Education

Click For A List Of Top Online Schools Offering Education Degrees

Going back to school to get a teacher’s master’s degree is something many educators pursue during the course of their careers. Not only can obtaining a master’s result in a salary increase, but it can help professionally as well, opening doors to new and different career opportunities.

Earning a master’s of education online can be the most economical and convenient approach for teachers continuing to teach while they go back to school. And while teaching master’s degrees from some online schools require supervised classroom work (often called “verified field experiences”), there is generally no travel required to the actual college — all your classes are taken online. Programs of this type have grown in popularity, and there are now online master’s degrees across many majors including curriculum and instruction, math or English teaching, counseling, administration and special ed.

Save Time
Teaching is a huge job, which goes way beyond a traditional forty-hour workweek. From planning lessons and units to holding conferences and grading papers, teachers put in many hours in addition to their daily school schedules. So for many educators, going back to school can seem like an impossibility; but choosing to complete your master’s online will save you precious time and be more convenient than attending a physical school.

Instead of wasting hours commuting and sitting in classes, going to school online is as simple as turning on your computer. You can work and study at your own pace, from work or home, whenever you have the time. The convenience of being able to do some school work during a prep period, lunch break, or between school and conferences or after school activities is a big bonus. Many programs can be completed in as little as 12 or 18 months, depending on the pace you choose for your degree. Or, you may elect to take a bit longer to get your degree but complete your coursework during the summer months when you’re off, allowing you to do more classes at a time.

Save Money
For many teachers, a master’s degree takes a lot of extra money that they just don’t have. Not only can tuition and books be expensive, the gas money to commute and the expense of food on the go as you travel from your teaching job to your night classes can really add up. However, many online graduate programs can significantly cut these costs, making going back to school affordable, even on a teacher’s salary. Also, with teaching comes a lot of perks in many school districts. You may be able to get a very low-interest loan through your teachers’ credit union that you could pay off with the pay increase you receive upon graduation. You can also check with your state and the federal government for programs that cancel some or all of student loan debt for those who use their degree to teach for a certain number of years afterwards (the federal Stafford Loan Forgiveness Program for Teachers is one).

Avoid Burnout
Since teaching requires face-to-face interaction with other people all day long, having to attend classes with even more people can be a challenge. Many teachers just want to come home and relax in peace at the end of the day instead of answering more questions. Online graduate school is a great solution to this problem, since you can learn in the comfort of your own home, in your pajamas if you wish. By being able to fit school into your life, you can avoid feeling completely depleted, with nothing left to give. If you’ve had a long, stressful day, you can choose not to “do school,” and save the work for the next day or the weekend when you have more time and energy. The choice is yours. And since your job requires constant interaction with students, colleagues and parents, online schooling can provide a welcome relief by allowing you to learn and study quietly, without having to assert and defend yourself in yet another classroom setting.

Reach Your Goals
Obtaining a master’s of education degree means that you’re even more qualified than before, which can open up new and better career opportunities and also means a pay increase, even if you choose to stay in your current position. Therefore, earning a master’s can mean greater financial security, which is a huge benefit for all of your hard work.

Unlike other jobs in which raises can be subjective, public school teaching automatically increases pay for each year you work and each credential you earn (many private schools also increase pay for credentials, though the scale may be less objective). Think of the pay scale as a large chart: across the top is a list of degrees, from bachelor’s (required) to PhD, and down the left-hand column is the number of years’ experience. A new teacher with zero years’ experience and only a bachelor’s degree starts in the top left-hand corner, at the lowest pay. For every year you teach, the pay increases down the first column, and when you add a graduate degree, the pay increases across the chart as well. This means you can dramatically increase your earning potential when you obtain a teacher’s graduate degree.

And if you’re hoping to branch out beyond the traditional classroom or into new subject areas, a master’s in education online can help you do that. Whether your goal is to teach a new grade or subject, become a specialist or move into administration, a master’s degree can aid you in achieving it in a way that’s convenient for you, allowing you to keep teaching while you go back to school without losing your mind in the process.

Click For A List Of Top Online Schools Offering Education Degrees

By Susan Ott
The demand for ESL (English as a Second Language) teachers in grades K-12 is rising, with many schools looking for specialists in this area. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the number of children in grades K-12 who speak a language other than English at home rose from 10 percent in 1980 to 21 percent in 2009.

