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another degree?
Mar. 12th, 2009 04:49 pmI think I need a collective opinion.
Whenever I've thought about going back for a second degree before, I always jumped to Anthropology (MA or PhD)... but maybe I'm interested in other fields too.
Since my sisters have had children, I enjoy teaching them all kinds of things (about animals, or making music, or sharing) and generally looking after them. And I've noticed that there are postings for different kinds of early education jobs.
I suppose I've been interested in teaching little kids for awhile, but it never got off the subconscious level. For instance, I'm intrigued by "educational" children's TV programs. I'm fascinated to discover what these shows are 'teaching' their child audience and also how. Picking out the difference between explicit learning (through the story/plot) and implicit learning (through format, interactivity, etc). If I'm shopping for a gift for my nieces/nephew, I always find myself puzzling over the multitude of products that help infants and toddlers play-and-learn, and trying to figure out how they do it.
I read a book on children's myths recently, and it was fascinating. The tooth fairy can help children cope with the loss of teeth (a changing body) and help mothers feel like their children aren't growing up "too fast." Children don't agree about whether Rudolph is part of Christmas canon, and many adults have tons of Christmas nostalgia that they experience vicariously through their encouragement of their children's belief in Santa. I've always believed that children are more perceptive than people give them credit for, and that they have their own ideas about growing up, and about learning.
I'm not sure how to work this into my job search.
Would I like, for instance, teaching kindergarten? Or working in a pre-k setting?
It might require that I go back to school to get a degree/ get certified to teach... but if I decide I want to, I have a whole new set of problems to deal with. (What school? Which type of program? Is it worth moving for?)
Whenever I've thought about going back for a second degree before, I always jumped to Anthropology (MA or PhD)... but maybe I'm interested in other fields too.
Since my sisters have had children, I enjoy teaching them all kinds of things (about animals, or making music, or sharing) and generally looking after them. And I've noticed that there are postings for different kinds of early education jobs.
I suppose I've been interested in teaching little kids for awhile, but it never got off the subconscious level. For instance, I'm intrigued by "educational" children's TV programs. I'm fascinated to discover what these shows are 'teaching' their child audience and also how. Picking out the difference between explicit learning (through the story/plot) and implicit learning (through format, interactivity, etc). If I'm shopping for a gift for my nieces/nephew, I always find myself puzzling over the multitude of products that help infants and toddlers play-and-learn, and trying to figure out how they do it.
I read a book on children's myths recently, and it was fascinating. The tooth fairy can help children cope with the loss of teeth (a changing body) and help mothers feel like their children aren't growing up "too fast." Children don't agree about whether Rudolph is part of Christmas canon, and many adults have tons of Christmas nostalgia that they experience vicariously through their encouragement of their children's belief in Santa. I've always believed that children are more perceptive than people give them credit for, and that they have their own ideas about growing up, and about learning.
I'm not sure how to work this into my job search.
Would I like, for instance, teaching kindergarten? Or working in a pre-k setting?
It might require that I go back to school to get a degree/ get certified to teach... but if I decide I want to, I have a whole new set of problems to deal with. (What school? Which type of program? Is it worth moving for?)
