A college education should be viewed as an investment. Will you earn more than you spent on receiving the diploma? In most cases, the answer is yes.

However, new research covered in Newsweek finds an emerging link between education and marriage, perhaps a profit channel ignored from the college investment. Although I’m a bit late for Valentine’s Day, here are a few highlights I pulled from the article:

• Stevenson said the data indicate that modern college-educated women are more likely than other groups of women to be married at age 40, are less likely to divorce, and are more likely to describe their marriages as “happy” (no matter what their income) compared with other women.
• The marriages of well-educated women tend to be more stable because the brides are usually older as well as wiser.
• College-educated couples are also more likely to marry for companionship and love and compatibility rather than for financial security.
• Today, educated women are a lot less concerned about how much their husband earns,” she said, and more interested in whether “he is willing to share child care and housework.”

The final point of the article sums up the major beneifit:

If you’re looking for another reason to encourage a young woman to get her college degree, add this one to the list: chances are, you’ll be luckier in love.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Ruth Sheffer teaches high school English in a technological high school in Jerusalem, Israel. This is her 30th year. During our interview, she proclaimed “I’m still alive!”

What inspired you to teach?

Nothing I just kind of fell into it by accident. It was a good job for me when my kids were little and I did like the interaction with the pupils, the friendly staff at my school and the fact that no matter how bad things got I had a new shot at it the following September.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

Unfortunately this is a hard question for me to answer. In my opinion, the teachers have goals and the parents have goals. The head of the school definitely has goals. But many of the students have only the goal of hanging out with their friends, having fun, and maybe getting good grades but this is usually a desire they wish to achieve with very little effort on their part (sorry to be so negative)

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

I think that the ability to improvise and to be a bit of an actor is indispensable int he classroom.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Stephanie Barry, a teacher of 8 years, is a speech-language pathologist. Currently, she is in private practice while previously working in elementary schools throughout the Phoenix Metro area.

What inspired you to teach?

I wanted to help children succeed in school. I loved school but knew many that struggled and wanted to help others like them feel successful. I choose Speech Pathology because I wanted to work one-on-one with children to help them meet their goals.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

Motivation is my most helpful method. When you can inspire motivation or a desire to participate in the activities, they show great progress. Then the progress itself becomes motivating, they fell that they can do it and are proud of themselves when they have improved their skills. That helps keep them working when things become challenging.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

That plans change.  I worked very hard to make good lesson plans and tried to stick to them.  After a couple of months, I learned that it is better to make an outline of what I wanted to cover as sometimes the kids take you in a different direction.  It is very meaningful to them to explore their curiosities as they are occurring and usually fit right in with my “plan” so I learned more flexibility in how I taught my students.  They enjoyed therapy more as they knew I cared about what they thought and how they felt and I have had some pretty interesting session.  Some of which I have actually done with other groups because I thought the material we covered might be meaningful to others.  This flexibility helps you grow as a teacher because kids are always thinking of new and different questions and situations and working those into therapy has been a great experience for both the students and myself.

What did your training teach you that was most helpful in preparing you to enjoy and thrive in a classroom today?

The basic strategies. Knowing the basic strategies to facilitate success was the most beneficial thing I learned in graduate school. These skills help me implement a variety of strategies into an activity to find out what works best for that child. My professors also taught me how to be flexible, how to think outside the box to address concerns in new and different ways and how to implement strategies in ways I may not have thought of before. All this helps me to provide the necessary tools for my students to succeed in therapy and as a result flourish in school.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Jennifer Ryan is currently a program trainer for preschool teachers in the San Diego Area. She has been working with preschool children for 20 years; I have been an assistant teacher and then became a lead teacher about 10 years ago.

What inspired you to teach?