Students of all ages and linguistic backgrounds are in need of extra help and support in making English their primary language so that they can succeed in American schools. This means that schools, both public and private, are in need of specialists on staff who are specifically trained to help ESL students not only learn the English language, but also learn how to succeed within their grade levels to the best of their abilities. Even if you want to leave the K-12 level all together, there is also a growing demand for ESL educators in universities, adult education programs and private companies. So if you’re already a certified teacher with years of experience who’s looking to specialize, ESL might be a strong fit for you.

TESOL And ESL
If you wish to teach English to students who speak other languages, you will want to look closely at two specific types of masters programs: ESL (English as a Second Language) and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages). Both degrees are similar and tailored to teachers who want to teach ESL students. If you already have a specific job in mind (i.e. a need for an ESL specialist at your current school), check with your administrator(s) to see if one degree is desired over the other. If not, research both masters options (most online degree schools issue one or the other) and choose the program that best fits your needs.

The core focus of a masters in ESL or TESOL is on teaching English skills to those who have little to no knowledge of the English language. Your courses will instruct you in new methods of teaching as well as understanding the unique needs of ESL students and the specific challenges they face. In this type of masters program, the curriculum is focused heavily on reading and writing, to give you the tools to help non-native speakers communicate and understand English with fluency so they can succeed in all academic areas. And much like your undergraduate education degree, you’ll also study theories and philosophies of education and curriculum development, all specifically tailored to the ESL field of study.

Using ESL in Public School
If you are planning on teaching ESL in a public school, then you will most likely also need to obtain your ESL or TESOL certification from the state in which you will teach. Much like your initial teacher certification, an ESL certificate can be earned through passing an ESL subject test or tests, given by each state. You will then be issued a separate ESL or TESOL licensure that certifies you to teach ESL. If you are planning on teaching in a private school or non-academic setting, this certification may not be required. But becoming officially licensed always looks good on a resume and adds an extra credential to your professional arsenal.

What Specific Jobs Can You Earn With This Degree?
In most public and private K-12 school settings, an ESL master’s degree holder can become the ESL specialist for the school. In this type of position, you will most likely pull ESL students from all grades to have private or group language lessons with you, which can range from weekly to daily. In schools where the demand for ESL instruction is unusually high, you may have your own classroom where you work with an exclusive class of students or teach full periods of ESL (as in secondary schools) to several classes each day.

Teaching Adults To Speak English
Adult ESL education is another growing field in which you will be fully qualified to teach. The options for teaching adults can range from ESL night classes at a local college to group ESL instruction for private companies. These types of jobs use the same types of basic ESL teaching skills as K-12, but the actual subject matter will be tailored to adults instead of children and teens.

Finally, you will also be qualified to teach “How to Teach ESL” classes to students in ESL majors or minors at colleges and universities. Here, you will be teaching English-speaking students how to teach ESL to others. Some colleges offer an actual ESL major for undergraduates, while many others offer it as a minor or special concentration for English Education majors. However, be aware that on this career path, you may be required to have a certain number of years’ experience as an actual ESL teacher before securing a job as a professor in an ESL program.

Specific Courses
Schools that offer a masters in ESL or TESOL may call their courses by slightly different names; however, the courses below outline the majority of topics you’ll cover in your program. Be sure to check your school’s course catalogue for more specifics, such as exact course names and numbers, as well as credit hours earned for each.

• Intro to English Education
• Methods of Teaching ESL
• ESL Curriculum Development
• Theories and Philosophies of ESL Education
• Issues in ESL Education
• Multicultural Perspectives and School Climate
• Assessment of English Language Learners
• Linguistics and Language Development
• ESL Media and Materials

Click For A List Of Top Online Schools Offering Education Degrees

Compared with some other fields, teaching tends to offer more personal rewards than financial ones. But that doesn’t mean that teachers can’t earn more, move up the career ladder and get more exciting job responsibilities if they build up both their experience and educational credentials.

In this line of work more than almost any other, your earnings and advancement opportunities are directly tied to the degree you have. In public school systems – where most graduates with teaching degrees want to work because of good benefits packages – earning more and gaining more control over your professional life will often depend on where you stand in terms of having a bachelor’s, master’s or doctorate degree.

Why and How More Learning Pays Off
While pay and promotions are unpredictable in private schools (as well as colleges and universities) K-12 public school teachers generally receive straightforward pay scales based on degrees earned and years of experience. The current national average for these teachers’ salaries is about $54,500 a year (according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics), but your time on the job and degree will tend to dictate exactly your true salary will fall. Your earnings will also be influenced by the state and district you teach in, as educational standards vary from state to state, and salaries can vary from one town’s school district to another.

