Professional Goals in Elementary Education
The field of elementary education is vital in developing both the intellectual and social skills of children, setting the course for how they will continue throughout their education and into their adult lives. Teachers and administrators who work in primary education must have clearly defined professional goals that will further their own career while benefiting their students.
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Degrees
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The first goal of most educators is to achieve a minimum of a bachelor's degree that focuses on both education and the subject they wish to teach. For example, if you wish to teach music at an elementary school, you should plan to pursue a bachelor's degree in music education. Later in your career, your professional goals might include becoming a principal or director. In this case, master's and doctoral degrees that focus on education and administration are usually required.
Certification
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In the United States, each state has separate certification requirements that you should add to your goals as an elementary educator. In most cases, you will need two certificates, one that focuses on general elementary education, and another that focuses on your specialty subject, like history, math or art. Because certificates expire and are often renewable by attending a certain number of hours worth of professional-development courses and clinics over the years, maintaining the proper certification is a career-long goal in elementary education.
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Classroom Goals
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Every educational professional should have specific classroom goals, both short-term and long-term, for both themselves and their students. Classroom goals include maintaining discipline, improving productivity and social skills as well as keeping up-to-date with advancements in technology and other areas that are changing the field of elementary education. Other professional goals in the classroom include developing a curriculum that ensures students leave your grade level fully prepared for the next.
Administrative Goals
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Regardless of whether you are a teacher or administrator, every elementary educator has professional administrative goals. Administrative goals include organization for both staff and students; constantly improving communication skills with students, their parents, and other staff members; and adjusting course outlines and goals based on the progress and needs of the students.
Expert Insight
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Professional goals in any career are subject to change, and elementary education is no exception. If your goals change, it may be possible to adjust by adding to your past achievements to help you reach your new goals. According to BrainTrack, "While the traditional route requires a bachelor's degree in elementary education before obtaining a teaching license, most states now allow aspiring teachers with bachelor's degrees in non-related fields to attend one-year professional development programs before seeking their license."
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit three notebooks. image by Yuri Bizgaimer from Fotolia.com
