Get involved on and off campus
Bowdoin offers many opportunities for students to explore the field of education while gaining valuable hands-on experience. Whether it’s through academic coursework or research, volunteering in the local schools or for an adult education program, teaching English to speakers of other languages, coaching, working in Admissions, Alumni Relations, Financial Aid, Residential Life, Student Affairs, the Outing Club or as a teaching assistant for an academic department, students engage in a variety of meaningful experiences that help to identify and establish their future career goals. The opportunities for exploration and skills development are expansive!
Additionally, summer opportunities include positions within nonprofit and for-profit organizations supporting equity in education, data and analytics, test design and preparation, consulting and so much more, including teaching and counseling.
Keep up with research and issues in education
Following current affairs in education is the best way to understand the field, and the role you might want to play in education. There are many resources available for free to Bowdoin students, including:
- Education week
- Chronicle of Higher Education
- Harvard EdCast, the podcast of the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and Useable Knowledge, the user-friendly summary of the faculty’s education research, and the Pedagogy of the Obsessed podcast hosted by experienced teachers, administrators and nonprofit leaders earning an doctorate in education leadership.
- The School’s In podcast from the Stanford Graduate School of Education.
- The CenterEd Teaching podcast by Teachers College, Columbia University.
- Student Affairs 101 podcast profiling careers in student affairs, and follow the broadcasts of WGBH’s Education news team.
Learn a Key Skill
One way to demonstrate your interest in the field and prepare for internships and jobs is to pursue skill-based workshops relevant to education. LinkedIn Learning is a platform aimed at teaching key skills related to business, technology, and creative careers. Topics relevant to education include instructional design, classroom management, educational technology, project-based learning, grant writing for education, and courses on educational software and technology tools used in the classroom. LinkedIn Learning is available for free to Bowdoin students.