You’ll generally see your salary go up over time as a teacher even if you don’t go back to school for a higher degree or get a promotion. That’ because the contracts that teachers’ unions negotiate for their members virtually always include ongoing annual pay raises. And while there’s a good deal of debate going on around the country about rating the performance of teachers, by and large these annual pay raises are still guaranteed regardless of performance in most school districts.

However, you can potentially amplify your earnings a good deal if you add to your educational credentials. That’s true even if you remain in your basic classroom teaching position. On that career path, you might say that an advanced degree offers a measure of “salary insurance,” as you’ll find explained below.

If you have higher ambitions, and hope to be promoted to one of the more senior and higher paying jobs in education, you’re likely to find that you need an advanced degree or degrees to do so. Here’s a general idea of what each type of degree can do for your teaching career.

Bachelor’s Degree
Earning a bachelor’s degree in teaching is a must for becoming a public school teacher. You must also pass a series of tests from the state in which you want to teach to earn your licensure. It is only with these two credentials that you can apply to become a teacher in the public school system. Once hired, you can expect to earn a pay raise for every year you teach. Annual pay increases of about 2 – 3% per year are fairly standard. But there is little opportunity for advancement for teachers with just a bachelor’s degree. Almost all more specialized teaching jobs require at least a master’s degree to qualify.

Teaching Masters Degree
Master’s degrees for teachers can provide opportunities to specialize, change careers within the educational field, or seek promotion. But you may want to consider one even if you’d like to stay in classroom teaching.

In today’s public teaching system, most teachers eventually earn a master’s degree regardless of their particular career goals. That’s partly because some states now require that after gaining a certain number of years’ experience, every teacher must begin a master’s program to enhance teaching knowledge and stay current in the field of education.

A Higher Salary For What You’re Doing Now
Earning a master’s degree will, in many school districts, automatically get you a pay raise as a classroom teacher of several thousand dollars per year, or 10 to 15% of your current salary. A general masters in education is a popular post grad degree for teachers who want to stick with their current jobs. But if you are interested in a particular specialty, a masters in teaching math, English or some other subject can be beneficial.

Moving Up
If, however, you wish to move out of the classroom to become an administrator, specialist, consultant, or something else in the school system, it’s advisable to choose a more specialized master’s program. Elementary and secondary school administrators earn a median salary of about $90,000. per year in the U.S. according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, while the highest earners in this occupation can make over $120,000. per year.

Online master’s degree are offered by various schools in education administration, teaching leadership and other organizational subjects that can help qualify you for administration.

One caveat: it may not be in your interest to earn a masters degree before you have any real teaching experience. Because any public school you interview with will be required to pay you the higher salary of a master’s degree holder, you may seem like a very expensive hire as a new teacher with an MA or MEd. A safer path might be to earn your teaching bachelor’s degree and licensure, start teaching, and then decide later how what kind of specialized graduate degree program makes sense for you.

Doctoral Degree
Most teachers and specialists never earn a doctoral degree. It requires a big investment of time, money and work to do so, and it’s not a requirement for most jobs within the field of K-12 public education.

But if you have a strong desire to take a specialty you studied at the master’s level and develop it further, a doctorate can pay off, both in terms of a salary and promotion opportunities. Teachers and assistant administrators who want to become a head principal (especially of a secondary school), superintendent or other high-profile administrator will often earn a doctoral degree because it helps distinguish them from other highly qualified candidates.

You might also benefit from a doctoral degree if you wish to train other specialists or teachers in your educational subject area (ES, for example). The Ph.D. degree tends to proclaim you as an expert with a high degree of understanding in the specialty.

Finally, some classroom teachers who genuinely love what they do may earn a doctorate to become a department head or simply gain a higher or more specialized level of knowledge. My own high school English teacher was one such man. He was a Ph.D. and head of the English department, yet he continued to teach English in the classroom right up to retirement. At the end of his career, he was the highest-paid teacher in the district, having earned the highest degree and years of experience per the public teacher’s pay scale.

The choice of a degree is a very personal one that should be well thought-out and researched. If you want to become a public school teacher or you are one already, pursuing higher education can certainly have multiple benefits in terms of your job satisfaction and your earning potential.

Click For A List Of Top Online Schools Offering Education Degrees

By Susan Ott
Many classroom teachers decide at some point in their careers to go back to school for a Master’s degree in Education. Some choose to obtain their master’s for better pay, some to update their knowledge, and others to move into another field within education besides teaching. Whatever your reasons, you’re probably wondering which type of Master’s in Education is right for you. There are many options to choose from, ranging from general to highly specialized. Read on to understand your options and decide which program would be best for you to pursue.

