Full Careers - Which degree is best if I choose to become a Teacher?

Which degree is best if I choose to become a Teacher?

I am currently a Business Consultant for a restaurant chain. I am doing a Fresh Start at a local community college in Jan. and then transferring to a University (UTK) to finish my degree. I have always been a natural at math so I plan to go back for Statistics. For some reason, I keep going back to wanting to be a teacher and have had this feeling for many years. I was hoping that some of you could cold give me some advice. Is Statistics a good choice to become a teacher? Would just a math degree be better? I know there are many many job options with both degrees but I really want the best degree that will allow me to teach if I keep feel as if I am being draw to the career. Any help on the process that I can expect or lean to would be greatly appreciated. I also dont need the "Dont be a teacher" thing. I know how much money they make but I also know it is a personal choice and it may be the career I choose plus I feel teachers help mold our future. Thank you for all the help.

Public Comments

We need all the good teachers possible. You can get a Bachelor of Science degree and major in math and then get a Master of Science degree with the same major. Don't worry...you WILL take Statistics. It nearly killed me because math is not in the top 20 of my best subjects. Talk with a counselor at the university and they can guide you. UT at Knoxville, huh? Hi neighbor!! Good luck!
PLEASE be a teacher! We need all the good teachers we can get, and good teachers are those who have a passion for it. I would major in math -- and you will also need to take some education classes. Talk to someone from the state department of education or in the education department at UT and find out about teacher certification options. And GO VOLS!
You would do well teaching math courses.
I have been a math teacher for the last 7yrs...I currently teach algebra I to a group of gifted 7th graders...I have 2 degrees neither of which have anything to do with teaching BUT I am a certified math teacher!!! It really depends on what you plan to teach, but I would suggest getting a non education degree and then do an alternate certification program, which is what I did when I was accepted into Teach for America...While Teach for America is very competitive and everyone who applied doesn't get in (only 5 of us made it from my college and 175 applied) each state has some type of alternate certification program such as teaching fellows...I say this because teaching is hard and getting harder each year so make sure you have a degree such that if you finally get in the classroom and decide it is not for you, you can still do something else... Good luck! We need more teachers...A math degree would be perfect and in some states you can get paid more for teaching math with a math degree like where I am in NC...you can get up to $15,000 extra teaching math in a "low performing school" with a math degree...