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JPS
Joined: 05 Oct 2006
Posts: 17
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 Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 9:52 am Post subject: |
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| Thanks, womblingfree. I still have some time to think thngs over, but what you say makes a lot of sense. Appreciated. |
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MyTy
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 12:09 am Post subject: |
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A little bit confusing for me.
A teacher with a masters in something math related would teach math but what would someone with a masters in education teach? They would not be teaching education. They would be teaching whatever their specialty is. English, math, chem etc.
So wouldn't that mean that a masters of education would generally be inferior and less advantageous UNLESS you were planning on hopping from job to job, country to country?
It would certainly seem to be an inferior degree in terms of pay and status and even knowlege. A masters in education only has a specialty in a subject where the masters degree in a specific subject is a full on masters degree in that discipline.
I would think that a uni looking for a math prof would prefer to hire someone with a masters in math rather than a masters in education with a specialization in math.
Based on this thinking maybe it would be safe to say the following.
Get an education degree with some EFL paper if you like to travel the world teaching ESL or you are comfortable with a general lower paying ESL position while living in one country.
If you want a high paying professor type position and plan on staying in one country then get a specific degree and find a job at an international university teaching only that subject.
I have noticed that some private schools in Japan and other schools across Asia now require a MSc in Education with an EFL certification. This would be contrary to my theory above 
Maybe the future with respect to ANY teaching discipline including positions at the uni level is to have a MSc in Education with an EFL certification and a second Masters in a specific discipline  After all if you have one masters the road to a second masters isn't very long.
What do you think of that thinking?
Cheers |
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womblingfree
Joined: 04 Mar 2006
Posts: 826
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:56 am Post subject: |
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| MyTy wrote: |
A little bit confusing for me.
A teacher with a masters in something math related would teach math but what would someone with a masters in education teach? |
If you did an MA in education I presume you'd study the principles, philosophies and practices of education which is a vast topic encompassing just about everything under the Sun from the Greeks onwards.
When you study a B.ed, PGCE or whatever you specialise in a particular subject. You study, amongst other things, behavioural psychology, group management, educational values, principles and practice, etc, etc.
Lots of transferable skills I'm sure you'll agree.
On top of that you will study your specialist area, Math, English, Biology, whatever, as well as how to teach it.
As for your point about university employment, you don't have to be a trained teacher to work at a university, just an authority on your subject. This is entirely different to schools and colleges. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 3:29 am Post subject: |
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| MyTy wrote: |
A teacher with a masters in something math related would teach math but what would someone with a masters in education teach? They would not be teaching education. They would be teaching whatever their specialty is. English, math, chem etc.
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The problem with your idea is that it is based on a false assumption. The word at the end of the degree may or may not bear any relationship to the expertise. I would have thought you'd have noticed this when you got your own degree and saw others around you getting theirs. |
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MyTy
Joined: 23 Jan 2007
Posts: 9
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 7:53 am Post subject: |
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| G Cthulhu wrote: |
| MyTy wrote: |
A teacher with a masters in something math related would teach math but what would someone with a masters in education teach? They would not be teaching education. They would be teaching whatever their specialty is. English, math, chem etc.
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The problem with your idea is that it is based on a false assumption. The word at the end of the degree may or may not bear any relationship to the expertise. I would have thought you'd have noticed this when you got your own degree and saw others around you getting theirs. |
No, you assumed that I assumed. There are question marks around everything I said. I am an undergrad. I'm throwing around thoughts to see what you guys think. |
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G Cthulhu
Joined: 07 Feb 2003
Posts: 1373
Location: Way, way off course.
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| Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 2:23 pm Post subject: |
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| MyTy wrote: |
| No, you assumed that I assumed. There are question marks around everything I said. I am an undergrad. I'm throwing around thoughts to see what you guys think. |
<ahem> I suggest you look up the meaning of "assumption" as it was used by me.
Short answer: The wording of the degree may of may not have anything to do with the subject area studied. Are all BA grads supposed to be artists? :) |
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Vince
Joined: 05 May 2003
Posts: 559
Location: U.S.
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| Posted: Sat Jan 27, 2007 3:48 pm Post subject: |
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I think my company exemplifies employers' preferences for degrees and majors. For generalist positions (admin, people management, etc.), they aren't very concerned about the major. For more specialized positions (fund manager, IT, etc.), they require a related major.
I recommend going for a major related to what you expect to do, and minoring in Japanese. |
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