| Today's economy has been a real eye-opener for | | | | knowledge from their online classes to the classroom |
| many people. Job seekers are realizing they want a | | | | setting right away. This immediacy will no doubt be |
| job that offers more than just employment and a | | | | encouraging to student teachers and their young |
| paycheck. Security, health benefits and the possibility | | | | students because it will help prospective teachers to |
| of advancement are just as important as a paycheck. | | | | better understand the demands of the teaching |
| In order to qualify for a job that offers all of these | | | | process, rather than waiting an extra semester to |
| benefits, job seekers understand they need more | | | | get into a classroom. |
| than work experience. An online degree may be the | | | | There are many added benefits to becoming a |
| answer that will help them get into a career that | | | | teacher, including good prospects as some |
| offers good pay and other benefits, as well. | | | | governments are realizing that in order to create |
| Another impact of the economic downturn has been | | | | good learning environments they may need to offer |
| that many professionals are realizing they want a job | | | | initiatives or bonuses. The purpose of some of these |
| that is more than just work. They want a job that | | | | bonus programs is to create an easier transition into |
| might not only enable them to have a satisfying | | | | the teaching profession for new degree holders. |
| career, but to possibly have a social impact on their | | | | There are some high-need schools that are in need |
| community. They may not realize that the ability to | | | | of teachers to such an extent that a bachelors |
| help others may be no more than the click of a | | | | degree holder in almost any field may obtain a |
| mouse away. Online schools may hold the answers to | | | | teaching position there. |
| their dreams of job satisfaction and community | | | | This need may create ideal situations for bachelors |
| involvement. | | | | degree candidates at online and traditional schools. |
| People who are looking for improvement in their | | | | They may be able to enter their new teaching |
| careers and their lives may want to think about | | | | careers sooner than they imagined. They may begin |
| completing an online degree to become a teacher. | | | | to search for teaching positions even when they are |
| Being in an online degree program can help a | | | | a few credits shy of graduating, so that when they |
| prospective teacher get to their goals more quickly. | | | | do graduate, a job will already be waiting for them. |
| Since most states require a certain amount of | | | | Students who are working to finish their degree at |
| classroom time to become certified, taking classes | | | | an online college may find that the teaching |
| online can help a teacher-in-training to complete | | | | profession has more to offer than they first thought. |
| required classes toward their degree outside of the | | | | In addition to working for school districts that may |
| hours they need to be in the classroom as student | | | | have excellent benefits, new teachers may also find |
| teachers. Online schools may help new teachers | | | | that the ability to be away from the school |
| reach their goals more quickly, so they can get | | | | environment for extended amounts of time during |
| started in their new careers. | | | | the various vacation periods that occur during the |
| Student teachers will have the added advantage of | | | | year is an added bonus they hadn't considered. Some |
| being able to apply the knowledge from their online | | | | of these periods might include Christmas break, spring |
| classes to their classroom settings on an immediate | | | | break, and summer vacation, as well as the various |
| basis. This may help them to feel a deeper bond with | | | | federal holidays throughout the year. |
| their students, because they are able to impart their | | | | |