Distance learning certainly became increasingly more mainstream over 2020, with the coronavirus pandemic bringing traditional classroom learning screeching to a halt. And, over the last year with children, teenagers, and adult students all learning from home, the importance of good teachers has never been so apparent. If you are looking to do something productive with your 2021 and want to contribute to the world in a meaningful way, there are many reasons to consider taking a distance learning course in education.
Whether you’re looking to kickstart your career in teaching or want to facilitate a complete career change, there’s no denying that teaching is very rewarding in many different ways. Here are some of the main reasons to consider a distance learning degree in teaching in 2021.
Online Programme Availability
Learning online has certainly become the norm this year, although schools and universities have been remaining open throughout the most recent lockdowns. While the social aspect of learning is still important for many, social distancing has become more crucial than ever. And with a new and more infectious strain of the coronavirus now sweeping the UK, learning online is likely to become the top choice once again this year. As a result, the number of online programmes available for aspiring teachers and educators is on the rise. For example, if you hold a bachelor’s degree, you can take this master’s in education distance learning programme from the University of Exeter to steer your career in the direction of teaching, or if you’re just starting out, it’s easier than ever to get your degree in a core subject online.
High Demand
Teachers are in higher demand than ever before. Last year, we’ve certainly appreciated the teachers and everything that they do. While many people were furloughed throughout the lockdown periods, teachers have been working tirelessly for the majority of the year to ensure that their students have been able to adapt easily to distance learning with short notice and keep up with their workload. The demand for good teachers is higher than ever, particularly with schools now remaining open with COVID-safe guidelines in place.
Grants and Bursaries
Students undergoing teacher training in the UK may be eligible to receive an undergraduate funding grant to help with the cost of tuition and other associated fees. These grants are designed for people who are working towards getting qualified teacher status (QTS) and are not typically available for those studying for masters of education qualifications, although further grants are available for financial support for teachers improving their qualifications at the higher level.
Exciting Work
Working as a teacher is rarely ever a boring job. When you’re in charge of a classroom, you’re going to experience lots of different days and situations, with two rarely ever being the same. If you want something different to a regular office job that offers some variety but without the long working hours or dangerous situations of other jobs that provide this such as policing or nursing, teaching could be ideal for you.
Favourable Working Hours
For many teachers, one of the best things about their career is the working hours. Although you won’t get every day of every school holiday off work, teachers do generally enjoy paid time off for Easter, Christmas, half-terms, and over the summer. Depending on the setting in which you teach, most teaching jobs are also business hours, or in some positions you may be able to finish work earlier than 5 p.m., making it an ideal choice for anybody with a family.
Work from Home
Today, there is more work from home teaching jobs available than ever before. And, getting into teaching does not always mean that you have to take the traditional route. As a qualified teacher, there are plenty of online and home-based work opportunities that you might want to take advantage of, such as running an online programme or teaching English as a Foreign Language online to people in other countries. Last year, the number of learning programmes that have moved to distance learning means that work-from-home teachers are in higher demand than ever, and many of the positions are permanently remote.
Enjoy Great Job Opportunities
The list is endless when it comes to what you can do with your qualifications and skills as a teacher. Along with the wide variety of subjects and specialist subjects that you can choose to teach, the opportunities for career progression are also very generous. As a teacher, you might want to consider furthering your career by becoming the head of a department or even working towards the coveted headteacher role and running a school. You might also want to consider branching out into other related careers, such as a guidance counsellor or careers advisor.
Job Security
Teaching is a career that is always going to be needed. As long as people want to and need to learn new things, teachers will be in demand. Whatever pathway you take, you can be sure that teaching is a stable career with a good outlook that will always be there. Some of the most stable teaching jobs involve those teaching core subjects which are always needed in schools. However, the world’s hunger for knowledge is growing – especially after 2020, where many people decided to use their newfound free time to learn something new.
Make a Difference
Finally, no matter where or what you decide to teach, you can be sure that you are making a difference in your career. Teaching in schools and colleges means that you get to be a key figure in shaping the lives of children and young people, helping them to achieve their goals and grow up to the best versions of themselves. Teachers who work in universities and other adult learning environments make just as much of a difference, helping people meet their ultimate career goals and get advanced qualifications.
Whether you’re starting down your career path or looking to change your career in 2021, there are so many great reasons to consider starting a distance learning programme in teaching and education.
