Teaching and Training Pathway
Does your student enjoy working with kids? Are they passionate about educating the next generation and making a difference? Are they a “people person?” Then a career in education may be a great fit!
This pathway can lead to a variety of careers in the field of education, including schoolteacher, special education teacher, childcare worker, and childcare center director. Career Prep* offers rigorous curriculum that helps students hone their problem-solving, communication, critical thinking, and team collaboration skills. It also prepares them to take the exams for the necessary credentials to head directly to a job in childcare or pursue a degree program in education.
Gain real-world skills through project-based learning.
Career Prep* has implemented project-based learning (PBL) into the curriculum, so that classwork mirrors what students will be doing in the workplace. With project-based learning, there’s little to memorize and repeat. Instead, students get a real-life problem to solve and work with a team to develop a creative solution.
Our Teaching & Training Pathway Curriculum in Detail
All our students take the core courses required for high school graduation in their state. The chart below shows the additional classes that Education and Training pathway students take. You can see the rest of the curriculum by viewing the full course list.
CAREER EXPLORATION COURSES
These courses provide an opportunity for students to gain insight into potential careers.
CAREER FOUNDATION COURSES
These courses are building blocks that prepare students for more specialized pathway courses.
CAREER PREPARATION COURSES
These courses prepare students for industry-recognized certification exams.
OPTIONAL CAREER LEARNING COURSES
While not required, these courses provide an opportunity for students to gain knowledge and skills that are useful in their chosen careers.
Education and Training Explorations†
Understanding Child Development Interpersonal Communication†
Early Childhood Education A
Early Childhood Education B
Psychology
Note: Pathway courses are subject to change.
†New in fall 2022.
Get credentialed.
In a world where competition for jobs, pay increases, and academic success continues to increase, certifications provide a credible, third-party assessment of a student’s skills and knowledge of a given subject. The Teaching & Training Pathway curriculum prepares students to take these industry-recognized certification exams:**
CAREER SKILLS CERTIFICATIONS
These baseline certifications prepare students with domain-specific, entry-level job skills.
NOCTI Childhood Education & Care-Advanced
NOCTI Early Childhood Education & Care-Basic
EMPLOYMENT READY CERTIFICATIONS
These certifications indicate students have acquired skills needed to perform a job with little or no support.
Child Development Associate
Get ahead of the competition.
We encourage students to jumpstart the job search by helping them create a professional résumé, cover letter, and profile on Tallo, the leading professional networking platform for Gen Z. Plus, they connect virtually to working business professionals and entrepreneurs through Nepris.***
Find a school near you that offers the Teaching & Training Pathway.
Career Prep programs with the Teaching & Training Pathway are available at tuition-free K12-powered, public online schools in the following states:
ARIZONA
Insight Academy of Arizona
WYOMING
Wyoming Virtual Academy
COLORADO
Destinations Career Academy of Colorado
Pikes Peak Online School
SOUTH CAROLINA
Cyber Academy of South Carolina
Don’t see your state? Check out the tuition-based option here in Teaching and Training. There are also tuition-free options in related fields like the Nursing and Patient Care Pathway!
Choose a career. Prepare for the future.
Students in this pathway can prepare for a wide variety of careers in the field of education, including:
Childcare center directors oversee all aspects of a childcare center, including hiring, training, and supervising staff; choosing a curriculum; managing enrollment; managing the center’s finances; and ensuring the center meets all legal and regulatory requirements.
2021 Median Salary
$47,310
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Faster than average
Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor’s degree
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/management/preschool-and-childcare-center-directors.htm.
Childcare workers care for children while their parents are at work. Duties may include playing with and reading to children, leading group activities and games, teaching children social skills and basic literacy and numeracy skills (e.g., the alphabet and counting), preparing simple meals, feeding children, and assisting children with personal hygiene activities. Most childcare workers are in daycares, but some may work as private nannies or in after-school care settings.
2021 Median Salary
$27,490
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Average
Typical Entry-Level Education
High school diploma or GED
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/childcare-workers.htm.
Elementary school teachers instruct children in kindergarten through fifth grade in a wide variety of subjects, including math, reading, science, and social studies.
2021 Median Salary
$61,350
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Average
Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor’s degree
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/kindergarten-and-elementary-school-teachers.htm.
Special education teachers teach children with special needs, which could include autism, Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD), Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, or other intellectual or physical disabilities or developmental delays. Special education teachers must be patient and encouraging and able to adapt their teaching style to each individual child’s challenges.
2021 Median Salary
$61,820
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Average
Typical Entry-Level Education
Bachelor’s degree
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/special-education-teachers.htm
Teacher assistants work with a licensed teacher to give students additional attention and instruction.
2021 Median Salary
$29,360
Expected Job Growth Rate for 2020–2030
Average
Typical Entry-Level Education
While most postings only require an associate’s degree, most teachers assistants have bachelor’s degrees
This data reflects the information available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook on June 29, 2022. To learn more about this occupation, visit bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/teacher-assistants.htm.
FAQs
Childcare workers typically do not need a degree. However, all teachers in school settings will require at least a bachelor’s degree, and teachers in public schools will also need to be certified by the state in which they are teaching.
In high school, take early childhood development and education classes and get experience working as a tutor, nanny, summer camp counselor, or volunteer or paid aide at an afterschool program. Talk to professionals in the different fields you are considering, and if possible, try shadowing them for a day. For example, if you are considering a career in special education, see if you can sit in on a special education class for a day. After choosing a path to pursue, you should look into education requirements and other experience you need. You can also investigate special programs such as Teach for America.
Classes in child psychology, child development, and childhood education are useful. That’s why we offer the following classes for aspiring teachers and childcare workers: Introduction to Teaching, Psychology, Understanding Child Development, and Early Childhood Education.
Learn more about course offerings in other career fields.
Business Management & Administration
Criminal Justice & Community Services
Education & Training
Engineering & Manufacturing
Health Sciences
Hospitality & Tourism
Information Technology (IT)
Marketing
Visual Arts & Communications
*Career Prep is a program for grades 9–12. Some schools offer career exploration in middle school.
**Many Microsoft®️ Office certificates can be earned after completing one course. Other certificates require more classes to be better prepared, and students who participate in the program for at least two years will have further preparation for certification testing.
***Opportunities vary by school; please visit your school page or check with your school counselor.