Before pursuing a degree in education, keep in mind that you can be a teacher without it. Here are some situations in which I would recommend an education degree.

1. Teaching is your passion- if you want to be a truly excellent teacher, you will need the academic foundation for it. Although you may be able to teach with pretty much any four-year degree, you probably won't be your best without at least some formal training. If you want to be an educator, and not just a teacher, go for it.

2. You don't want to jump into teaching headfirst. Here's a likely scenario. You graduated magna cum laude with a bachelor's degree in Math. After college, you had trouble finding a job, so you decided to get accredited for teaching. You are placed in an inner-city school teaching remedial English to a very angry, disobedient group of students. You come home with gum, paper, or foil in your hair each afternoon and cry yourself to sleep. Having a bachelor's degree does not necessarily make you qualified to teach. If you know that you lack the skills to maintain order in a classroom, you'll want to go back to school to get your degree.

3. You're interested in moving up in the education industry. If you wanted to start out as a teacher, but are interested in becoming a principal or even a school board member, you will need a solid foundation. Getting a degree in education would be a good start for anyone pursuing a long-term career in education.

4. You want to do it right. If you have a passion for education, and want to go about teaching the "right" way, you should go for a degree. You will get all the basics you need, attain "real world" education experience through internship/student teaching, and will be ready for the eager learners who await you.

Learn more about this author, H.G. Hess.
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