Becoming a teacher is a wonderful thing, but is it the right path for you?
Today, our society is facing a crisis. Our children are growing up in broken homes at a higher rate than ever before, and this is detrimental to everyone.
Over half of all incarcerated young people come from a broken home. This is not a small issue, as we expect our children to take up the reins of society when we can no longer do so. The fact remains that children today need our help, and usually that extra assistance is provided by teachers.
Thinking back on childhood, many people will be able to point out one or two teachers who made a difference in their lives. Those teachers may have helped them through a particularly difficult period or were just always available to lend a sympathetic ear. This is becoming less prevalent as time goes on, and our children are suffering because of it.
In 2011, there were 3.3 million public school teachers, for more than 55 million children attending public schools. Teachers are severely outnumbered and need support in other areas to better help children.
Unfortunately, teachers cannot always be there to provide help and others must step into the full-time job of helping kids.
A masters in social work is an academic master's degree that allows an individual to use their skills and passion to actively help children. This isn't a field of social workers alone; an education along these lines will enable someone to be a community organizer, political advocate, policy work, human services management, and of course, be there for direct contact with the individuals most affected.
Someone who chooses to pursue a masters in social work can work closely with a community to make a positive difference. If you want a career that allows you to help children (and possibly save some lives), care for others, and make the world a better place, this may be for you.
This line of work is not for the faint of heart, however. It takes determination to continually offer help and not get too distracted from that goal.
Social work is not simply a different type of counseling service. Social workers actively assist the public by helping them solve their problems within the confines of their individual situation. A master's in social work will allow someone to use their internal motivation to help others and make positive change. More and more, social workers are being elected to public office and writing laws designed to help children through extremely difficult times.
Even though teachers are the most visible adult in the lives of children aside from parents, they are not the only ones capable of making a difference. Often the problems – or even just normal concerns - facing a child will not rise to the attention of a teacher, or it may be outside their sphere of influence. Others need to help affect positive change. Although many want to help, they may not know how.
Photo Credit: Shutterstock
