Education is an important thing in the U.S, everyone goes to school, and everyone needs teachers. Elementary Education is the 15th most popular major according to MatchCollege.com. While it is always a challenge completing your degree, whatever it may be, it is also important to have a minor that can help you get certain positions. Here is my opinion on what is the most important and helpful minors for an Elementary Education major.

1. Spanish
It is important to have an understanding of the Spanish language because of the number of Hispanics immigrating to the U.S, who only speak Spanish. So as a teacher, if you have any students who only speak Spanish, they need to understand what you are teaching. Teaching them English will help you teach them, help them make friends, plus, it will help them learn from their other teachers. There are 41 million Spanish speakers in the U.S, and who knows how many have it as their only language. Those who are children need to learn English for their futures, and as teachers you are suppose to teach your students material that will brighten their futures.

2. Technology
Technology is becoming very popular in classrooms. Virtual classrooms and online courses are becoming very common. Technology also helps to widen your students horizons, by showing them several images and examples of what they are learning. 74% of U.S teachers say that technology helps motivate their students, so it is important for teachers to know how to use it.

3. Special Education
Students who need Special Education have the ability to be incredibly smart, if they are taught how to learn the right way. It is also helping the teacher to teach them with other students. 13% of public school students need Special Education, this is equivalent to 6.5 million students.

4. Chinese
The Chinese language is a major language in the world. It is the most common spoken language in the world. Behind Spanish, Chinese is the most common language that English learning students speak as their first language.

5. Fine Arts
Most people say that when you get a Fine Arts degree you can’t get a job, luckily, you don’t have to worry about that if you are majoring in Education. Most schools are taking Fine Arts programs out of their school system due to budget cuts. However, most students do better at academics if they have Fine Arts in their curriculum. If you want your students to learn things such as drawing, painting or even if want to teach your own craft, it would be best if you had an understanding and ability to be well-educated on what your teaching. Also, many schools have Fine Arts classes after school, so a Fine Arts degree might come in handy if the school system wants you to teach a class after school.

6. Math
Math is a very difficult subject to learn once you get into High School and College, so it is very important for your students to have good fundamentals of math. It helps you teach them if you understand the way they need to learn math for future grade levels . The U.S has a 82% failure rate on the Algebra Exam. To know Algebra, you must have a firm understanding of fundamentals. If you are teaching Algebra, then you must know how to complete it. If you are teaching fundamentals, then you must understand which fundamentals they need to know.

7. Literature
As a teacher, you are preparing students for many things, but here are the two major things you are preparing them for; their future education and life. Knowing what books to have them read and which books that will help them. This helps students with their creativity, and the hardships to expect from life. Reading also improves vocabulary, attitudes, broader thinking, test grades, and the ability to have good sentence structure.

These are the subjects I think are important to know and have an understanding of when you become a teacher. However, if you have a different opinion, let me know, I would love to hear it.