Thoughts From My First Semester in an Ed Admin Graduate Program

As a follow up to yesterday's guest post on getting a degree in Educational Leadership, I wanted to share my own perspective.  I just started a master's degree program in Educational Administration, which at the University of Texas-Pan American is part of the Educational Leadership department and a precursor to its namesake doctorate.

For most of the last calendar year I've been working for IDEA Public Schools, a highly successful charter school organization that serves nearly 7000 students in 16 schools across south Texas.  I'm Chief of Staff for the Founder and CEO, which means I am privy to just about everything involved in running the organization--everything from what's happening at the schools to the painstaking details of finance and development.  While it's a welcome challenge, and very exciting to say the least, the learning curve is very steep.  There are many areas where I can contribute, but as my background is grounded completely in teaching, I have a lot to learn.  That's where this kind of graduate program comes in.

We've spent our time thus far discussing all of the issues schools deal with from the perspective of a principal and/or superintendent.  I've learned a lot about school law, finance and politics that has helped me in my job.  I've also learned more about the similarities and differences between how charters and traditional public schools must deal with these issues (hint: it's more similar than you might think).  Finally, I've had the opportunity to teach a lot of future leaders in my region that much of what they think they know about IDEA (and charters in general) isn't true.

I feel like I've gained quite a bit, and I'm only in my first semester.  My goal isn't to become a principal or superintendent necessarily (which puts me in the minority of my cohort) but that doesn't mean I can't get just as much out of this program.  I'm in a central office position in a growing and changing organization, which makes the need for the broad knowledge I'm getting from this program obvious.  Yet I also realize that even if I had still been a teacher who was undecided about taking an administrative position at the school or district level, I still would benefit greatly from looking at education from this very different perspective.

I hope that no matter where you are in your career in education that you consider what you could get out of a masters or doctorate in Educational Leadership.  Our profession needs great leaders at every level to ensure children are getting a great education.

As always, I'm happy to answer specific questions.  Please send me an email or leave a comment and we can dive into this topic a little more.

Why You Should Get an Educational Leadership Graduate Degree

Educational Leadership graduate degree programs prepare education leaders to analyze and solve the types of problems faced by schools. The programs also provide the knowledge and skills required to motivate the staff to perform at a higher level.

Educational Leadership Master's Degrees

Educational Leadership Master's Degree programs provide educators with the tools needed to be effective leaders in educational organizations and in their school's community. Educators also learn to become effective advisers and mentors to beginning educators. The programs also teach individuals how they can affect change in the systems that govern national, state, and local education.

The master's degree programs review current educational trends and innovative curricular designs in the context of improving student performance. Popular concentrations include instructional leadership, school leadership toward administrative licensure, and leadership for community and organizational learning. Many of these program require an internship.

Some of the typical subjects covered in an Educational Leadership Master's Degree program are as follows:

• Policies and practices in leadership
• Leadership development
• Education policy analysis
• Development of organizational leadership
• Administration and organization of public education
• Educating a diversity of learners
• School finance
• Educational change/school reform
• School - community relations and communications
• Special education

Doctoral Degrees in Educational Leadership

Programs offering a Doctorate (Ed.D) degree typically require applicants to have leadership experience and a master's degree. Administrators and teachers enhance their abilities to influence and transform educational environments. The programs provide new and innovative models of leadership.

Many of the doctoral programs are designed for working educators and include full-time study during the summer and weekend terms during the school year. Due to convenience and flexibility, online Ed.D in Educational Leadership programs are increasingly popular.

Some of the common courses in doctoral programs are perspectives on leadership, qualitative research in education, data analysis for organizational leaders, and leaders as researchers.

Charter School Leadership

A few schools, such as Central Michigan University and Nova Southeastern University's Fischler School of Education and Human Services, offer an online Master of Art degree in Educational Leadership with an emphasis in Charter School Leadership. (It should be noted that the author has no connections with these schools.)

Online Graduate Degree Programs

Some online graduate degree programs offer students the opportunity to meet multi-state, course-work requirements for academic licensing of principals, assistant principals, and instructional supervisory personnel. Graduates of some of these programs are qualified to take the School Leaders Licensure Assessment (SLLA) test. Some of the programs are based on the Intestate School Licensure Consortium (ISLLC) Standards which place children and their learning as the foundation of school administration.

Another option is the graduate certificate of advanced studies in educational leadership. A number of colleges and universities around the country offer these programs.

