Aristotle said, “All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.” Education touches on every aspect of human life-and those providing that education continue to be in high demand. Teachers make the world a better place for everyone.
But not only is the field of education one that has great value-it is also a field where plenty of job opportunities exist for those interested in becoming educators. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, about 2.8 million teachers are employed in the United States, not to mention more than 200,000 administrative staff members.
Because the field of education is so incredibly diverse, demand varies for different positions. In large urban areas, job openings may be quite numerous, thanks to expanding populations. Suburban areas continue to see rapid growth and expansion as well. In more rural areas, however, there may be less turnover so there are fewer openings for teachers and others in the educational field. But wherever you are, the next few years will hold solid prospects for everyone in education as many “baby boomers” are nearing retirement age-leaving many open positions.
Hot Jobs In Education
Besides your average kindergarten through grade 12 teachers, there are many additional job prospects within specific teaching fields and related areas. Here is a look at some of the hottest areas in education today.
• Bilingual teachers. As a nation, the United States continues to grow more diverse, presenting challenges for those educating students who don’t speak English as their native language. Therefore demand is rapidly increasing for teachers who can teach in two languages. Not only are teachers needed to teach English itself, but teachers that can conduct a class in two languages are also desperately needed. Teaching a course in two languages allows students the opportunity to both improve their English skills while better grasping the subject matter in their native language. This means teachers need to be fully adept in more than one language. Teachers who are bilingual may have an inside track on job openings, especially in districts with large immigrant populations. Once employed, they often face stimulating and challenging work as they help students from other cultures make the most of their educational experience.
• Special education teachers. Thanks to general population growth, enhanced testing programs, and legal requirements for meeting the needs of students with special needs, Special Education teachers are badly needed. In addition, the challenges of working with students in this group, which may include those with physical, perceptual, developmental, or emotional problems, make it less popular than many other teaching areas. If you have the patience to work with students who need the extra help provided by special education faculty, you might find this the perfect opportunity for you. In many states, the need for special education teachers is so great that school districts are hiring candidates who are not yet certified in special education, and then paying for the classes they need for full certification. For those eager to break into education or to switch over from other occupations, this can be a good way to start.
• Math and science teachers. Teachers of math and science are among the most sought-after educators today. Some specialize in one field, such as chemistry or biology; others focus on math. Still others, especially at the lower grade levels, teach more than one subject. Teachers in this area focus heavily on the content of their respective disciplines. Since their fields are often considered among the most difficult subjects offered, they face special challenges in presenting the subject to students. Many school districts can’t find enough qualified math and science teachers because fewer college students major in these disciplines, and of those who do, most take jobs in industry or go on to graduate school. So the demand for math and science teachers is very, very high.
• Educational administrators. Teachers are the heart of any school system, but other educators are also important. Among them are principals, assistant principals, superintendents, and other administrators. They provide leadership for schools and other educational organizations. Administrators hire teachers and other staff, manage budgets, and oversee the day-to-day operation of schools or school districts. They also help develop new programs, evaluate the success of existing operations, and make plans for the future.
Whatever you choose, you’ll find that as a graduate of an Education program, you will always be in high demand. Opportunities abound!
By: Cecily Kellogg
Archive for December, 2009
Always in High Demand – The Educator
December 30th, 20093 Ways to Use Tape Recordings to Help Your Child in Special Education
December 29th, 2009
Are you the parent of a child with autism? Are you the parent of a
child receiving special education services? Would you like to learn
parenting tips that will help you become an equal participant in your
child’s Individual Education Plan (IEP) meeting? This article will
discuss 3 ways that tape recording can help you in advocating for an
appropriate education for your child with a disability
3 ways to use tape recording:
1. Tape recording can allow you to focus on what is happening during
the meeting, rather than focusing on taking notes. Listen to
everything that is going on, and do write down important things. Speak
up and give your opinion as often as you need to, for the benefit of
your child.
2. If an IEP meeting is tape recorded, you will be able to go over it
at a later time, and fill in your notes. It will also allow you to
remember things that may have happened that you missed. IEP meetings
can be adversarial. A tape recording allows you to listen to the
interactions in the privacy of your own home.
