A Brief History of the K-12 Education Major
The K-12 education major became necessary when states started requiring higher levels of training and education from teachers in public schools as these schools came to be funded by public tax dollars. However, if you go back to our nation’s earliest history, a college education and certification hasn’t always been necessary for those who served as teachers.
A child’s schooling often took place at home or in grammar schools, high schools or one-room schoolhouses, where the only qualification to teach was that you had completed grammar school or high school yourself. Over time, however, as education became compulsory for all children in the U.S., “normal schools” began to emerge with teacher education being their primary purpose. Over time, state normal schools evolved into regional, comprehensive universities, and the K-12 education major started being offered alongside majors in other academic disciplines.
Today, anyone who wants to become a teacher at a public school must receive a college education — typically a bachelor’s degree, although some specialties require master’s degrees in some states — and become certified to teach. If the move toward master’s-level training for teachers continues to grow, than the K-12 education major as offered at the bachelor’s level may become a stepping stone in a teacher’s path to career preparation.
Delving Into the K-12 Education Major
K-12 education majors typically take upper-level courses in educational philosophy, classroom management, child psychology and human development, as well as methods of teaching subject areas such as mathematics, reading and science. More often than not, students must choose an age group they plan to teach — whether it be elementary, middle, or high schoolers.
Electives might include special education, teaching gifted & talented (GT) students, teaching in a multi-cultural environment, or these courses might be required. Rounding out the K-12 education major are required basic courses in college algebra, social science, art, literature, communication, computer science and a foreign language—all components of a well-rounded, modern liberal arts education.
In addition to these courses, K-12 education majors must complete at least one semester’s worth of student teaching under the guidance of a mentor, a certified teacher. Student teaching is set up very much like an internship and is a hands-on opportunity for students to learn how to run their own classrooms. A K-12 education major will study from textbooks that explore the theory and practice of teaching.
Students will also explore the latest education research as they complete their own research projects that require them to look more closely at effective teaching methods. K-12 education students must also complete projects and essays that challenge them to conduct lesson planning, explain how they would handle disruptive students, and explain how they will work together with parents for the benefit of a child or teen’s education. In most cases, a K-12 education major program prepares students for state certification.
Degree Levels:
Bachelor’s
Students who want to teach in public K-12 schools need to have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and state teacher certification. Students pursuing a bachelor’s degree in K-12 education will complete general education courses as well as teacher education courses. Students will learn how to manage a classroom, including how to get rowdy children under control and redirect them to the learning process. K-12 education majors will also learn how to engage students in the learning process.
The major also teaches students how to put together effective lesson plans, including how to tailor lesson plans for specific age groups and different categories of learners. They will receive at least some training in tailoring lessons for special education students, students with learning disabilities or academically exceptional students. Courses in child psychology and human development help teachers-in-training get a clearer picture of what’s going on in the minds and bodies of their pupils and how it affects the learning process.
Master’s
At the master’s level, K-12 education major studies become increasingly more specialized. Master’s students must choose a specific area within education to focus their research and study. Students can continue in the teaching vein, going on to do advanced study in areas such as teacher leadership, special education or ESL education, or they can switch gears and go into adult education and training.
Students may wish to specialize in the administrative side of K-12 education, such as curriculum & development, education administration or community partnership, in order to pursue careers as assistant principals, principals and school district administrators. Master’s programs in education emphasize instructional strategies, integrated curriculum and research into effective teaching models.
Another key component is setting educational goals and putting a plan of action in place to meet those goals. Research is an important part of most master’s programs, and students explore both theories of education and their applications.
Doctorate
At the doctoral level, students are often interested in transitioning out of K-12 education and into teaching future educators at the college level or advancing their career in district administration. Many earn their doctorate to pursue careers as superintendents or high-level directors in a large school district. Others are preparing for a career in research, writing, government or politics. Some, however, do continue as K-12 educators.
Students pursuing a doctorate in education learn foundations of teacher leadership, educational promotion and continue to conduct applied educational research, studying up on trends, issues and global perspectives within the field of teaching. Doctoral students learn through challenging graduate-level courses and one or more face-to-face residencies, and students are typically required to write a dissertation on the research topic of their choice, under the guidance of a mentor. Doctoral students may focus on educational administration and policy, or curriculum and technology in higher education.
Supplementing Your K-12 Education Major
When earning a degree in K-12 education, you will usually have the opportunity to choose a concentration. Some of the most popular concentrations in the K-12 education major include elementary education, mathematics education, science education, ESL or bilingual education, special education, and reading education/literacy. The reason areas such as math and science, ESL, and special education are so popular is because they are in such high demand. School districts may even give out incentive bonuses to attract teachers who specialize in these areas. At many schools, children struggle and fall behind most in areas such as math and science, and school districts need teachers who excel in teaching the subjects effectively.
K-12 education majors can get specific in the areas of a subject they wish to teach, concentrating on geosciences, biological sciences, physics or chemistry within the science education specialization. The ESL, or English as a Second Language concentration, prepares students to work with immigrant students or students who do not have a solid command of the English language. The special education concentration helps students learn how to tailor instruction for special needs students, or students with mental or physical disabilities.
Aside from concentrating in an area mentioned above, K-12 education majors can also minor in an subject area that will further bolster their career potential. Great minors to pair with a general education major include communication, business or psychology. A communication minor can help students work more effectively with parents and their fellow faculty members. A business minor is useful for students who would like to open their own daycare or tutoring service or even a run a business on the side of teaching. And a psychology minor can serve as a stepping stone to a career as a high school guidance counselor or child psychologist.
Learn More About the K-12 Education Major
- Princeton Review
- University of New Orleans Counseling and Career Center
- The Journal of General Education
The K-12 Education Major in the Job Market
The K-12 education major directly prepares students for a rewarding career in teaching in today’s K-12 schools. All individuals who wish to teach in public schools must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and state certification. While that bachelor’s degree is most often in education, there is a path to teacher certification for individuals whose bachelor’s is in another field who want to transition into teaching. The advantage of the K-12 education major, though, is the focused coursework directly preparing you for what you will experience in the classroom.
Applicable job skills you will learn in the K-12 education major include lesson planning, providing individualized attention to at-risk youth, commanding your students’ attention, engaging students in the learning process, integrating technology in the classroom, and identifying academically gifted children or children with learning disorders, so that lessons can be adapted for their needs. Other directly applicable job skills include effective methods for teaching core K-12 subjects such as mathematics, science, reading and language arts. A vital skill you cultivate in the K-12 education major is classroom management. Because today’s classrooms can become downright wild if a teacher cannot maintain control, it’s important to be able to put a stop to disruptive behavior and proceed with the lesson at hand.
The most important component of the K-12 education major is the student teaching requirement. The experience essentially gives students hands-on internship experience in real-life classrooms, something that “book smarts” alone can never fully teach you. Hiring managers at school districts and school leadership at private, charter and religious schools both look for teachers who are ready to hit the ground running, even if private schools do not require certification. Completing your student teaching to complete the K-12 education major proves to employers that you have the essential classroom experience you need to start out strong.
While the most common career path for graduates who go on to become certified is teaching in public elementary, intermediate, middle and high schools, some teach at private, charter, college prep or religious schools. Alternate careers for K-12 education majors include starting one’s own school, working at a daycare or preschool, or working for a tutoring service or as a private tutor or educator. Others may wish to go to non-English speaking nations to teach the English language abroad. Still others use their teaching experience as a stepping stone into child counseling or child psychology. The best place is look for teaching jobs is the job boards of your local school districts, although general job boards, such as SchoolSpring.com, do exist.
