FIVE NON-TEACHING JOBS IN SECONDARY ED

Secondary Ed Non-Teaching Jobs

• Online Educator
• Reading Specialist
• Substitute Teacher
• Teaching Assistant
• Media Specialist

Though you need an education degree to work as a teacher in a secondary school, there are education jobs with no teaching degree that might be right for you. You should also check with your state about how you can become a teacher. If you have a bachelor's degree in another field, the state may let you become a teacher after passing a background check and agreeing to earn a master's degree. If you do not want to go through all those steps, you can look at other jobs that do not require a degree.

Online Educator

The days of sending troubled students to alternative schools is a thing of the past in most states because of the number of online schools now available. These schools allow students to complete their high school diplomas, take all the required classes necessary for graduation and even take electives over an online system. Some districts hire online educators who have experience in the field they teach but do not require that those teachers have a bachelor's degree in education.

Reading Specialist

A reading specialist is a professional who handles many of the same duties as a tutor. You will work with students who made it to junior high or high school without developing the strong reading skills that their peers have. They may have problems with certain letters or sounds. Some students may have disabilities that affect their ability to read too. Though reading specialists do not need a teaching degree, they usually do need to pass a certification test and pass a criminal background check.

Substitute Teacher

If you like working with high school students and have a degree in a field outside of education, you may have the chance to work as a substitute teacher. Some districts, cities and states will hire college students to work as subs too. Substitute teachers often receive calls early in the morning after a teacher calls off and must arrive at the school before classes start. Some schools hire long-term subs to take over classes after a teacher becomes pregnant or needs to take an extended leave of absence.

Teaching Assistant

You can also work as a teaching assistant or a classroom aide without having a teaching degree. Many larger schools hire assistants to help teachers work with larger groups of students. The teacher may ask that you work with students in small groups or that you work with one individual at a time. You provide more detailed and personalized instruction than the teacher could offer. Assistants can also work in after school programs and in camps designed for older students. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for classroom assistants is more than $25,000 a year.

Media Specialist

One of the education jobs with no teaching degree that might interest you is a media specialist. Like a reading specialist, a media specialist does not need a degree but usually needs some type of certification. Many schools will require that you go through the same fingerprint background check that teachers do before you can work directly with students. Media specialists usually work in the school library and help students do research for their assignments and homework online. They can also help teachers set up media equipment for presentations and projects.

Having a degree in education is one step towards qualifying for most teaching positions. If you do not have a degree though, you can still work in secondary schools. Media specialists, reading specialists and classroom assistants are examples of the education jobs with no teaching degree that you can get.

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