Could you give me some advice?Thank you very much!
For teaching k-12 it’s generally your state flagship.
“best” in what sense? for what purpose? for what budget? Those are seriously relevant questions.
Also, where do you see yourself living after college? You don’t have to work in the same state as where you go to school but Ed programs often place their students ( as well as help them get licensure) in state.
In general, it’s best to start looking at the public universities in your state, not just the flagship. Most education majors don’t graduate from big name universities. Regional and smaller public’s often have very good education programs and also have connections in local communities for their students to get placements for student teaching which of course can lead to permanent positions.
OP, what is your home state? We might be able to make recommendations from there.
Most elementary and secondary ed programs are geared to get you licensed in the nearest states, meaning they teach to that exam, the student teaching experience is designed to meet those requirements and so on. The quality of the undergrad degree is not what’s going to get you a license or position. If you want to set yourself apart academically that’ll occur when you go for a masters or doctorate.
One other reason to stay local is to save some money. I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned this to you yet, but you’re not lining yourself up for the life of the 1%. And in many places your pay can be linked to your educational progress, so you could be expected to go on to further schooling.
I am an elementary school administrator who hires teachers in public schools in a suburban district in the New York metropolitan area.
My opinion? You do not need to major in education. I am not saying that you should not major in education if you want to, just that you do not need to do so and that you might enjoy the opportunity to spend four years studying other subjects.
If you plan to teach high school, major in something related to your area— like history or economics or poli sci if you plan to teach social studies.
If you plan to teach elementary school, major in anything you find intellectually stimulating, like philosophy or physics or Spanish or comparative literature, and, along the way or afterwards, take the education courses, and participate in the guided student teaching, that you need to get certified. Or even get certified afterwards, in an MA program, especially if you are in a state like New York where you will need to get an MA anyway to remain certified. Check out the requirements for the state in which you want to teach to be sure you can meet them within your chosen BA, BS or MA program.
We have hired teachers with all different majors. It is not important what they majored in, as long as they are certified. We look for evidence of intellectual vitality. We want the people who will be teaching our students to love learning themselves!
Of course, anything in your preparation pales in importance in comparison to your demonstration lesson in a classroom with real children. Your student teaching experience will be your best preparation.
(If you really love a ranking, here is the U.S. News ranking for education graduate schools. But you still need to know what it will take to get certified in the state where you want to teach, so the top school on this list may not be the top choice for you. And regional favorites may vary. E.g., we have several teachers with MA degrees from Bank Street, and I did not find it on this list. https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-education-schools/edu-rankings)
If you know where you’d like to start your teaching career, have a chat with people who work in that school or school district, and find out where they find their best teachers.
Alverno College is worth researching. Fantastic program.
Probably one within the region or state you want to teach in, since it is more likely to offer courses designed for the teacher credential requirements there.
Many states require secondary education majors to obtain a degree in the subject they intend to teach (History, English, Biology) Many Secondary Education Programs require their students to have two majors. My DD16 is at Marquette University. Marquette secondary ed majors graduate with 2 degrees in 4 years ( For my DD16 it will be 4 years and one additional semester of student teaching; because she changed majors late, but the program is designed to be completed in 4 years); My DD16 will receive 1 BS in Secondary Education and 1 BS in Broad Field Science - Biology and will be certified to teach middle school and high school sciences (Non-AP) in Wisconsin and Minnesota upon graduation.
Pay attention to selecting programs that put you out in the community in a classroom from your first semester (actual experience is vital). As stated above, best to obtain your degree from a school in the state (or neighboring state) where you want to begin your teaching career. Teacher Certification is not standardized and every state has different requirements.