Types Of Teaching Degrees
If you want to become a teacher but not too sure about the degree options available, there are several types of teaching degrees you can go for, depending on the particular area you want to specialize. They vary in subject area and grade levels and you can find so many schools offering different types of teaching degrees.
To become a teacher, you will be expected to complete a bachelor’s degree program which normally lasts about 4 years. You can opt to be trained in a particular grade level, specialty or subject area. However, working in a public school will require you to have a teaching license issued by your state. Before the teaching license is given, it is mandatory that you write and pass the PRAXIS exams, a two part series taken at different periods during your teaching training.
Usually, the public school you want to work for will do a background check and ensure that the license is maintained through coursework on continuing education. All types of teaching degrees require a completion of classroom student teaching internship before the award of the respective degrees.
Below are the different types of teaching degrees a prospective teacher can enroll into.
Early Childhood Education
These teaching programs are available for teachers who prefer working with children birth to grade 3. Courses offered in this program include human development classes and professional education. Apart from assessment classes and curriculum development, the degree program dwells on a wide range of teaching methods for different subjects.
Elementary Education Degrees
These types of teaching degrees are awarded to teachers who will teach pupils between grade k – 6 and k – 8. Basically, the prospective teachers are trained on different teaching methods in different subjects taught in these grades, such as science, reading, and mathematics. This program will equally expose you to some topics in education technology, curriculum building, learning assessment, and child development.
High School teacher programs
A holder of these types of teaching degrees would be qualified to teach pupils between grades 8 and 12. There are several majors offered in this program and you are at liberty to choose the subject you are comfortable teaching. Subject such as music, physical education, mathematics, science, and English are available for you.
Just like the elementary education degree, you will be introduced to curriculum development, education technology, and professional teaching techniques and methods.
Special Education Degrees
These types of teaching degrees are for teachers who want to teach pupils in specific grades or people with certain disabilities. You will be trained how to relate with people with language or speech impairments or people with autism disorders. Each of these programs differ in many ways in terms of grade level. However, the most common types of teaching degrees in the special education category is the k – 12 special education degree.
The coursework for special education combines evaluation and assessment of disabilities with classroom management and curriculum development. You will equally be exposed to some topics in social interaction so that you will be able to relate effectively with these pupils and their parents.
