If your child wants to be a teacher, is it better to go to a school with a bachelor’s in education

[Anonymous]

or major in a subject then do an MA in education? How much does school name matter for bachelors or masters if my DC may want to teach in an independent school someday? TIA.

[Anonymous]

I'd major in a subject, especially if you want to teach high school, plus the MA can mean a salary boost.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd major in a subject, especially if you want to teach high school, plus the MA can mean a salary boost.

OP here. The concern is the massive cost of the 5th year (master’s).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd major in a subject, especially if you want to teach high school, plus the MA can mean a salary boost.

OP here. The concern is the massive cost of the 5th year (master’s).

If you are planning to become a teacher, you should not have "massive costs" associated with college. Go instate somewhere you can afford. Teachers get paid the same, no matter where they got their undergrad.

[Anonymous]

Get the BA in education because it will include opportunities for student teaching. Minor in a subject area of interest.

[Anonymous]

Most of the teachers at my kids elementary school in Montgomery County went to Towson and have education degree.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd major in a subject, especially if you want to teach high school, plus the MA can mean a salary boost.

OP here. The concern is the massive cost of the 5th year (master’s).

If you are planning to become a teacher, you should not have "massive costs" associated with college. Go instate somewhere you can afford. Teachers get paid the same, no matter where they got their undergrad.

OP here. What qualifications do schools like Sidwell, Potomac, NCS and boarding schools look for?

[Anonymous]

Your daughter needs to be doing this research, not mom. There are many colleges that will allow a major in a particular subject area to obtain a teaching certificate. Frankly, education majors are looked down upon. Major in a real subject matter and tack on an education minor, teaching certificate, or do that 5th year masters (still cheaper than a 2-year MA).

[Anonymous]

My alma mater (University of Richmond) axed the master's in teaching program when I was a freshman. I was very annoyed, but in the end I realized that the salary increase of $1-$2k/year would have taken forever to make up for the master degree tuition and loss of one year's salary. And it's not like teaching jobs are hard to come by at the moment. You can always get the master's at night or take a year off if you want it later.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My alma mater (University of Richmond) axed the master's in teaching program when I was a freshman. I was very annoyed, but in the end I realized that the salary increase of $1-$2k/year would have taken forever to make up for the master degree tuition and loss of one year's salary. And it's not like teaching jobs are hard to come by at the moment. You can always get the master's at night or take a year off if you want it later.

OP here. My child is interested in teaching at private schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd major in a subject, especially if you want to teach high school, plus the MA can mean a salary boost.

OP here. The concern is the massive cost of the 5th year (master’s).

If you are planning to become a teacher, you should not have "massive costs" associated with college. Go instate somewhere you can afford. Teachers get paid the same, no matter where they got their undergrad.

OP here. What qualifications do schools like Sidwell, Potomac, NCS and boarding schools look for?

Your daughter could go to their website and look up current staff, as well as look at the qualifications for open positions.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My alma mater (University of Richmond) axed the master's in teaching program when I was a freshman. I was very annoyed, but in the end I realized that the salary increase of $1-$2k/year would have taken forever to make up for the master degree tuition and loss of one year's salary. And it's not like teaching jobs are hard to come by at the moment. You can always get the master's at night or take a year off if you want it later.

OP here. My child is interested in teaching at private schools.

You should post at private school section.
You will get better answers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:or major in a subject then do an MA in education? How much does school name matter for bachelors or masters if my DC may want to teach in an independent school someday? TIA.

IDK anything about independent schools as I have only taught in public schools. I teach in a well-off suburban HS school district. If the person wants to teach in a HS, it can be better to have the bachelor's in a subject, but not always. Since it is cheaper to hire a person who has less education, it can make the person with a bachelor's and no experience more appealing than the person with the MA and no experience. If an applicant can coach a sport or run a program like debate or direct theater productions, this will be a much bigger bonus than an MA.

School name for the bachelor's used to matter somewhat in my district, MA school name never did. More recently, I have noticed fewer hires coming from the state flagships in the region and more from "directional" schools (Eastern [State name] University, etc.) and smaller nearby colleges.

FWIW, I would never put money into expensive tuition for an education program at the undergraduate or graduate level.

[Anonymous]

Get the bachelors in a subject! The better universities don't even offer a bachelor's degree in education. What happens if your daughter doesn't like teaching?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Get the bachelors in a subject! The better universities don't even offer a bachelor's degree in education. What happens if your daughter doesn't like teaching?

I should add that I was previously an HR Director at a local (well-known) independent school and we'd much rather have a teacher with a Master's in Education vs. a Bachelor's in Education. The stereotype is that someone with a Bachelor's in Education isn't that smart.