Have you ever thought about teaching as a career? This article by Brooke Chaplan has all the information you need….
In-Demand Teaching Jobs and Who Gets Them
Teaching can be a challenging yet fulfilling career, and there will always be a demand for new teachers to educate young minds and develop future leaders. Most college students who are studying education tend to start their careers at the elementary level which is creating a shortage of teachers at the middle and high school levels. For college students who plan on becoming teachers, they can find plenty of employment opportunities in certain educational fields. Here are some of the most in-demand teaching jobs and where you can find you fit into a career.
STEM
STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and math, which includes the subjects of biology, chemistry, physics, statistics, information technology, and geology. School districts across the nation are in desperate need of teachers to educate students in these subject areas. Recruiting graduates with STEM credentials to become teachers is difficult because they are highly valued in the private sector as well. STEM students can start off earning almost twice as much money in the private sector than they would as new teachers which makes it a tough choice for many. Nevertheless, a college graduate with a STEM education is a valued commodity in K-12 education, and they have plenty of teaching opportunities available to them.
Special Needs Education
Over the past 15 to 20 years, mainstreaming students with special needs into the general education classroom has been an important part of creating an inclusive environment in schools. Students with learning disabilities such as dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, and mild forms of autism and intellectual disabilities need the support of teachers who are trained in adaptive learning strategies. College graduates who are looking into becoming special needs educators should have no problem finding a job because about half of all special needs teaching positions go unfilled during any given academic year. There are even more education opportunities for those looking to gain a career here from online graduate programs in education, to physical colleges dedicated to teaching these adaptive learning techniques.
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Children from around the world come to the U.S. and attend K-12 schools. Many of them speak little to no English, so teachers are needed to help these children learn English quickly, and help them transition into a mainstream classroom. College graduates who plan on becoming teachers and have a foreign language skill, especially in Spanish, have a highly marketable ability and can help educate children and adults. This is always an in-demand career and you can find plenty of opportunities in all the states.
There are plenty of job openings for STEM, special needs, and ESL teachers. These are high-demand positions that have minimal job competition compared to other teaching positions such as English/Language Arts and Social Studies. Having a degree in education is good, but to be a STEM teacher, it is better to have a specialized degree such as biology or chemistry.
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