Nature of the Work
Adult education teachers work in four main areas: adult vocational-technical education, adult remedial education, adult continuing education, and prebaccalaureate training. Some adult education teachers provide instruction for occupations that do not require a college degree, such as dental hygienist, x-ray technician, and cosmetologist. Other instructors help people update their job skills or adapt to technological advances. For example, an adult education teacher may train students how to use new computer software programs. Other teachers provide instruction in basic education courses for school dropouts or others who need to upgrade their skills to find a job. Some adult education teachers in junior or community colleges prepare students for a 4-year degree program, teaching classes for credit that can be applied toward that degree. Adult education teachers also teach courses which students take for personal enrichment, such as dancing, writing, exercise, and finance.
Adult education teachers may lecture in classrooms and also give students hands-on experience. Increasingly, adult vocational-technical education teachers integrate academic and vocational curriculums so that students obtain a variety of skills. Generally, teachers demonstrate techniques, have students apply them, and critique the students' work.
Adult education teachers who instruct in adult basic education programs may work with students who do not speak English; teach adults reading, writing, and mathematics up to the 8th-grade level; or teach adults through the 12th-grade level in preparation for the General Educational Development Examination (GED). The GED offers the equivalent of a high school diploma. These teachers may refer students for counseling or job placement.
Adult education teachers also prepare lessons and assignments, grade papers and do related paperwork, attend faculty and professional meetings, and stay abreast of developments in their field.
Working Conditions
Since adult education teachers work with adult students, they do not encounter some of the behavioral or social problems sometimes found when teaching younger students. The adults are there by choice, and usually are highly motivated individuals that can make teaching rewarding and satisfying. However, teachers in adult basic education deal with students at different levels of development, who may lack effective study skills and self-confidence, and who may require more attention and patience than other students.
Many adult education teachers work part-time. To accommodate students who may have job or family responsibilities, many courses are offered at night or on weekends, and range from two-to four-hour workshops and one-day mini-sessions to semester-long courses. Some adult education teachers have several part-time teaching assignments or work a full-time job in addition to their part-time teaching job, leading to long hours and a hectic schedule.
Although most adult education teachers work in a class-room setting, some may act as consultants to a business and teach classes at the job site.
Employment
About half taught part-time, a larger proportion than for other teachers, and many taught only intermittently. However, many of them also held other jobs, in many cases doing work related to the subject they taught. Many adult education teachers are self-employed.
Adult education teachers are employed by public school systems; community and junior colleges; universities; businesses that provide formal education and training for their employees; automotive repair, bartending, business, computer, electronics, medical technology, and similar schools and institutes; dance studios; health clubs; job training centers; community organizations; labor unions; and religious organizations.
Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement
Training requirements vary widely by state and by subject. In general, teachers need work or other experience in their field, and a license or certificate in fields where these usually are required for full professional status. In some cases, particularly at educational institutions, a master's or doctoral degree is required to teach non-vocational courses which can be applied toward a four-year degree program. Many vocational teachers in junior or community colleges do not have a master's degree but draw on their work experience and knowledge, bringing valuable practical experience to the classroom. For general adult education classes that are taken for interest or enjoyment, an acceptable portfolio of work is required.
Most states and the District of Columbia require adult basic education teachers and adult literacy instructors to have a bachelor's degree from an approved teacher training program, and some require teacher certification.
Adult education teachers update their skills through continuing education to maintain certification-requirements vary among institutions.
Adult education teachers should communicate and relate well with students, enjoy working with them, and be able to motivate them. Adult basic education instructors must be patient, understanding, and supportive to make students comfortable, develop trust, and help them better understand their needs and aims.
Some teachers advance to administrative positions in departments of education, colleges and universities, and corporate training departments. Such positions may require advanced degrees, such as a doctorate in adult and continuing education.
Job Outlook
Participation in continuing education grows as the educational attainment of the population increases. An increasing number of adults are taking courses for career advancement, personal enrichment, and to upgrade their skills, spurring demand for adult education teachers.
Employment growth of adult vocational-technical education teachers will result from the need to train young adults for entry-level jobs, and experienced workers who want to switch fields or whose jobs have been eliminated due to changing technology or business reorganization.
Opportunities should be best in fields such as computer technology, automotive mechanics, and medical technology, which offer very attractive, and often higher paying, job opportunities outside of teaching.
Earnings
Earnings varied widely by subject, academic credentials, experience, and region of the country. Part-time instructors generally are paid hourly wages and do not receive benefits or pay for preparation time outside of class. The median annual salary in 2017 was $52,100.
Related Occupations
Other teaching positions, counselors, school administrators, public relations specialists, employee development specialists and interviewers, and social workers.
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