally online classes are hosted on a website where the instructor in the particular class posts the lecture, necessary material and assignments. Often, there is usually a bulletin board where students can ask questions and post comments for clarification. If the site includes a chat feature, the instructor will usually schedule it for normal class hours, but other than those restricted times, student can log in and work whenever it is convenient. And like regular classes, you still have to turn in your assignments on time. The instructor will set the deadline and students simply email the work. In the case of testing, some instructors may opt for a written assignment rather than an examination, or you may be instructed to go to a local institution where the test will be taken under the watch of an exam proctor.

Private Schools Versus Public Schools

Recently, a friend of mine fell on hard times and had to withdraw his children from private school. For him this was deeply troubling. I really couldn't understand why this was such a hard decision for him so I asked him to explain. My friend went on to explain that he made the decision to put his children in private school because he not only wanted his children to have an advantage academically but he felt private school would offer an advantage when it comes to things like morality and character. Though the temptation might be to assume that this was a religious decision, it wasn't. Neither of the two schools his girls are in have religious affiliations. He's merely a father who values education and character. He felt the best place for his children to get those two things were private school. His belief is that public school can expose children to too much too fast and can corrupt an otherwise innocent child. I can definitely see how he could feel that way.

Though I can see my friend's point of view, I myself have a 12 year old and a 17 year old. I have always preferred that they attend pubic school. I too have concerns about morality and character and I know that childhood is the time to start building on that, which is why I chose pubic school. While most parents are concerned about sheltering their children from harm there are two distinct schools of thought on how to do that. My friend believes that reducing the amount of undesirable behavior that his child witnesses will help mold morality and character. I feel that I need to prepare my child for the world's harsh realities without throwing them out into the wilderness, so to speak. Public school is a great place for that. Many of the personalities and issues that arise in public school are no doubt going to pop-up in my children's adult life. By exposing my children to those things now, I can help mold how they respond to those types of things and they will carry those lessons into the world with them as adults. Now some might say "what about the kids that go down the wrong path as a result of this exposure?". My response to that is, if I'm in my children's life the way that they deserve for me to be in their lives then even if they step off of the path for a moment, I will be there to point them back in the right direction. Kids who go to private school often head down the wrong path as well so that issue is obviously not exclusive to public school students.

It looks to me like you are either going to deal with the ugliness of life one way or the other. I would just rather get it out of the way while my child is still malleable rather than sending them out into the world unprepared as adults. Then on the other hand, private school does take some of the burden off of the parent. The teachers are more attentive to the children and private school does offer certain advantages where education is concerned. It's all about preference and what you think is best for your particular child. I say live and let live.