I am inspired daily by the children. Even as a young child, I was drawn to teaching those younger than me. I spent my lunch periods in 8th grade helping to supervise the kindergarten class at their recess. Teaching is just who I am.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

I make sure to always let the child lead the activity and then add information to what they are doing, allowing them to build on their knowledge and skills. I think the best thing we, in preschool, can do for the children is to empower them. I empower them to find solutions to problems, complete tasks independently, and to solve conflicts with each other. With an adult standing close by giving them verbal cues how to get through a problem and then cheering with them when they accomplish it on their own. That is the best thing we can give the young children.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

How to manage the other adults in the environment. As a preschool teacher, you have to direct the assistant teachers, volunteers, and parents. Pulling that team together is really the hard work. Make sure to have specific things for them to do and never assume that they know what they should be doing. We all have to start from somewhere. We are educated professionals and we need to empart that knowledge to those who are starting out in this field and to those parents who need some direction. In short, you have to think of yourself as a teacher of all people, not just a teacher of preschool children.

What skills could more developed if you were to enroll in a teacher training program?

I do not have a masters in any field. I know that I make improvements to my teaching skills every day. I learn from every situation, every child, every activity. What worked, what didn’t, and what I need to further research. The place that I improve upon is my knowledge. I keep updating my knowledge in recent research, studies, and changes in the child development and education fields.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Barbra Stevens, a teacher since 1989, has taught and taken an interest in numerous methodologies of learning, including Montessori, Reggio Amelio, High/Scope, Emergent Curriculum, Phonics, DAP, The Intelligences Theory. Barbra majored in the field if Early Childhood Education but have worked with a full spectrum of ages ranging from infants to pre-teens.

What inspired you to teach?

I have always had a heart for children. Whenever I am interested in something I study it. Children were one subject I find infinitely interesting.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

I have studied so many methodologies I can not say one works best on one particular child, or group. I know that it is very important to know yourself as a person and feel comfortable in your own skin. Teaching means you also must be willing to be taught….not only by other adults but by the children as well. It takes time. I have found that teachers that come into the field with a particular mindset….wind up seeing their career choice in a very negative light. Pride is concerned with who’s right, humility is concerned with what’s right. I believe it is okay to find what’s right for you and stick with it…but don’t knock others for their choices..

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

I wish I had taken the courses called Life Skills 411. They have taught me to organize my time,space, finances, and take an introspective look at myself…..goodness gravy, so much more. I really believe everyone that manages people should know how to invest in themselves. Mr. Micheal E. Parker, CEO of Stellar Enterprise has inspired this amazing program.. I know we will be hearing more from him.

What did your training teach you that was most helpful in preparing you to enjoy and thrive in a classroom today?

Taking care of myself, physically and spiritually so I can take care of my family. This give me the positive mindset I need to be healthy and happy and be an  example to the children and families. I eat right, exercise, pray, drink lots of water, go out with friends, laugh, stay  positive, and stay busy helping others. When classes come along, I take them.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Patrick Farris, a teacher of 6 years, teaches Pre-AP Algebra I and Pre-AP Geometry in Coppell, TX

Below is our interview with Patrick:

What inspired you to teach?

As a college student-athlete my lifelong goal had been to be a teacher and a coach. After spending time teaching and coaching, I realized my true passion was in the classroom. Interacting with students and making a difference in the lives of my students has been a motivating factor in career choice. Also, having had a number of difference-making teachers in my education past helped me to understand the impact a teacher can have.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

Engaging students and developing relationships have been most important in helping students reach their goals. When students know that you care about them and have their best interest at heart, they strive to do their best. By engaging students with creative lessons and technology, our classroom is an exciting place where learning occurs and students excel.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

The advice that I wish I had received is to work to build relationships with students and parents from day 1. When parents and students know that you have their sons and daughters best interest in mind, they may not always agree, but they will support you and appreciate your efforts.

What did your training teach you that was most helpful in preparing you to enjoy and thrive in a classroom today?

I was fortunate during my graduate classes to learn how to design engaging lessons and to talk with other teachers as to best practices in education. My graduate classes were starting to incorporate technology, but as technology evolves, it is vital that we embrace the technology that our digitally-native students see on a daily basis.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Starting later this January, Brittany Balazs will begin student teaching at Urbana Middle and High Schools. AT UMS, she will be teaching 7th grade English and at UHS she will have 11th and 12th grade AP English classes. Previously, all of her classes have been English and Language Arts based. She has been working towards becoming a teacher for 3 years.

