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Question for Teachers..

Hi

I am in college studying to become a teacher. Which certification do you think would be a better option given the current job market ....

1. Early Childhood & Childhood Education (Birth-Grade 6)

OR

2. Childhood Education With English Extension (Grade 1-Grade 6) (Eng 7-9)

I am leaning towards option two because I am not too interested in teaching below first grade. However, if a Preschool position is all I could find, I would rather have a job and 'settle' than have nothing in what I really want. I hope that makes sense, hahaa. Thanks for any help!!

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Re: Question for Teachers..

  • You never want to settle if you know you won't be happy. That's not fair to yourself or your would be students. Some states don't even require a degree for working in a preschool.

    Depending on where you live there might be more of a need for special education teachers or esl teachers.

    Try to visualize where you would be most happy and most miserable. Go from there. Best of luck :)

  • I would go for the middle school endorsement. Preschools do prefer teachers with education degrees but pay less than public schools.

    I agree with PP follow your passions; student need passionate teachers not ones that are teaching something just because they need a job.

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  • I'd got for #2.

    Here the job market for teachers in general is awful, however the worst for Elementary Ed.

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  • The answer may change dramatically based on where you plan to teach.  Like the others, though, I would caution you against pursuing a certification you're not passionate about just because you think it might make you more employable.
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  • Option 2 seems like it would give you the most flexibility, but you should probably look at the current job market in your local systems or the systems where you plan on applying for jobs.  What's a high-need area in one place may not be a high-need area in another.

    The English endorsement probably won't do you much good anywhere right now; there is rarely a shortage of English teachers on the market.

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  • I have my English degree and elementary teaching credential, but switched careers when I couldn't find a teaching position, so I'll throw in my ten cents.

    I agree with the previous posters that ideally, you should get the certification that you will find most fulfilling.

    However, from a "have to pay the bills" standpoint, it is probably going to depend more on your local teaching market.  In my area, there are many more preschool openings than elementary or English.  However, at least around here, preschool teachers are not paid very well, so, pragmatically, that is also something to consider.

    I was actually looking into getting my Early Childhood Education units so I could teach preschool (I love that age, although I prefer early elementary) because I don't foresee things turning around quickly here, but I ended up in a job I love so I'm letting my credential lapse.

  • Make sure to look at your job market.  Ask the principal of the school you are student teaching or doing practicum in...ask what endorsement he would be more likely to hire for. If I went with what my school thought, I would have gone for an english/reading endorsment first, but asking principals who are in the schools and do the hiring what they are looking for is important.  in the school I student taught in, an ESL endorsment was more important to him, and a special ed ensorsement is the most prized of them all. 

    I am currently working in social work with no teaching prospects now beacuse Oregon is cutting so many jobs they are not hiring teachers!  It super sucks, but I am to the point I need to get my masters or loose my license, and am thinking of changing career paths with that masters so I can actually get hired with a job that will pay back my loans...in something that was not my dream job.    Good luck!

  • I am in the same situation that you are & I chose the second option. But I love middle school & is what I hope to teach in a couple years. It is either that or 4th/5th grade. Good luck! It's an exciting time!
  • Around here, the lower grade levels are EXTREMELY difficult to get a job in.  A friend of the family is a retired superintendent.  She told me that for every opening for lower levels (like 1st grade), she'd get over 200 applications.  This was a few years ago before the market even got bad!  To put it in perspective, for something like a middle or high school math position, she'd get maybe 5 applications.

     

  • I thank my lucky stars every day for the job I just got! first grade, over 120 applications. It's nuts!! Primary teachers are a dime a dozen! So are english teachers!
  • The average elementary position in the suburbs of Minneapolis gets about 1,000-5,000 applications.
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  • So in the end this is you decision HOWEVER i would very strongly advise you to go with option 2.

    I just graduated in May with a degree in early childhood education. All fine and dandy except now I can teach Daycare, Preschool, K, 1, and 2. So now i have this fancy degree but there are ZERO jobs out there, and daycare doesnt pay all that fantastically. I its always helpful to have just a little more education under your belt. To have an extra concentration to add to your resume is AWESOME.  Reading is also one of the areas of study that most states are getting grants and government funding to hire more teachers/specialist. So there's even more job opportunities on the horizon. Good luck in whatever you choose!!


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  • I have decided on Option 2!! Thank you all so much, your thoughts and opinions were very helpful to me! :)
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  • Thank you for your support!
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