Why People Are Pursuing Online Teaching Degrees

These are some of the top online programs to pursue your teaching degree or credential.

Availability, affordability and flexibility are just few reasons why people are turning to online education. Teachers make positive contributions to people’s lives, and are respected members of the community. Teachers provide their services in elementary schools, high schools, colleges and even universities. Teachers can add value to the their students’ lives every single day.

You will need to earn a teaching degree to work in this field. A bachelor’s degree is a must for working as a teacher in any public school. However, further requirements may vary based on your local state. After earning a teaching degree, candidates need to get a certificate or license from the local state they hope to teach in. Earning a teaching degree doesn’t mean that you can only pursue a career in teaching, as there are plenty of other opportunities you can explore with this degree.

Earn a Teaching Degree Online

The best thing about a teaching degree is that you can earn it online without having to attend classes in a college or university. It means you won’t have to spend an entire four years to earn this degree. Online programs allow you to earn the degree on a flexible schedule, so you can take accelerated classes to get your degree much faster. You can also set the schedule you like so that classes can be taken when they are most convenient for you.

The best part of this is that you can easily manage your work and family commitments while pursuing your degree. Online teaching degree programs are a life-saver for young students who want flexibility.

Students have the freedom to learn at their own pace when they choose an online degree program. No matter whether you’re sitting in your home, in a library or in a local coffee shop, you can attend the online classes whenever you want. The hassle of commuting to school and sitting through lectures is completely gone with online classes.

Surprisingly, you won’t have to wait for four years to complete your degree. You can get it done as fast as you can complete the program requirements. There are many students who use accelerated courses to complete their degrees faster than the traditional program.

Teaching is an Evergreen Profession

Every day we see a lot of people losing their jobs because of advanced technology and automation. But teaching is a profession that will last forever and enjoys quite a bit of job security.

When we talk about professions that will continue growing over the next decade, teaching always appears on top of the list. The demand for teachers is expected to continue growing in the future.

Many are surprised to learn that a shortage of teachers has become a major problem in many states. Schools are eagerly trying to find quality teachers for different subjects. And with more current teachers nearing retirement age, the demand for new teachers to replace is expected to grow at a fast rate.

Science, special education, math and foreign language are the top areas where schools need to find new teachers right away. If you want to land a job as soon as you complete your degree consider specializing in one of these fields.

You’re Not Limited to Teaching in a Classroom

Usually people choose teaching in a school after getting their teaching degree but that’s not the only options. You can start teaching specialized subjects to a specific group of people in public, private and charter schools.

You must know that you aren’t just limited to teaching when you earn a teaching degree. You have the freedom to use the skills you have developed to pursue a wide variety of other fields. Let’s take a look at how you can take advantage of your teaching degree in non-obvious ways.

Education and Policy Research

This is an industry where experts are supposed to develop long term plans about the future of education. You are responsible for implementing policies in the education system after discussing these policies with a wide group of stakeholders. In this field individuals need to conduct education research, determine the standardized testing procedure or even lobby for government funding.

Career options in policy include becoming researcher, a lobbyist, a consultant or a textbook author.

Student Counseling

Student counseling is another great profession you can choose after getting a teaching degree. You are responsible for helping students that are facing personal problems. In most cases, you’d help them with choosing a career path or college.

Jobs in this field can include:

Education Consultant
Career Counselor
Guidance Counselor
Admission Counselor
School Psychologist

Education Administration

You can also join the school’s administration instead of working as a teacher. As an administration member, you’d be responsible for representing the school in the local community, setting school policies and managing important aspects like resources, discipline and daily operations.

In this field you can work as Principal, school district administrator, superintendent and assistant principal.

Government Grants for College

Finding free money for college is not as hard as you might think. Here’s where to find free money for college that doesn’t need to be paid back. Most of the grants for college students come from the government. The following list gives you the options you need to know.

Federal grants

Federal grants amounting to $41.3 billion were released to students during the 2018-19 academic year. So, the first stop for students looking for grants should be here. The following are federal grants offered by the federal government.

• Pell Grant Program- these grants are need-based. They’re the most reliable grants for U. S students since 1972. Thousands of students enjoy it, and the only requirement is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)– Awards are offered on a first come first serve basis. This grant caters to undergraduate students in dire need of financial aid. You must apply through your college of choice.

• Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) grants– The grant is offered to students who agree to pursue a teaching career and will teach in high need areas after graduation. Follow its requirements without fail since if you don’t; the money used to educate you will be reverted to a student loan.

• Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grants–These grants are offered to members of the family of a US military service member who lost his or her life.

State Grants

Most states offer grants to students from low-income families. The following statistics will give you a rough idea of how to get and enjoy the State Grants. From the academic years 2016-17 to 2017-18, state grants recorded a 7% increase. Twelve states offered each full-time student a grant aid of over $1,000. The amount provided by the states varies as they depend on the amount of tax each state collects. For example, students who qualify for the New York Excelsior Scholarship Program receive over $5,500/year for college tuition. So, if you want to know how to get a state grant from your State, then get your State’s education department details from the U. S Department of Education.

Local Community Grants

In addition to researching state and federal grants, we recommend you look for scholarships opportunities in your local community. The following are common sources of educational grants you can find in your local community.

Employers

College Board released a report that 7% of grant aid for the year 2018-2019 came from employers and private grants. However, a surprisingly high number of students don’t apply for employer-based grants. There are many scholarship opportunities offered by employers. You just have to ask your employer if there’s a scholarship program for students. According to World at Work, educational programs like tuition reimbursement are offered by 85% of employers. That’s a pretty high percentage. This means you have a high chance of getting scholarship opportunities from your employer.

Volunteer Organizations

If you’re a member of a certain volunteer organization, it doesn’t hurt to ask if they offer scholarship opportunities. Examples of such organizations include Americorps, Peace Corps and others. Americorps offer scholarships to members who have finished their service within 12 months. The award is known as Segal Americorps Education Award. The award is worth at least $6,195 in the academic year 2019-20 and matches with several higher education institutions. Peace Corps tuition aid helps graduate students in over 90 colleges and universities.

Churches

Try to check if your local church offers students scholarship opportunities. You’ll be surprised how many faith-based organizations offer support to help their members attend college. There are lots of scholarships and grants offered by United Church of Christ. The Methodist Church, with over 40 scholarship programs, offers financial aid to U. S students. Junior students benefit from The Episcopal Church scholarships and grants which range between $5,000 and $25,000.

Labor Unions and Professional Associations

Since 1991, Labor Unions and Professional Associations have awarded students over $4.5 million in form of grants and scholarships. Students coming from families whose parents or even spouse is or was a member of the union can receive these scholarships and grants. As an eligible student, you can apply for the scholarship every year for financial help.

Fortune 500 Companies

Big companies such as Coca-Cola, Google, and Walmart offer financial help to college students. For example, Coca-Cola offers several competitive scholarship programs. In the United States, Coca-Cola selects 150 high performing high school graduates every year. Those eligible for this scholarship enjoy up to $20,000 each.

Banks and Credit Unions

You can also check on some major financial institutions offering scholarships. They include Citigroup, Bank of America, and SunTrust. SunTrust scholarship program benefited 27 students in the 2018-19 academic year. You can win this scholarship worth $500 by entering a sweepstakes.

You can Easily Start Earning Your Degree Online

You should move towards earning your degree if you’re interested in starting a career in education. The great news is that you can earn a bachelor’s degree at a very affordable price within a short span of time. You can even start learning online and manage the time according to your needs. You won’t face any problems with achieving your goals as there is a lot of flexibility available in this category.