Below is our interview with Brittany:

What inspired you to teach?

I had some really amazing teachers growing up and always loved my English/Language Arts classes. I decided to combine that love with my love for working with kids. Education seemed like a slam dunk.

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

I like to incorporate group discussions and creative methods assignments whenever possible. Also, using different types of literature, like graphic novels or popular magazines is always a good way to get students interested in reading.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

I don’t know if I should be giving advice just yet, but I have found that it is extremely helpful top relate to your students if you know the type of things that interest them. Popular liturature, music, movies- pop-culture in general- helps you to understand them more, and more importantly, it helps you to discover the best ways to reach your students. But don’t assume that just because it’s popular every student will be into it. Your students are individuals, and it is very important to get to know them.

Also, don’t ever underestimate your students abilities. It’s amazing what someone is capable of if they are provided with the right support and encouragement.

What skills could more developed if you were to enroll in a teacher training program?

After I teach for a few years I plan on going back for a masters. Right now, though, I think what I need the most is experience. After I acquire some of that, I will be able to pin point more closely exactly what I need to work on. Aside from that, though, there is always room for improvement!

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This post is part of the Teachers Certification Map’s “lessons from the field”, a series of posts featuring passionate, inspiring educators from across the country discussing some of the lessons that they have learned over the years that would help young teachers as they embark on their careers.

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Nick James teaches eighth grade social studies in the South Bronx. He’s been at the school for a year and a half- as long as he’s been in the classroom.

Below is our interview with  Nick:

What inspired you to teach?

The inspiration to teach is difficult to peg. Most people go into the field to make a difference, which certainly was a motivation for me. I didn’t always want to teach, however. Before wanting to teach, I’d wanted to be a number of things ranging from a concert violinist to a pharmacist. When I entered my school of education I was like many other students who enter such schools- I loved going to school myself and I really enjoyed one subject in particular (social studies), but I didn’t really know what teaching was or what it would entail. As I went through the school of education, however, I got a sense of what it should be and got very excited about that

What classroom methods are most helpful in pushing students towards their goals?

The first “method” you need as a teacher is strong management. This gives the students the idea that you are in control, you are to be respected and that what you say has merit. This is particularly important for underprivileged students who are very often difficult to manage. Developing these skills is crucial to being able to push students toward their goals. A couple others you will of course need are expertise in your subject area and strong will to improve your practice.

What is the one thing you wish you’d known when you started in the classroom?

The thing I wish I’d known before I began teaching was that I didn’t know that much about the logistics of running a classroom. That was especially true of management strategies. My students need much more structure than I’d imagined and I’d been taught very few strategies to deal with that fact.

I have a master’s degree in curriculum and instruction with an emphasis in social studies education. My undergraduate degree was in social studies education and German education. Both were from the same Midwestern university whose graduate program in education is rated in the top fifteen in the country.

What did your training teach you that was most helpful in preparing you to enjoy and thrive in a classroom today?

That training prepared me to create a decent curriculum in an environment where students were prepared to learn. It showed me what students could do if students did what they should do. Once management is learned and mastered, these ideas become much more possible and you can push students to their full ability. While I admittedly have not fully mastered management in my own classroom, as my skills have improved I’ve begun to use what I learned in the school of education to my students’ benefit.

My training also motivated me to become a student of education long after I finished my degree. It helped me to develop the desire to improve my practice and make sure I was doing everything in my power to give my students the best education I could give them, regardless of the adversity that flies in our faces every day. That might be the most valuable thing I could have possibly learned during the six years I was in college.

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Do you know someone with great insights to share with young teachers, or do you want to be considered for an interview? If so, please email us at hello@certificationmap.com.

This is a guest post from our journalist Alex J. Mann.  You can subscribe to his blog here and follow him on Twitter here.