Why Are You Going Back to School?
Before you choose a Master’s in Education degree program, it’s important to identify your reasons for going back to school in the first place. If you love your teaching job and simply want to learn more to hone your skills, get better results within the classroom, or even become a department head, then a more general master’s of education is probably right for you. If, however, you wish to move into a different area than teaching, such as administration, counseling, technology professional or learning specialist, a more specific degree is what you’ll need to take your career to the next level. Making these important decisions before you start your graduate program will save you time and money and help you achieve your goals more quickly.

General Master’s in Education
A broader, more general Master’s of Education can be obtained in these categories: Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Secondary Education and a General Master’s of Education. These degrees are for teachers who wish to continue teaching, but want additional training. If you enjoy the age group you teach, it’s best to get your master’s in that category. Some programs combine early childhood education and elementary education, so your experience is more versatile, especially if teaching kindergarten is your niche. Also, those who specialize in secondary education can choose a program that focuses on the subject they teach, such as history, science, math, etc.

A general master’s in education focuses on educational theory and technique, taking what you learned in your bachelor’s degree to a deeper level. You’ll also learn the latest laws, practices and trends within the field of education, so you can take them back to your classroom and your school. Basically, with this degree, you can learn how to better teach within your subject area(s), motivate your students and help them learn to the best of their abilities, and organize not only your lessons and units, but be a leader in your school (this is particularly helpful for experienced teachers looking to become a department head or manage another area of the school while continuing to teach). So if you see yourself continuing in the classroom, then a more general master’s in education is a good fit for you.

Specialized Master’s in Education
Teachers who wish to advance their education so that they can move beyond the classroom into a different area of education should strongly consider a more specialized master’s in education.

Special Education
A master’s in education which focuses on special education is for teachers who want to specifically teach kids with mental and physical disabilities. Another area that falls under special education is gifted education, good for teachers who wish to be a resource teacher for gifted students. Some special education teachers have a set class and room, while others travel around the school or even between schools to provide learning support and enrichment to students with special or gifted needs. Teachers who obtain this graduate degree can also prepare to become a special education administrator or someone who oversees special education policy at the district level.

Learning Support
A master’s of education with a concentration in the learning support fields would include specializations such as: ESL (English as a Second Language), bilingual education, reading education and support, and writing education and support. Teachers who choose this specialization are usually working towards a career as a learning support specialist or teacher. Many of these professionals work with many different students within one school (sometimes two) to give special instruction and resources to those children who need extra help in a particular area. This degree will build on your general teaching experience and train you how to help students in one specific area who need specialized training to catch up with their grade level.

School Counselor
Getting some years of teaching experience before becoming a school counselor is not only beneficial, it is required in some states. So if the highlight of your teaching experience has been helping your students on a personal level, than getting a Master’s of Education in School Counseling may be a great fit for you. This degree will equip you to become a school guidance counselor, focusing heavily on psychology courses. Some school counselors even teach special lessons in the classroom related to topics such as character education, emotions, peer pressure and bullying, to name a few. This field is a highly interpersonal one, so if that’s what you enjoy most about teaching, it may be a great fit for you. Keep in mind, however, that school counselors need specific licensure, just like teachers, in addition to a master’s degree. Make sure you research your state’s requirements before deciding on a program of study.

Administration & Leadership
Teachers who wish to move on to an administrative position within their school or district should choose a master’s of education within this area of study. Many teachers feel that the challenge and pay of an administrative position like a principal is a satisfying step after the classroom. Those who are tired of the day to day routine of the classroom but who still want to help students and equip schools to run as smoothly as possible should choose this concentration. A program in administration and educational leadership will focus heavily on educational policies and management, so graduates can also pursue careers as district administrators.

Media & Technology
With technology becoming central to the school experience through computers and other related media, schools are looking for professionals who can organize the technology within a school or district as well as teach these skills to students and teachers. This master’s in education can equip you for a job as a technology teacher or an IT professional or educator for a school, district or even a region or state. Many media specialists within the educational system work with teachers and students, since teachers also need to be instructed on how to use the latest technologies within their classrooms. So this specialty is a good fit for those who enjoy a varied experience at work, yet wish to continue within the field of education.

Making the Right Choice
While there are many different options for a Master’s of Education, the choices vary greatly depending on your future career goals. Just getting a master’s degree will, in most cases, increase your pay as well as possibly lead to more challenging and fulfilling job opportunities. Decide what you love about your current teaching position, as well as what you’d like to change, and let that guide your future career decisions. There’s no right or wrong Master’s degree in Education program, just one that will suit your needs and goals best.