Secondary Education Degrees in Oregon
If you ask any adult, young or old, which people have made the most lasting impression on their life, most people will include a teacher in their list. Why is that? A skilled and passionate teacher can pass on lessons that are remembered for a lifetime, give students the skills they need to thrive in life, and serve as a mentor, particularly for students who may not have much support in their lives. If you are ready to take on this multifaceted role, learn more about secondary education programs in Oregon.
Oregon’s commitment to education is apparent in many ways. Oregon legislators have committed a percentage of all revenue growth to schools and teachers.
This state has also started exploring different methods of assessing student performance. Many schools have adopted Common Core standardized testing. To meet these standards, students need highly-trained teachers.
Oregon has high goals for education. By 2025, they want at least 80% of the state’s adult population to have an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree. This requires secondary teachers to make higher education a possibility for students.
Overview of Secondary Education Programs in Oregon
To become a secondary teacher, you must follow a tightly-sequences set of courses that take you through the field of education and turn you into a confident classroom teacher. In the first part of your degree program, you may take courses like Cultural Context of Education, Foundations of Teaching and Learning, Motivation and Classroom Management, and Pedagogy in Education. After completing these courses, you may proceed to courses that focus on your chosen subject area, teaching theory, adolescent psychology, and the psychology of education.
The final part of your training hinges on your performance in the classroom. For one semester, you work full-time in a local classroom as a student teacher. Your success in student teaching may determine your job opportunities and how many professional contacts you have in Oregon.
Scholarships, grants, and loans are all options for funding your education. The Oregon Community Foundation is behind many of the largest scholarships in Oregon, including several that are intended for education students. You may also wish to apply for federal financial aid and look into school-specific scholarships and grants.
Working in Secondary Education in Oregon
The final step to beginning a rewarding career in secondary education is earning your teaching license from the Oregon State Board of Education. They set the philosophy and goals of Oregon and education. You must display your competence in education via a series of tests before you get your license.
In general, salaries for Oregon teachers are in line with the national average. The average salary for a secondary teacher in Oregon is $56,500 per year, according to O*Net. Job openings may increase by 12% through 2022, a growth rate that is two times higher than the national average (O*Net, 2012).
Find out what you can do for the students of your community by contacting secondary education programs in Oregon today!