If you are a teacher in between jobs, the Internet is a great place to start a job search. There are plenty of sites claiming to deliver exactly what you are looking for if you simply post your resume. However, in a medium flooded with low quality and untrustworthy job sites, not every site is worth the time and energy. We have looked at a number of these sites and compiled a list of the ones you should go to first. These sites won our favor based on several criteria including; layout, search results, utility, ease of use, and aesthetic quality. The sites we found have all of the essential functions of job posting, searching, resume posting, and any additional helpful content, have an attractive layout with a professional look, and have enough traffic and users to provide a wide array of options from all over from job searches. And without further adieux — here is Certification Map’s list of the best 10 teacher job sites.

1. Educationcrossing.com:

Education Crossing is a Job aggregator bringing a massive amount of research to one spot. Because they do not ask educators and potential employers to pay to post listings, they claim more employers than any other web site. They go out and bring the information to you. It is aesthetically pleasing and professional looking. The only downside is a monthly fee for membership, but because of this they work for you, not the employer.

Overall Verdict: Education crossing has every function and its format makes it so that they work to bring all the jobs they find to you. It is the most professional looking site and boasts the most search results out there.

2. Teachers-Teachers.com:

Claiming to be “education’s premier recruitment service”, teachers-teachers.com offers a system of free registration and use for teachers-to-be. It lists 1,727 school systems and 661,976 candidates using the site, both relatively large numbers. You can either post your resume for all educators to see or send out a universal application to get the ball rolling. The site is attractive and easy to use. It is free for the job seeker, so check out all it has to offer.

Overall Verdict: The site does exactly what it should and looks good while doing it. Plenty of search results and free to boot.

3. Schoolspring.com:

Good looking and easy to use, schoolspring offers the familiar free job seeking service which earned top 100 honors in District Administration’s Readers Choice awards. In addition, schoolspring offers testimonials of users to give the browser a better idea of what the site has to offer. They also offer schoolspring plus for those willing to pay to post resumes to any job, regardless of whether it is on their site, and gain access to more jobs than the average user.

Overall Verdict: Schoolspring provides the features and aesthetics that give the user the comfort of being handled by a professional company. Testimonials provide further encouragement.

4. Educationamerica.net:

Educationamerica.net offers free browsing for all, though you must register to  apply for jobs posted. Based on the homepage, EAN has 2,874,291 users,  2,453 employers, and 12,697 jobs listed in all 50 states. It is simple to use and  includes all the basic features of other job finding sites. It is also free if you are  the continental United States, though some upgraded features require monthly  payment, so be careful while registering.

Overall Verdict: A good site which lists its number users is a good sign. It gives hopeful results with even a basic search, so it deserves a good look when searching for jobs.

5. ihireelementaryteachers.com:

The site offers valuable resources for those seeking a job teaching elementary students specifically. It lists clear reasons to join membership on the homepage and claims 5,976 employers last month alone. Also impressive is the list of awards on the bottom of the homepage. Candidates for jobs will not pay unless they choose to upgrade to the premium package for 30 dollars a month. Recruiters pay a fee to post jobs. The site looks professional and features message boards and classified ads. Check out the links leading to other site in the “ihire” series for different levels of education.

Overall Verdict: Again, a good number of users indicates plenty of job postings. The only downside is the restriction of jobs to elementary school and not high school or junior high school.

6. teacherjobs.com:

Boasting thousands of daily visits and an easy to use website, teacherjobs.com provides a reasonable service for both employers and job seekers to find a local position. It is free to use for qualified schools and job seekers. Despite a lackluster appearance, teacherjobs remains a good option for those seeking teacher jobs countrywide.

Overall Verdict: Though the site offers the basic functions a teacher job site needs, it lacks the shine and dedication to appearance that some other sites have. Still, it can deliver results for qualified teachers.