3. Tape recordings of IEP meetings can be used as evidence at a due
process hearing. In order to use a tape recording, as evidence, it
will have to be transcribed. Tape recorders should be digital, and
powerful enough to pick up several different people’s voices.
A lot of special education personnel become very resistant when
parents want to tape record IEP meetings. Below is an interpretation
of tape recording under IDEA, by the Office of Special Education
Programs (OSEP).
OSEP published its question #12 opinion in the Federal Register Volume
57, No. 183, Sept. 29, 1992 interpreting tape recording IEP meetings
and stated “that it is permissible to tape IEP meetings at the option
of either the parents or the agency.”
There have also been several law suits that have given parents the
right to tape record IEP meetings. One of these court cases in
Connecticut V.W. v. Favolise had the court reason that parents have a
statutory right, to attend and participate in IEP meetings, and the
district could not legally engage in an act to limit the parents
rights.
If special education personnel refuse to allow you to tape record,
because they say that they have a district policy, ask for a written
copy of the policy. OSEP in a memorandum 91-24 July 18, 1991 stated
“Thus any policy limiting or prohibiting a parent’s right to tape
record the proceedings at an IEP meeting must provide for exceptions
if they are necessary to ensure that the parent is able to understand
the proceedings at the IEP meeting. . .” Ask your school district for
an exception, so that you can understand the IEP meeting.
With the written policy in hand, cancel the IEP meeting, and send a
state complaint to your state department of education. Tell them that
you asked school personnel for an exception and they refused. The
state will have 60 days to resolve your complaint.
Tape recording can help you be an active participant in your child’s
IEP meeting. Your child is depending on your help, do not let them
down.
By: JoAnn Collins
Parenting Tips – 3 Tips On Finding An Independent Evaluator For Your Child With A Disability
December 29th, 2009
Are you the parent of a child with a disability, who would like to
have an independent educational evaluation (IEE) performed on your
child, but don’t know how to find an evaluator? Would you like to
learn about resources that can help you find a qualified independent
evaluator. This article will discuss 3 tips on finding a qualified
evaluator to perform an IEE on your child.
Tip 1: Ask other parents that have children with disabilities, if
they have any names of qualified evaluators. Make sure that the
evaluator is qualified, to test your child, in the areas that they
need to be tested. Parents often discuss various issues about special
education, including educational evaluators they have used. In my
state of Illinois parents often pass around names of evaluators that
are child and parent friendly. Try looking for parents that have
children with similar disabilities to your child. For example: if your
child has autism, ask other parents for evaluators that specialize in
children with autism. Large University hospitals often have clinics
for children with all autism spectrum disorders.
Tip 2: Try calling a Parent Training and Information Center (PTIC), or
a Center for Independent Living (CIL), and ask if they have a list of
qualified evaluators. A list of all PTIC’s in the USA can be found in
Appendix E of the book From Emotions to Advocacy by Pam and Peter
Wright. The book can be found at http://www.wrightslaw.com. A Center for
Independent Living in your area can be found at
http://www.virtualcil.net/cils. Most PTIC’s and CILS have people trained in
special education, to help parents.
Tip 3: Check out your state board of education’s Web site, and see if
they have a list of Independent Educational Evaluators. Be careful
though, because some of the names may be past school employees. If you
would like to use someone on the list, check with other parents to see
if they know them, and if they know whether they are willing to stand
up to school districts, for children with disabilities. In Illinois
where I live, many of the child and parent friendly evaluators are not
on the list. It is an option, though, to at least get a few names.
Since you have decided to get an Independent Educational Evaluation
for your child, the person you pick is critical. If you pick a person
that is not qualified to conduct the evaluation, then the evaluation
will not help your child. Also, if you pick an evaluator that is not
willing to stand up to special education personnel, this will not
benefit your child either. Take your time, and find an evaluator that
will help you determine what your child’s educational and related
service needs are. Your child is worth the time!
By: JoAnn Collins
