Five Psychology Jobs in Schools

psychology jobs in public schools

Psychology Jobs in the Public School Setting

  • School Psychologist
  • Classroom Behavioral Aide
  • Teacher
  • Academic Counselor
  • Curriculum Research and Development

Congratulations on your decision to pursue a career in a public school district! Public schools and private schools directly influence the direction of the future, so students need to be surrounded by qualified and caring professionals. If you are pursuing a degree in psychology and wondering how you can integrate education into your career path, this article will provide you with five great psychology jobs in schools. To get psychology jobs, bachelor’s degree is usually the first step and often followed by an advanced degree. To find these jobs, BA psychology is a great starting place. There are also BS in psychology jobs.

School Psychologist

School PsychologistSchool psychology jobs are important. A credentialed school psychologist helps students achieve success by overcoming challenges of mental health and social problems. In a school district, school psychology and social work are closely related and often school psychologists and social workers team up to best help students. A school psychology program provides direct therapy geared towards balancing academic life and specific mental health and social struggles. School psychologists work to facilitate communication between school age children, families, teachers, academic counselors, and school administration. They lead mental health and wellness groups and activities that benefit all students. School psychologists are first responders to help students cope with crises and tragedies that occur in the school or community. School psychologists advise school administration and teachers on how to implement best practices within classroom management, curriculum, and school administration. To become a school psychologist, earn a bachelor’s in psychology, followed by graduate education. Either a master’s degree or doctorate degree and licensure in a related field is required. School psychology jobs will be at your disposal.

Classroom Behavioral Aide

Classroom Behavioral AideClassroom behavioral aide is one of the good bachelor’s in psychology jobs. If you enjoy working more directly with students on a daily basis and being inside the classroom, you should consider becoming a classroom behavioral aide. In this role, you work directly with students who need a little bit more assistance overcoming their behavioral and developmental challenges, according to CPI. You assist them with completing work and maintaining appropriate classroom behavior. Aides collaborate often with teachers to help them understand each child’s unique needs and create a plan for academic success. They might be assigned to one student, one classroom, one grade level, or even an entire school. Becoming a behavioral aide typically requires a bachelor’s in a related field, but sometimes you qualify with an associate’s degree (earned in 2 years) and related experience.

Teacher

TeacherIf you find that psychology is more of an interest that you would like to implement into teaching, consider getting your teaching credential after you earn your bachelor’s in psychology. Psychology is a great undergraduate major on which to build a career teaching any grade. Your background in psychology will prepare you better than most for understanding your students’ developmental phase, managing classroom behavior, and building rapport with students and families. Choosing to be a teacher of psychology jobs is a great option. Even teach psychology online jobs is a good option for those interested in teaching and psychology.

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Academic Counselor

Academic CounselorAcademic counselor is one of the popular bachelors in psych jobs to help with academic success of students. Perhaps you are excited about working with middle and high school students, because you enjoy helping them choose classes, balance their growing academic responsibilities, and planning their futures. These are the tasks an academic counselor performs daily. School counselors also serve as an academic liaison between students, families, teachers, and school administrators. Having this support with enable students to make the best decisions about their future.

Curriculum Research and Development

Curriculum Research and DevelopmentAll curriculum development begins by researching what students should learn and how. Curriculum researchers conduct research to influent decisions that will better serve students.  If this is an area you find interesting, and you prefer a more behind-the-scenes role in schools, consider concentrating your studies on educational psychology. You typically need a master’s degree or higher to have these psych degree jobs.

Other Psychology Jobs in Schools to Consider:

  • Behavioral Specialist: They work with children who have behavioral issues and help them develop skills to improve their behavior in the classroom.
  • Social Worker: They provide support and resources to students and families in need, including those dealing with poverty, abuse, and neglect.
  • Educational Psychologist: They assess students’ learning needs, and work with teachers to develop appropriate educational plans for students with learning difficulties.
  • Speech-Language Pathologist: They work with students who have speech and language difficulties and develop strategies to improve communication skills.
  • Occupational Therapist: They work with students who have physical, emotional or social difficulties and develop strategies to improve their occupational performance.

These are some of the common roles and job titles of psychologists in school settings, but other roles and responsibilities may exist depending on the school and district.

Conclusion

There are many psychology degree bachelors jobs. School districts value these positions. If you choose to pair psychologist bachelor’s degree jobs with school, these options are great choices. Working in schools is highly rewarding. It allows you to participate in shaping the next generation of citizens to become productive members of society with good moral fiber. Now that you have information about psychology BA jobs options in a school district, you can begin your satisfying career journey. If you decide schools aren’t for you, you can even consider private practice. 

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