7. Teachers.net Job Center:

All of the essential functions are available, as well as more comprehensive functions such as chat boards, lesson plans, and projects. The job search itself is not the focus of the overall site, but is proficient nonetheless. Aesthetically, the site is a bit sparse and plain. But the search and resume post are present and free so it retains usefulness anyways.

Overall Verdict: The site has more general content which is helpful and interesting. A good place to build quality ideas and talk to other teachers or job seekers.

8. K-12 jobs:

Many of the same features are available here as above. Post your resume, search for jobs, and see what different school districts have listed as a means of recruitment. The site is less professional looking, but it has the content desired to successfully find jobs in both public and private institutions.

Overall Verdict: This site offers quality searching and posting, but the appearance makes it a slightly less desirable destination.

9. Education Week Top School Jobs:

Featured on Education Week’s on-line news website, topschooljobs.org offers job alerts, resume posting, and an organized list of jobs posted either by category, state, or even country. The site is organized and adequately professional, and it claims over 300,000 weekly visitors so it has plenty of traffic of both job seekers and recruiters.

Overall Verdict: It gets a lower score because job seeking is not the main focus. However, the site provides a large quantity of news and additional information about teaching, which can still be very useful.

10. Great Teacher:

This site allows you to post resumes and search for jobs. It is clear and simple and straightforward. Don’t mind the aesthetics, as they will not affect the function of the site.

Overall Verdict: Poor looks are all that take away from the overall quality.

Still want more?

Though these sites are not on the best ten list, they still have a lot to offer a prospective teacher. If you have visited all the above but want to continue to make yourself readily available to recruiters and employers, check out these sites and see what they can do for you:

Careerbuilder.com: A large, general job listings website that will return thousands of results for teaching jobs.

Monster.com: Again, a broad job listings site with a wide array of search options and results. A tried and true method of finding a job.

Schoolstaff.com: Offering free job posting as well as searching and resume posting, school staff is a good site at which to augment your job search.

Teachersatwork.com: The National Educators Employment network is actually a well-designed and helpful site. It is currently under construction but is supposed to be done in 2009. Contact the web master for more information. Email webmaster@teachersatwork.com with questions.

Academploy.com: The Academic Employment network is a nicely designed site. It is geared more towards the employer, but remains a worthy spot to post ones resume.

Academiccareers.com: A decent site with free posting and resume building. It experiences a large volume of traffic, which may help the job search.

Indeed.com: Indeed has a large number of general job listings, including many for teachers. Type in teacher and check out the huge mass of results.

With so much money and energy being pumped into new education reform projects, an interesting study conducted recently by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the Center for American Progress, and Frederick M. Hess of the American Enterprise Institute offers a harsh and sobering look into our State education programs. Called “Laggards and Leaders”, the study grades each state based on a number of criteria not always considered in this context.

It takes more than improved student test scores to accurately give a state a clean bill of educational health. This is important to remember, especially with progressive programs such as “Race to the Top” now in the works. Laggards and Leaders also considers whether or not the state is investing resources into improved technology, dispelling ineffective teachers and replacing them efficiently, developing progressive and innovative programs that go beyond the standard matriculation model and develop careers, etc.

Traditional programs like “No Child Left Behind” often need a reality check such as this one. There is more going on in a given school district that requires attention. The report insists that of these 14,000 districts, about one third of our nations high school students graduate on time.  In short, the majority of the United States received either a C or D on their report cards, which is simply not acceptable.

The only B’s given out went to New York, Massachusetts, Indiana, Oklahoma, Arizona, and California. Nebraska, Kansas, and Connecticut received F’s.  It seems that most states take the prototypical approach of a student in that they cram for tests, without doing the necessary learning and planning for the future. This study makes it clear that reform is necessary. Hopefully, new reform programs will force states to be accountable in the way the Laggards and Leaders report intends.

To view your states report card, link to the Laggards and Leaders interactive map.

This is an EDU-torial by Justin Kloc: Justin is currently an undergraduate student at Lehigh University. Nearing the end of formal education for the time being, Justin is passionate and enthusiastic of its value for everyone.