When it comes to finding the right kind of degree program to pursue for a college education, what oftentimes gets overlooked is Education. It is the keystone to every successful industry and is crucial towards the advancement of them all. Arguably, a degree in Education should be the foundation to your academic career if you plan to become a teacher, whether it’s early on in your career or later.
Enrolling in an Associate of Arts degree in Education is also the perfect degree program for undecided students, and again is arguably better than a general studies concentration. While a general studies concentration allows students to design their own area of study, the associates in Education focuses on the pedagogy of teaching in general offering core requirements such as:
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Introduction to Education
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Class Room Management
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Teaching Diverse Populations
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Technology in Education
In addition to these core courses, the entire curriculum is general education courses that are designed to teach students the fundamentals of teaching different subjects. Such a focus will provide a solid background to a resume of an aspiring teacher.
More About the Associates of Arts in Education
The general education requirements in this program will cover a wide array of subjects. The Education degree will expand upon the basics of English Composition, Fundamentals of Oral Communications, and Algebra. FNU’s accredited degree program will also include a more extensive math requirement such as Geometry and Introduction to Statistics.
Getting a general understanding of computer technology is also a requirement. Students will be expected to pass 4 credit hours of our Introduction to Information Technology.
Where is FNU?
FNU is located in the South Florida area with one campus in Miami and the other in Hialeah. While many FNU graduates have gone on to work in different states throughout the country, many more have found teaching jobs right in the South Florida area. These areas are widely known for housing a heavy Hispanic population. Yet, the close proximity of teaching nearby our campuses make job availability quite favorable due to the high population in general—all ethnicities included.
An Education Degree is Also Diverse!
An Education degree is applicable in so many industries. Many people limit this degree to teaching K-12 and college, but there are many avenues of education that apply within this industry.
Here is a list of other teaching positions that you can consider with a degree in Education:
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Instructional Coordinators
This type of teaching may require additional education as such a position is similar to a school superintendent. The Instructional Coordinator is in charge of coordinating a school’s curriculum along with tailoring an excellent standard of teaching. He/she will assess how well these programs do while continuously improving them.
It used to be all about mastering the Dewey Decimal system. Now with technology advancing by leaps and bounds, many publications are electronically stored bringing the need for a computerized database management system into play. It needs to be designed so that it can organize all of this storage. Today, librarians need to be fully capable of operating an integrated library management system, an automated software system that is designed to organize and track publications.
Special Education teachers require a specific skillset when working with children and/or adolescents with learning, mental, emotional, and/or physical disabilities. These teachers learn to develop alternative pedagogy methods that are designed to help challenged students masters the general education fundamentals such as reading, writing, and math. Helping students learn these basic skills will help prepare them for independent living.
Preschool teachers teach children under the age of 5—those who have not yet entered kindergarten. Preschool teachers are responsible for preparing students for kindergarten. Certain preschool can be seen as advanced daycare where there are structured lessons that help students begin to understand the most basics of reading, writing, and other subjects. Creative lesson plans that help children memorize the alphabet and numbers are such examples of advanced preschool learning. Lesson demonstrated in children’s learning shows like Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer are creative ways to teach preschoolers.
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Technical Education Teachers
Technical Education teachers go beyond the subject matter and focus on occupational skillset. This kind of teaching is generally taken from real-life experiences—professionals teaching in their specific area of interest. While the same thing is done in universities like FNU, the technical teachers have more flexibility to teach occupational niches that aren’t necessarily offered at regionally accredited universities. For instance, technical education teachers can instruct classes like culinary skills, sewing, mechanics, cosmetology, construction, Foreign Languages, or English as a Second Language, etc.
An Education Degree Provides More Options
A degree in education offers different kinds of teaching opportunities. No matter where you are in your career, an associate’s degree in Education will provide you with the academic credibility to teach in either of the above-mentioned occupations and more. In some instances, more education may be necessary, but with the proper foundation of an FNU education, your resume will be more diverse.
This degree program can also be earned 100% online. In addition to the 60 credit hours required, students will also need to complete 40 hours of field experience. If you are taking classes online, then FNU can arrange it so that you can fulfill your fieldwork at a school that is in close proximity to your location. An FNU advisor will take care of the specifics.
Get the enrollment process started to earn your degree in Education, contact Florida National University and apply today!