Nursing or Teaching

Hi Everyone,

I am about to reenter school and I am having a hard time deciding which career to choose. I believe nursing is an excellent career field with a ton of opportunities but working with and knowing nurses it seems like I could get burned out pretty quickly with bedside care. I am aware that there are other avenues in nursing but I am not 100% sure if it is the field for me. I have looked into many different career fields and I am now ready to make a definite choice. I am choosing graduate school and I want to become a special education teacher for middle school children. Having worked with individuals with disabilities in another position, it was really the last time I truly enjoyed going to work. The kicker is I finally found a school that would allow me to get a graduate degree is special ed without having a teachers license prior to enrolling. However the school is online. Having never taught and being unlicensed I am not sure how principals will look at a degree from an online college. The program is fully accredited by the NCATE and seems to be a great program. The school is Liberty University and I would have to do 3 (1) week intensives throughout the duration of my program. I guess my main question is for current and former teachers. Is the job market for special education still strong? Is getting an online education a disadvantage? Is Liberty University a respected school? Where is the best job market for special education? And if anyone teaches special ed, can you share your experience?

Thanks guys and happy holidays!!!!! :)