Nearly one in four Americans is an enrolled student at any given time. This enormous segment of the U.S. population encompasses people of all ages and from all walks of life. American students have a wide range of educational goals?from learning their ABCs to obtaining an MD?but each of these students needs the support of dedicated educators in order to obtain the knowledge and skills they need. As a result of this great demand for talented educators there are job opportunities for teachers in every geographical region of the country. Education is America?s second largest industry, and the different career tracks within education are as varied as the national population of its students.

Despite the wide variety of jobs within education, the things that attract professionals to the field are often similar. The people who become educators usually have a sincere desire to make a difference in the lives of others?they remember the teachers who helped them to reach their own goals, and are thrilled by the possibility that they might be able to inspire others in the same way. The classroom can be a challenging place to work, but for the passionate teacher there is no greater joy than watching students grasp a challenging concept, or finding a way to capture students? imagination and spark their curiosity. Successful teachers are dedicated to achieving this goal, and often have a tenacious belief in the power of education to transform students? lives.

Not just teachers

However, the field of education is not limited to teachers. There are thousands of job opportunities for administrators, paraprofessionals, counselors, social workers, media specialists and other professionals in American schools, and these professionals are integral to the school environment. Like classroom teachers, these educators are committed to giving students the support they need in order to reach their full potential.

In recent years, the decisions of politicians have put a great deal of pressure on teachers and schools to perform?frequently in working conditions that are less than ideal. As a result, many educators often struggle not to maintain their enthusiasm and avoid becoming ?burned out? as they struggle to improve student performance with meager resources. Many people believe that teachers work short days, but the reality is that most teachers spend much of their free time planning lessons and grading papers.