If you have strong communication skills and a desire to share knowledge, teaching may be the ideal career path for you. Effective teachers are able to identify the learning styles of their students and adjust lessons accordingly. Teachers also need to be well organized to avoid classroom confusion and patient with students who don't immediately understand the lessons.
Teaching involves lots of talking, but good listening skills are also essential. Listening allows you to better understand the needs of your students, especially when they're feeling frustrated or unconfident about the lessons and assignments.
Learning about teaching can help prepare you for a career as a teacher in any number of subjects, including math, science, art, or literature. Teachers work with students of all age groups. If you like working with children, consider a job as a preschool or elementary school teacher. If you prefer working with older children, you might prefer working at a high school. Teaching college students is also a possibility, and it will require you to pursue an advanced degree.
Outside of schools and colleges, your love of teaching can lead you to a job as a life coach, museum educator, or private tutor for students of any age. You can also work in the correctional system, teaching people who hope to turn their lives around and find a productive role in society.
Courses on Coursera can help you learn the principles behind pedagogy and the history of education reform in the United States. You can also learn practical skills such as how to encourage student participation, provide feedback, and use multimedia to enhance learning. Some courses focus specifically on virtual teaching, while others offer in-person teaching strategies. You can also find courses that focus on teaching students who struggle with dyslexia and students who speak English as a second language.