Education is a career path that has been pursued by countless individuals across the globe for hundreds of years. And chances are that you are here because you, too, are considering a career in education. You may be curious about what exactly it is about this profession that makes it so popular, and what experienced teachers have found satisfactory about their careers.
It Can Take You Anywhere
Teachers are needed everywhere in the world. Since Australian teaching programs are recognised internationally, you can roam the globe, landing wherever your wanderlust takes you, and find work.
If you’re more of a homebody, you can work from home. In fact, you don’t even need to leave the house to become a qualified teacher, because it’s possible to get your education masters online without setting foot in a university.
You Can Literally Change the World
A passionate teacher can change the life of a student who is struggling with something, even just by being kind and encouraging. You are helping to shape the next generation, and thus the future itself.
Being in a position to positively influence a generation is a privilege and an honour, and every child who passes through your classroom will remember you and how you influenced their self-perception and their outlook on the world.
You won’t just be teaching- you’ll be learning. Your students will teach you some valuable lessons, and you’ll be spending time with some of the most inquisitive and open-minded individuals. Working with young people will also keep you up-to-date with the world and with new technology.
In addition to helping your students, you’ll be helping the community as a whole, both now and in the future.
Your Skills Will Be Useful in a Number of Industries
The skills you learn in a masters of education are pretty diverse and wide-ranging. If you complete your qualification and decide that a career in education is not for you, your skills will be well-received elsewhere.
You Will Be In-Demand
Jobs that fall under the umbrella of education are in huge demand in Australia and elsewhere. This is an industry that is not going anywhere anytime soon, and the world needs passionate, caring people in the teaching profession.
You Can Combine a Few of Your Interests
You may love teaching- but do you also love art? Do you have an interest in history? Are you fond of science? Are you a keen athlete? You can combine one of your other specialties with teaching.
Working With Children (Or Not)
If you love children and their innocent, inquisitive minds, you may enjoy primary school, secondary school, or special needs school teaching. If you prefer the company of adults, you may opt to work in a TAFE or university or teach English as an additional language to adults.
A career in education doesn’t have to mean teaching in a classroom. You may aim to be a school principal or open your own school eventually, or you may want to work in an admin or school counselling position.
You Get School Holidays Off
t may not be the best motivation for choosing this career path, but it certainly is a bonus. Working within school hours is especially convenient if you’re a parent yourself.
You’ll never be bored
Teaching isn’t a job that is associated with tedium. Every year you’ll have a brand new class of enthusiastic students with different needs, learning styles and personalities. You’ll learn something new from each of these people because each will bring something new to your classroom. Teaching is both challenging and rewarding, but the challenges will add some spice to your days.
This is a field where you are encouraged to use your creativity and exercise some workplace autonomy to make learning exciting for your students. Every adult has secretly dreamed of how wonderful it would be to go back to school for a while- to spend our days learning, surrounded by innocence and creativity and play.
Excursions, school holidays, class parties, school camps, reading time, and all the things you miss from your own childhood will be part of your life again. Every day will offer variety and opportunities to learn, play, create and laugh. Seeing the world through the eyes of your students and watching them thrive will inspire you and make you proud.
If you work in this field for a long time you’ll watch the world change and evolve, and you will have taught multiple generations. Seeing your previous students all grown up, and perhaps even teaching their children, is pretty special!