Teaching at the high school level can be rewarding, both personally and financially. Washington University offers undergraduate teacher certification programs in most subject areas, including biology. The certification program essentially entails completing a double major in biology and education.
Washington University's teacher preparation programs provide the general and professional education that qualifies a student for certification to teach in the public schools. On the recommendation of the Department of Education, the Missouri State Department of Education will issue a teaching certificate to an individual who successfully completes a Washington University teaching preparation program. Because the University's teacher preparation programs are approved by the National Council for Accreditation of Teaching Education, some states will grant reciprocity in certification. In the case of other states, additional study may be required to qualify for a certificate.
Creating a program of courses that satisfies both majors, the distribution requirements of the College of Arts and Sciences, and the general education requirements of the State is not easy. A sample schedule is given below. Certainly it may be advisable to take some courses during the summer; however, spending a summer working with young people and spending a summer doing biological research also are advised. One solution to this dilemma is to plan a five-year program, obtaining an MAT degree (Master of Arts in Teaching) at WU or elsewhere. (It is frequently advisable to obtain the MAT in the state in which you plan to seek employment.) Students considering this option defer their "professional semester" (given here in spring of the senior year) until the fifth year, but should design their plan of study carefully to be sure that they have taken the required general education courses while still an undergraduate. Students interested in securing admission to the WU teacher education program should stop by McMillan Hall, Room 215, to obtain program literature, or contact one of the following Department of Education faculty members as early as possible: Phyllis Balcerzak (x5-4539), Marilyn Cohn (x5-6780), Donna Gardner (x5-6791), Madonna Riesenmy (x5-6702).
For further information check http://www.artsci.wustl.edu/AnS/Education
| Eng Comp (3 u) | Bio 296 (4 u) Fundamentals of Biology I |
| Math 131 (3-4 u) Calculus | Math 132 (3-4 u) Calculus |
| Chem 111 (3 u) Gen Chem I | Chem 112 (3 u) General Chem II |
| Chem 151 (1u) General Chemistry Lab | Chem 152 (1u) General Chemistry Lab |
| Psych 100B (3 u) Intro | Chem 115 (2 u) General Chem Lab |
| Bio 181 (1 u) Freshman Seminar | Hist 216C (3 u) Topics American History |
| Bio 297 (4 u) Fundamentals of Biol. II | Bio 3051 (4 u) Fundamentals Biol III: Genetics |
| Chem 251 (3 u) Organic Chem | Chem 252/421(3 u) Org Chem II or Phys Chem I |
| Chem 257 (2 u) Organic Chem Lab | |
| Pol Sci 101B (3 u) Am Politics | Ed 301C (3 u) American School |
| Drama 240E (3 u) Acting | Psych 325 (3 u) Adolescence |
May term: Bio 437 (4 u) DNA Manipulation |
| Phys 117 (4 u) Gen Physics I | Phys 118 (4 u) Gen Physics II |
| Bio 311 (4 u) Vert Struct | Bio 334 (3 u) Cell Bio |
| Bio 3041 (3 u) Plant Biology | Bio 3501 (4 u) Evolution |
| Phil 321G (3 u) Phil Sci | Bio 349 (3 u) Microbiology |
| EPS 105 (3 u) Atmosphere | Ed 408 (3 u) Except Child |
| Ed 4052 (4 u) Ed Psych | Ed 4821 (3 u) Secondary Schools |
| Bio 419 (3 u) Ecology | Ed 415 (3 u) Curriculum Science |
| Bio 5011 (1 u) Ethics | Ed 5681 (3 u) Reading in Science |
| EPS 200 (4 u) Geology | Ed 492 (8 u) Student Teaching |
| Anthro 339 F/Q (3 u) Myth Society | |
| AFAS 387 C/P (3 u) Afro-American Lit |
This schedule is demanding, requiring that the student carry 14-18 units per semester, and should be attempted only by well-prepared and motivated students. Even so, the above satisfies all requirements only if Missouri waives the requirement for a second English composition course, WU accepts Psych 325 as a B course, and Missouri accepts Drama 240 as an "oral communication" course. Clearly it could be advantageous to utilize summer school between the freshman and sophomore years. The "crunch" comes from the fact that in addition to the WU distribution requirements, Missouri requires all teachers to have taken a second course in English composition, biology teachers to have a broader range of courses than WU requires for the major, and all science teachers to have taken one year's work in each core science (biology, chemistry, physics, and earth and planetary sciences), as well as courses in the ethics and philosophy of science. Different states will have different requirements.
Well-prepared science teachers are in demand. Current starting salaries
in the St. Louis area range from ca. $27,000 for a person with a BA to $30,000
for a person with an BA/MAT. Experienced teachers with an MAT can make $60,000.
(Note that these figures are for a ten-month contract.) Teaching positions
usually offer good benefits and job security, although working conditions
are often far from ideal. The job usually allows one to develop an individual
approach, exploring one's own interests and initiative; many teachers derive
considerable satisfaction from the success of their students. A booklet
with information about teaching science at all levels is available from
the National Science Teachers Association, 1840 Wilson Blvd., Arlington,
VA 22201-3000 (phone 703-243-7100; http://www.nsta.org).
It is unusual to combine a major in the sciences with preparation to teach at the elementary level, but it can be done utilizing summer school and would allow one to make a unique contribution. Relative to the schedule shown for a secondary teacher, one would need to substitute a course in economics (B) for Psych 325, substitute a course in art or music (D-G) for Phil 321, and drop two earth and planetary sciences courses and two or three biology courses while adding seven education courses. Again, early planning is essential; interested students should contact the Department of Education. Students wishing to test their interest level should take one of the Foundations of Education courses (Ed 301C, Am. School) or Ed 312B, Childhood and Society, during their sophomore year.
Community colleges and junior colleges are two-year institutions whose students enter from high school. The work a student does may be the final formal instruction or it may serve to allow entrance to a four-year college or university. The number of community colleges and the students enrolled have increased enormously in the last several decades.
To teach in a community college, one must meet two criteria: knowledge of the specific field and ability to teach. Sometimes specific course requirements in education must be met. Preparation in the specific field requires a Master's degree in Biology or a specific discipline within biology. Increasingly, a Ph.D. is required and in many regions it is an absolute requirement. Someone interested in becoming a member of a community college faculty should acquire as much teaching experience as possible and still gain mastery in the subject matter. Often a faculty member in a community college will need to teach a rather wide variety of courses, and thus must have an understanding of many areas, sometimes even in related sciences. A few doctoral programs are available in science education and are designed for those whose primary objective is education, not research. Many graduates of these programs join community college faculties and schools of education. Anyone who prefers to teach in a particular region of the country should contact institutions in that region for specific information.
Masters of Arts in Teaching (MAT) programs mix courses in education with courses in the discipline in which the student wants to teach and in which undergraduate work has been done (see Page 12). Although these programs are generally more suitable for high school teaching than community college teaching, some MAT graduates find employment in community colleges.
Faculty salaries at community colleges vary considerably; many are comparable with those in four-year colleges. Teaching loads are heavy by comparison with those in universities, but faculty research usually is not emphasized. Rewards in personal satisfaction can be high; many community college students are very intelligent and highly motivated and an instructor may have enormous impact on individual students and on the community.
Most science museums and zoos maintain active education departments that present a variety of programs to the public, usually with a focus on primary-school children. The staff that present these programs typically have an undergraduate degree in science, often biology. Course work or summer employment in education would also be appropriate preparation. These positions are not well paid and typically bring no job security (there is no tenure), so there is often significant turnover in the staff of these education departments. While not a financially inviting career, such positions can be fun. Summer positions may be available, but inquire early.