Teaching, it’s not a job—it’s a Passion
It’s not surprising that many young children dream of becoming schoolteachers. In a child’s formative years, teachers often are a huge influence on the children in their classrooms.
Aside from the obvious satisfaction that teachers have when shaping a student’s mind and launching a passion for learning, there are numerous benefits of working as a teacher. How does enjoying 10 weeks off during the summer sound—along with weekends and holidays off? In today’s work environment, teachers also have more job security than most fields, and the position allows for a true work-life balance. Although every state is different, teachers typically make good salaries (public-school teachers are actually paid about 11% more than the average professional worker), and they have amazing benefits and most have retirement funds/pension.
Job satisfaction is so high that a report, released in December 2020 by USA Facts, states that over 65% of public-school teachers would not give up their work for a higher-paying job.
This fall, Immaculata welcomes a diverse group of undergraduate education students. One of the reasons why students are interested in the education program and a teaching career is that Immaculata’s graduates are securing teaching jobs after graduation. This past year’s graduates had a 75% job placement and 25% are pursuing advanced degrees.
As a 5th grade teacher at Erdenheim Elementary School, Rachael Holmes ’19 is a true believer in the sentiment that teaching is not just a career, it is a vocation. “Teaching is a humbling profession that reminds us each day of the impact that we can make on our students,” says Holmes. “As educators we have the privilege to learn every day from our students and grow right alongside them.”
Erdenheim Elementary School is located in the Springfield Township School District in Montgomery County, where the average salary is listed online as $63,320 for elementary school teachers, above the Pennsylvania state average of $59,884 a year listed by Salary.com for fall 2021.
Another positive statistic, according to a February 2019 article in The Atlantic, is the number of men entering the teaching career has grown by 31% since the early 1980s. Although a majority of teachers are female (76% of all teachers at public and private schools are women), this is definitely a profession where men can thrive and serve as positive role models.
A perfect example of this is Myles Huf, who is a graduate of Immaculata’s PK-4 teacher certification and master’s in educational leadership and is currently pursuing his Ed.D. in educational leadership and administration at Immaculata as well. Huf teaches freshmen and sophomore geometry and applied calculus to seniors at Malvern Preparatory School. Huf acknowledges that a diverse cohort of teachers is beneficial to students.
“When I decided to pursue teaching, it was out of a passion to be a role model for our youth, no matter what the scenario,” Huf says.
With teaching considered a recession-proof profession, job security is a huge benefit for teachers at all levels of education. In addition, the number of jobs will continue to grow with the pending retirement of aging teachers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics states preschool, elementary, middle, secondary, and special education teachers will grow by 9% between 2020 and 2030.
In addition to alumni beginning their careers in education, Immaculata University offers programs to support individuals interested in pursuing a new career path. To help these career-changers make the transition, Immaculata offers a fully online PK-4 teaching certification. This program is for people who already have a bachelor’s degree and want to become an elementary school teacher. Students study part time, taking only one seven-week class at a time, and may complete the certification in less than two years.
“After working in another field for almost 20 years, I decided to go back to school for education,” states Eileen Wainwright. “Immaculata offers an accelerated program in which classes are seven weeks in duration. I was very excited about this, as I would be able to complete credits much quicker than a traditional semester.”
For professionals currently working in the education field, Immaculata offers a Master of Arts in educational leadership. One of the benefits of this program is that it’s perfect for working adults. The accelerated, seven-week classes allow students to start in fall, spring, or summer and complete the program in as little as one year. Courses are available online, hybrid, or face-to-face on the campus in Malvern as well as at several off-campus locations.
With 100 years of experience educating teachers, Immaculata has alumni working in the education field, ranging from teachers in elementary and secondary schools, to principals and superintendents across the country.
Earning her doctorate in education from Immaculata University in 2004, Kelly Doyle, assistant professor of education, recognizes the importance of teaching the teachers. She shared that, “as a teacher educator, I can make a difference not only in the lives of my own students, but also in the lives of their future students, thus helping to shape the future in ways that reach far beyond the boundaries of my own classroom.”
Immaculata offers associate, bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees in education in addition to several instructional and administrative certifications, endorsements, and professional development opportunities. For more information on any of the Division of Education programs, please contact the undergraduate or graduate admissions department.