Secondary education comes at a crucial, formative time for young people. As they begin to understand their possible roles in society and their potential to contribute to the world around them, students are also setting themselves up for success — or failure — in their post-secondary education and career paths.
As a result of these experiences and future outcomes, middle and high school teachers play a crucial part in creating opportunities for their students to grow academically and build the life skills they need to prosper in adulthood. For professionals considering a career in education, the online Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) with a concentration in Secondary Education (Alternate Route) program from William Paterson University (WP) provides a clear path to getting into the classroom and making a difference for young people.
The Importance of Secondary Education
It’s difficult to overstate the value of secondary education to the prospects of young people across the globe. One study by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) found that world poverty could be cut in half if all adults had completed secondary education. “Nearly 60 million people could escape poverty if [they] had just two more years of schooling,” according to the report.
The reasons for the massive difference between people with a secondary degree and those without can be explained by how education opens up employment opportunities and raises earning potential. With a higher income, adults with a secondary degree have a higher chance of finding safe housing and accessing reliable transportation and healthcare.
Secondary education is also crucial in developing a student’s knowledge base, critical-thinking skills and social abilities. Inside the classroom, students begin to specialize in their interests and explore career opportunities in areas like STEM, health science, law, agriculture, construction and more. Many middle and high schools connect students to training programs, internships and apprenticeships that prepare them to start their careers immediately upon graduation, according to Gray Group International.
Beyond the academic and skills training in secondary education, Ecole Globale points to how secondary education helps young people develop social skills — including effective communication, cooperation and conflict management — through group projects and team dynamics. By exploring their interests and preferred working environment, students begin to form a concrete sense of self and are encouraged to grow personally.
Alternative Paths to Becoming a Secondary Education Teacher
Not every professional takes the same path to pursuing a career as a secondary education teacher. WP’s online MAT in Secondary Education (Alternate Route) program offers a pathway for candidates with an undergraduate degree in their preferred subject area, a Certificate of Eligibility (CE) or Limited CE and a position as the teacher of record at a New Jersey school. The New Jersey Department of Education issues CEs to individuals who meet the basic requirements to be certified as educators but have not yet completed a teacher preparation program.
WP’s program caters to professionals who are already in the classroom but not yet fully certified. While learning the essentials of unit and lesson planning, educators also complete two Teaching for Social Justice courses. By the conclusion of the coursework, graduates have a deeper understanding of school reform, school politics and research behind teaching diverse groups of students. They also complete a justice-oriented research project exploring how to expand the intellectual, cultural and social possibilities of schools.
While notable progress has been made in connecting with diverse communities and expanding secondary education to more groups, UNICEF notes that the progress in increasing the number of students who complete secondary school has stalled over the past two decades. WP graduates can make an immediate impact with their ideas and skillset to implement them. Equipped with theoretical knowledge and practical classroom management skills, graduates of WP’s program are prepared to effectively teach the next generation of leaders in New Jersey and beyond.
Learn more about William Paterson University’s online Master of Arts in Teaching with a concentration in Secondary Education (Alternate Route) program.
