"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire"
~William Butler Yeats

What is education?

Education is the act of imparting knowledge or skill to a recipient. For students, a program in education leads to educating others through teaching, leading camps and day care centers, researching, making policies, and other knowledge-driven activities. To teach, one must be aware that in addition to increasing a student's knowledge base, a teacher is also impacting the social, personal, and cultural development of individuals. Teachers communicate ideas, develop learning activities, evaluate academic performance, and interact with parents and guardians.

The Teacher Education Certification program at William Paterson University leads to teacher certification in the areas of Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Subject Area, Physical Education, Special Education, and Music Education. To be eligible to pursue a particular certificate, a student must be in the appropriate major. Please refer to the Education Department for a list of appropriate majors for specific certifications. All programs require a full semester of student teaching in a local NJ district. Certification programs generally range from 30-36 credits and classes in each program are specific to the area of study.

To learn more about the certification program requirements, please visit this link:
http://www.wpunj.edu/coe/default.htm

Admissions information on education programs is located here:
http://www.wpunj.edu/coe/departments/

What interests and skills do potential employers value in this career?

• Organization skills
• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Creativity
• Ability to work both independently and in a team
• Flexibility
• Computer skills
• Presentation skills
• Decisiveness

What types of jobs can certified teachers get?

Work Environment :
People working within the field of education have several options in terms of work environment. While the most apparent is becoming a school teacher, there are several other options, including: working in camps, churches, colleges and universities, boards of education, testing service companies, museums, day care centers, correctional facilities, libraries, hospitals, publishing companies, community centers, non-profit organizations, government agencies, camps, adoption agencies, and youth services. Education programs are certification programs designed to be completed alongside a major, and all job titles listed are occupied by those who had a major in addition to teacher certification in a specialized area. In some cases, a master's degree or additional certification is needed beyond the bachelors and initial certification.

Possible Job Titles

In what locations and capacities have William Paterson education program alumni worked?

Reading Resource Teachers local NJ districts

Resource Room Teachers local NJ districts

Special Education Teachers local NJ districts

Teachers of the Handicapped local NJ districts

Elementary School Teachers local NJ districts

Middle School Teachers local NJ districts

High School Teachers local NJ districts

Aside from being in the teacher education program, what else can I do that may enhance my qualifications?

Successful students tend to seek out opportunities to enhance their qualifications through a variety of means. Within education, some suggestions may include gaining practical experience through internship/externship/practicum/job shadowing; substitute teaching; working as a tutor; working in childcare; joining a professional education organization; becoming involved and taking leadership positions in career-related campus organizations; developing computer skills; build a portfolio; looking into the possibility of graduate school; considering more than one certification; learning another language; and attending networking functions.

What else can I read about education?

Related Web Sites :

New Jersey Department of Education http://www.state.nj.us/education/

U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov/

National Education Association www.nea.org

American Federation of Teachers www.aft.org

Education News http://www.agentk-12.org/

Occupational Outlook www.bls.gov/oco/

Industry Information www.vault.com

Job Search and Salary information www.rileyguide.com

Occupation Information http://online.onetcenter.org

Other sources of information :

Please drop by the Career Development and Advisement Center to learn more about careers in education. The career library carries career-specific books and counselors are available to answer any further questions you may have. Visiting the College of Education on campus may also prove valuable in addressing questions.

The Career Development and Gloria S. Williams Advisement Center
Student Center 301, 300 Pompton Road Wayne, NJ 07470
Phone 973.720.2281/2282 Fax 973.720.2074

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