What is the difference between getting a “teacher certification” and majoring in secondary education?

Majoring in secondary education is a step on the path to receiving your teacher certification (license) that allows you to actually teach in secondary grades. Depending on your state certification/licensing system, you will likely need additional classes or endorsements to your license to extend it to all grades, K-12. You should major in the area where you most want to teach, then pick up the extra classes to add other areas you are interested in. Since early childhood and primary certifications tend to be more broad, whereas secondary certifications are often subject-specific, I would recommend staying with the secondary major if you intend to have a specific focus on math.

Some schools that don’t have strong secondary education departments work on the theory that you should major in what you want to teach and then get a liceness. Other schools believe that you should major in teaching ie the princpals and theory’s that go along with teaching but be well versed in your subject on the side.

If a school just offers a teacher certification most are saying you will major in Math and take side classes that will prepare you for student teaching and the certification test.

On the other hand a school with a secondary education degree will give you more training in the art of teaching, Spend more time observing teachers in the classroom, and on lesson plans. and you will take math classes on the side.

Either way unless you go alternative certifaction you will spend time in both departments and you will student teach. Schools are going to be excited for a teacher that is genuine. Make sure you talk to the schools you are intersted in and have them explain their program exactly.

Elementary Education (K-8) is a more general subject area, as you will have to cover a large variety of subjects. Secondary (9-12) requires a specialization, due to a piece of legislation called The No Child Left Behind Act which was passed in 2001. To be a secondary teacher, you must be a ‘master’ of your teaching field. For example if you wanted to teach Spanish, your major will be in Spanish with a minor in education.

Interesting question, and after reading some of the responses, there is some inaccurate information. You can get a degree in secondary education and certification to become a teacher – it just depends upon what school you go to. I went to Northwest Missouri State, and that used to be a teacher’s college. Part of the degree included a student teaching internship, and successful completion of that meant you could apply to the state through the school, provided you passed all necessary tests, and the state would send you a preliminary license, good for two years. During that time you had to complete some successful observations and maybe a teacher training program, depending upon which district you worked. After that, you could apply for a five year certificate, demonstrate some professional growth, then go for a lifetime credential five years later. Keep in mind, this is just one example, and your state may have different requirements.

Some colleges offer an education degree with a minor in the subject you want to teach, others have you major in the subject you want to teach and minor in education or just some education courses and student teaching. The trend is to major in a subject area. Teacher certification is a license to teach issued by a state. The schools don’t offer certification, only a path to it.

What works well, my son did it, is to get a degree in Math and pick up the teacher certification classes to go with it. He finished college in 4 years. He had many job offers.

majoring in secondary education means you will receive a degree in teaching secondary students. teaching certificate is like a license to teach, like a nurse needs in order to work as a nurse.

You have to go to college and major in secondary education. You’ll receive your bachelor’s degree in 4 or so years and then you have to go back and get your teacher certification.

-B

The major course of study entails learning how to teach at a secondary level.

The certification entails proving that you’ve learned how to teach at a secondary level.

…Or something like that.