There are few professions in the world that offer the same level of job satisfaction as being a teacher does. Teachers play a pivotal role in their students’ lives and can inspire them in ways that no other adults in their lives can.
For anybody with a passion for teaching, a master’s degree in education is a degree well worth aiming for. Below are just four compelling reasons to make obtaining an MA in education your primary goal in life.
Rewarding and Meaningful Work
One of the most common reasons that teachers and other education professionals cite as being key in their decision to pursue a teaching career is the uniquely rewarding nature of the on the job satisfaction that comes with it. Teachers get to make a significant difference to the lives of the students that they are responsible for; not many professions can offer work that has quite the same potential to make a lasting impact on the lives of others.
Teaching is one of the chosen professions, that is up there with nursing and other emergency services, without which we would be on our own during our most vulnerable times. But whereas doctors and nurses often see a patient through a crisis and then move on to the next one, teachers spend at least an entire school year with the pupils that they are responsible for and therefore are able to develop a unique bond with them.
If a lot of job satisfaction is something that has caused you difficulties with employment in the past, working as a teacher is all but guaranteed to be a different story. That's not to say that working as a teacher isn’t incredibly challenging, especially within the context of certain types of school. However, being a teacher is an opportunity quite unlike any other if you are the kind of person who is motivated by a desire to help others. Being a teacher is one of the most altruistic professions that a person can take on.
Teach the Subject You Love
When we find a subject that we are truly passionate about and which speaks to us on an innate intuitive level, it is a thrilling experience. There is nothing that makes us feel more alive or fulfilled than being immersed in a subject or area of study that we are able to draw joy from. There are lots of people out there who are natural teachers and have a knack for being able to clearly and easily explain concepts to other students. For these people, teaching will come naturally, but for most people, some kind of training is required before they can teach to the best of their ability.
Even if you do have an innate talent for teaching, the masters in education is still a worthwhile pursuit. Completing this degree will formalise your inherent abilities and will signal to prospective employers and students that you are able to teach to a high standard. Once you have studied a subject to the highest level that you are capable of, it can be frustrating not knowing where to go next. Studying for a master's in education means that you can go all the way with your chosen subject, taking an active role in helping the next generation to learn and to make the journey you have just completed.
A Master’s Degree Is More Accessible Than Ever Before
For many people there are considerable barriers that need to be overcome before they can enrol on a university course. For example, going to university in the UK is not free. Even if you are able to secure some kind of grant, or you take out a student loan, there are still numerous costs associated with attending university in the UK that you will need to account for.
Even if money is no object and the financial side of things does not worry you, going to university represents a significant commitment of your time. It goes without saying that if you don't adhere to the schedule of your degree, you will fall behind and fail assignments. If you are already responsible for looking after a relative or even a spouse, this can complicate your plans even more.
Other common barriers that keep students from enrolling in university courses include:
- Inadequate financial resources.
- Commitments preventing students from travelling to another state to study.
- Parenting responsibilities.
- Medical conditions that limit mobility.
- Physical or psychological conditions that make the traditional university environment challenging.
Distance learning courses can offer some reprieve from all of these. The advent of online distance learning courses has therefore been life-changing for many people. If you choose to study an MA in education online, then you can not only learn from the comfort of your own home, but you can reduce the overall costs of your tuition while also giving yourself the option of studying over a longer time period. If you choose to study your course on a part-time basis, then you can simply take an extra year or three to complete it, leaving you plenty of time for your existing commitments.
Increase Your Earning Potential
Having another degree under your belt is always going to make you a more attractive hire to potential employers. In the case of a master’s degree in education, you will already need to have completed the lower levels of the qualification, so you should already have some idea of how much additional value the right degree can provide.
If you are in it for the long-haul and you know that teaching is the only thing that you can see yourself doing for the rest of your life, a master’s degree in education is the best preparation that you can possibly undertake.
Teaching is a unique and powerful opportunity for inquisitive minds to inspire the next generation and to reaffirm the years of experience that they have accumulated through determination and hard work. If you want to take your teaching game to its peak and provide your pupils with the kind of educational experience that can inspire children for an entire lifetime, studying for a master’s in education will sharpen your skills and enable you to hone your natural intuition.
Whether you hope to teach students within a school or college, or even if your desire is to fly around the world and help to educate the less fortunate in other environments, a master’s in education can serve as a solid foundation upon which to build your career.
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