Education - Adolescent and Young Adult
The Adolescent and Young Adult Licensure program is not itself a major; rather it prepares students for a license to use their four-year degree to teach individuals 12 to 21 years of age. Students in this program typically plan to teach at the junior and/or high school level, grades 7 through 12. Consequently they will major in a specific academic discipline to attain state licensure in one of the following areas: biology/life sciences, chemistry/life sciences, integrated language arts, integrated math, integrated science and integrated social studies.
As a result, those acquiring this major/licensure tend to be specialists rather than generalists. They help students delve more deeply into specific subject matter than do teachers of earlier grades. Students may also supplement their licensure by pursuing a Reading Endorsement and/or a Computer/Technology Endorsement.
Teachers of adolescents and young adults prepare and implement lesson plans, develop and administer exams, coordinate special activities, oversee extracurricular activities and interact with parents and supervisors. They must have an aptitude for and genuinely like working with young people, be knowledgeable in their subject area, and be able to impart that knowledge to their students.
Good secondary teachers are motivators, strong communicators and organizers. They have the ability to think critically. Personal qualities often found in successful secondary teachers include patience, emotional health and maturity, initiative, leadership, persistence, caring and a good sense of humor.
Study in this program prepares future teachers to meet the education needs of adolescents and young adults. Students gain an understanding of the learning process, teaching methods, the changing role of the teacher in today's society and current educational theory. Experiential participation in the classroom culminates with the student teaching experience in the senior year.
OCCUPATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
Administrator
Athletic coach
Counselor
Curriculum development specialist
Educational coordinator
Educational consultant
Overseas Teacher
Pediatric ward teacher
Teacher (7-12)
Teacher supervisor
RELATED OCCUPATIONS
Camp director
Editor
Employee development specialist
Employment interviewer
Publisher consultant
Researcher
Industrial trainer
Librarian
Media specialist
Public relations specialist
Salesperson
*Other related occupations depend upon the specific academic discipline chosen.
EMPLOYMENT OUTLOOK
Employment of school teachers is expected to grow by 6 percent between 2006 and 2016. Job opportunities for teachers over the next 10 years will vary from good to excellent, depending on the locality, grade level, and subject taught. Most job openings will result from the need to replace the large number of teachers who are expected to retire over the 2006-16 period. (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos069.htm)
POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS
Advertising agencies
Audio/visual production companies
Camps
Colleges and universities
Community agencies
County Board of Education
Department of Education
Department of Defense
Educational assessment clinics
Personnel resource and development firms
Private business and industry
Private schools
Public schools
Publishers
Self-employment/consultation
State Department
SOURCES FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Books (* denotes books available in the Career Center Library)
- *Eberts, Marjorie & Gisler, Margaret. Careers for Kids at Heart & Others Who Adore Children, Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career Horizons, 2000.
- Edelfelt, Roy. Careers in Education, Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career Horizons, 2004.
- *Encyclopedia of Careers and Vocational Guidance, Vol. 2, Chicago, IL: Ferguson Publishing Co., 2000.
- Fine, Janet. Opportunities in Teaching Careers, Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career Horizons, 2005.
- *Gallagher, Joanne & Kersten, Thomas, editors. 2008 Job Search Handbook for Educators, Columbus, OH: American Association for Employment in Education (AAEE), 2008.
- *Morkes, Andrew, editor. Ferguson's Careers in Focus: Writing, Chicago, IL: Ferguson Publishing Co., 2003.
- *Warner, Jack & Bryan, Clyde. Inside Secrets of Finding a Teaching Job, Indianapolis, IN: Park Ave. Publications, 1997.
Professional Associations
- American Federation of Teachers, 555 New Jersey Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001, http://www.aft.org.
- National Education Association, 1201 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036-3290, http://www.nea.org.
Web sites