We talked with some graduate students who had recently completed their programs in education or are currently undertaking it to see what they thought about their program and if they have any advice to share with you.
Try to get an internship or volunteer experience that is related to the area of education you want to work in. Network with your professors and attend research group meetings in your education department to learn about the most pressing issues in the field. These connections and the insight they can give you will be pivotal for your future career path in international education.
Become a substitute teacher first to figure out who you are in a classroom, what subject(s) you’d be open to teaching, and what grade level you’d want to work with. You can either get a multi-subject credential (grades K-5) or a single subject credential (grades 6-12) that focuses on one thing. I knew I wanted to teach high school history, so I have a single subject social science credential. And subbing is what proved me right.
When deciding on a subject you want to teach, don’t care too much about how good you were (are) at the subject. This is simply because you are not necessarily best at teaching your best subject. If you teach a subject that you like but are not so good at, you would more easily understand how your students are feeling, what problems they may be facing, how they can be motivated in their process of learning that subject, etc. This makes you a better teacher, meaning that someone who is most knowledgeable in a subject is not necessarily the best teacher in that subject.
- Yuto, BA in Education from University of Tsukuba; National Teaching License in Foreign Language (English) for Lower and Upper Secondary School; MS in International Education from Stockholm University
A PGCE is a great way to, within one year, go from being a graduate in a particular field to teaching it to children in schools (in the UK). You learn both the theory of education and gain lots of experience of actually teaching in schools.
What questions should you ask a university to find the right education program?
We also asked graduate students if there were any questions they asked or wished they had asked during the research and application process to determine which program was right for them. Here were the most common and helpful questions they think you should be asking universities before you apply.
What connections do the professors have to potential employers?
Does the program actively connect students with job opportunities?
Where do the program alumni currently work?
Are there opportunities or support for publishing your own educational research during the program?
How diverse are the staff and students in the program?
Does the program balance theoretical and practical knowledge?
What are the expected goals and outcomes of the programs upon graduation?
Is a mandatory teaching internship included as a part of the program curriculum, and is there an established framework for it?
For teaching degrees and teacher credential programs:
What kind of courses are prepared for students to attain a teaching credential?
What school districts (or equivalent) are located around the teaching program and what kind of partnerships do they have with the districts?
Study Nursing in NigeriaAs mentioned earlier, teacher education courses usually focus on hands-on or practical knowledge and skills more than academic knowledge and skills. Yet, while some education programs encourage students to study education as an academic field alongside teaching training courses, other programs solely focus on education as an object of research.
Ask questions to understand how a program is balanced (or not) between hands-on and practical knowledge as compared to a program intended for students to study education as an academic discipline and field of research.
What should I look for in a university for studying education?
Fundamentally, students should always look for what they think a good university should have in general. However, there might be some features of a good university for studying education to look for.
With all the teaching and education programs out there, the reputation of the program might be worth looking into. Find reviews and ratings written by current and previous students, and message students about their experiences. If you cannot find program alumni by yourself, email the program administrator to ask for an alumni or current student emails to contact.
Look for professors with the right profiles to achieve your goals. In the field of education, sometimes school teachers or former teachers work as professors. They are, of course, teaching professionals, but they may not really be professional researchers. This can be either good or bad depending on your goals and what you want to learn.
To get the most out of your program, look for a program that keeps the classrooms small. Engaging in discussions and exploring learning theory in a more personal way will enhance your experience.
To get the most out of your program, look for a program that keeps the classrooms small. Engaging in discussions and exploring learning theory in a more personal way will enhance your experience.
Finding the finding for your program is ideal for an education degree. Depending on where you study, it could get quite expensive. If that’s the case, ask about scholarship opportunities within the program and the school or find external scholarship funding. There may be some opportunities to work for the school, for example as a graduate assistant, that would significantly lessen the financial burden.
A great way to level up your education skills is to put them to practice. Universities who invest in partnerships with education institutions where you can do your teaching practicum will be extremely helpful if you choose to study in a teaching program.
For those interested in jobs in education that are not teaching, look for universities with significant connections to educational organizations or that offer student involvement in educational activities. This could look like a mentoring program where you would advise younger students, career panels with alumni who are working in relevant educational institutions, or perhaps a yearly seminar where you could share educational research and network in your field.
An ideal teaching degree program will help you find a teaching job after you graduate. Take a look at where program alumni are working, and prioritize high job placement rates for an easier transition to working life after the program.
Career counseling services are also important resources that will help you later on. However, be prepared to not get a job where you student teach. Although it does happen and it is an absolute dream if it works out like that, not everyone can be so lucky.
How many of the program alumni actually got jobs in the field of education? How many of them became educational professionals in their desired field? Do their profiles fit your future career goals? Find program alumni on LinkedIn to understand how a program might translate into reality.
The first day of class is your opportunity to present your vision of the class to prospective students. It is helpful if you can introduce yourself as a scholar and educator and provide insight into how you will teach the class and what you will expect them to contribute to the learning process.
Consider that several of your students may be “shopping” for a schedule the first week of classes. They may be looking for a class that will fill a particular time slot, include a particular learning environment (i.e. lab-based or lecture style), or a class with a certain workload to balance the demands of their other courses and extra-curricular responsibilities. Thus, students will appreciate a clear roadmap of what you will require of them over the course of the semester. You may also want to model, as specifically as possible, the classroom environment you intend to foster during the class. For example, if they will spend a good deal of time doing group work over the course of the semester, you may want to break them into groups the first day.
“Professors who established a special trust with their students often displayed the kind of openness in which they might, from time to time, talk about their intellectual journey, its ambitions, triumphs, frustrations, and failures, and encourage students to be similarly reflective and candid.”
