What is the best thing you could do for yourself while studying to become an educator?

I think the best thing to do is gain experience in the form of internships even if it is part-time and seek experience in different areas. For example, if you would like to work in high school education, try out what middle school is also like or try work as a tutor or assistant coach. Those experiences will help guide and inform your choices. Also, an educator can greatly benefit from being exposed to different cultures. I would highly recommend learning another language and/or travelling to another country to experience what educators do there and what problems/challenges they face.

I would recommend volunteering and or working part time in the field as much as possible.

Hi Madelyn!

I used to be a Kindergarten through 8th grade Art Teacher but started out as a teaching assistant in grades Kindergarten through 5th!

A few pieces of advice while studying to become an educator -

1. Identify age groups you'd like to work with and/or the subject you'd like to teach.
2. Get as much experience outside of your studies working in the classroom. Find schools in your area that you could volunteer in. Volunteer in K-5 classrooms, 6-8 classrooms and high school. This could help narrow your focus on the grade level or subject you'd like to teach.
3. Ask your education professors if there are volunteer teaching programs they partner with - there could be an opportunity to teach abroad as part of a summer/fall internship.
4. Become a tutor - this will give you 1:1 experience and could help develop your teaching style.
5. Don't be afraid to tap into your network - friends, family or your professors may have connections at schools and could help you get into one to volunteer.
6. Spend time with other educators and teachers - observe them teaching and don't be afraid to ask questions!

Best of luck to you!

I would recommend first and foremost to get in as much time as you can in diverse education settings. This will better prepare you for potential career opportunities you may receive in the future.

The next thing I recommend is try your best to stay clear of student debt. Depending on the area, salaries for teachers can be low and a four year degree can be costly. The less you have a to pay back post graduation the more you will have to provide for your own needs.

Lastly, I would recommend noting or taking pictures of anything that you see others doing that will help you in your future classroom. Setting up your first classroom can be overwhelming but if you have some classroom management tips and tricks from seasoned professionals it will help relieve some of the stress. Good luck to you!