School Rankings

The top ten ranked schools in education by U.S. News and World Report in 2010 are as follows:

• Vanderbilt University
• Teachers College, Columbia University
• Harvard University
• Stanford University
• University of Oregon
• John Hopkins University
• University of California - Los Angeles
• Northwestern University
• University of Wisconsin - Madison
• University of California Berkeley

Numerous accredited colleges and universities offer graduate degree programs in educational leadership. Educators interested in advancing their careers while affecting positive change should definitely consider these programs.

Brian Jenkins, a member of the braintrack.com writing team, writes about a number of topics related to education.

How Online Courses Help Teachers Professionally and Personally

Online courses are gaining in popularity by the day; they’re sought after not just by adults who want to go back to school after a gap, but also by professionals who are looking to advance their careers and augment their earning potential. Today, the quality of education provided online is as good as that provided at any regular university; so if you do your research carefully and choose your school and course accordingly, there’s much to gain in the process.

If you’re in the teaching field and are looking for ways to develop professionally and grow personally, online courses are tailor-made to help you achieve these two goals.

Professional development happens through online courses because:

• You improve your qualifications and academic credentials. This allows you to apply for positions higher up than the one you hold and provides you with the skills and knowledge required to climb up the career ladder.
• You learn much more than you know now, and your enhanced knowledge and growing skill set allow you to compete with the best in the industry and still hold your own comfortably.
• If you want to switch careers – say if you feel like moving to teaching at college from teaching at school – online courses are the best way to achieve your goal. They allow you to stay at your current job even as they prepare you for the one you’re aspiring for.

You also achieve personal growth when you choose to study online because:

• You learn how to manage time better – your plate is full what with studying, attending classes, handling your responsibilities at the workplace, and taking care of familial and social duties, so unless you’re good at allocating time for each and balancing them all, you’re not likely to succeed.
• You cultivate the discipline required to concentrate all your energies on the job at hand (be it studying or working) so that you can get it done in the shortest possible time and in the most effective manner.
• You learn how to multi-task effectively without compromising the quality of the work you’re doing on all those tasks.
• Earning a degree gives you a sense of personal achievement, especially if you’ve done it against all odds or at a time in your life when people have written you off for various reasons. The older you are, the more you appreciate completing a degree.

Remember however, that the benefits of online education are realized only if you make the effort to choose the right school and the right course – they must be accredited and serve to enhance your job skills and provide you with a means to move up professionally. Also, because you’re most likely going to be studying and working simultaneously, you must have excellent time management skills and also possess the required discipline and dedication to devote your energies to both tasks without shirking one for the other.

This guest post is contributed by Carrie Oakley, who writes on the topic of online colleges. Carrie welcomes your comments at her email id: carrie.oakley1983(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

Tips for Professionals to Find the Right Online Degree

For educators who are considering a graduate degree, I'm a big proponent of exploring your options for getting it online. This guest post will give you a starting point. -Mr. D

Online education is not just a way to earn a degree from wherever you are; for most people, it’s a second chance at education. It allows them to learn while they earn, a benefit that is immensely advantageous because they don’t have to take time off from their profession and risk financial losses and because they can set schedules that are flexible and conducive to both work and study. But if they are to realize the maximum benefit from online education, professionals must take care in selecting the degree that’s right for them and their lifestyle. If not, it’s time, money and effort thrown down the drain.

So as a professional, how do you go about selecting the right online degree? Before you make your decision, ask yourself the following questions:

• Will it help me further my career? Most people go back to school because they realize the value of a degree in the workplace. A few do it because they feel a sense of accomplishment, but most do it because they want to use it as a rung to climb up the career ladder. Promotions, salary hikes, designation improvements – they’re all based not just on your commitment to your work, but also your level of education and your experience. So whether you’re looking for an internal promotion or a career change, you need to know what degree to pursue to help your cause. Most people prefer an MBA if they’re doing anything related to business - the EMBA option is popular with working professionals as it is designed around their schedule (most classes are on weekends). But in general, it’s best to choose a degree with a major that’s in line with your profession, either the one you’re in or the one you plan to move to.
  
• Does it suit my schedule? It’s not as easy as it sounds, balancing work, education, and your personal life. So choose your degree with care, taking into account your class and exam schedules. Ensure that they don’t clash with important events at work and if they’re flexible enough to fit around your work schedule. If you’re really busy at work, you can’t afford to sign up for a degree where your schedule is rigid and you’re forced to attend class even though you’re swamped with work.
• Will I be able to do justice to the course? When you commit to an education, whether it is online or not, you must give it your best shot. It’s just like any business endeavor or work project where you’re naturally going to put your best foot forward and go all out to ensure success. So enroll yourself only if you’re certain you’re going to be able to do justice to the world of academia rather than treating it like something to do when there is nothing else to do.
• Can I afford it? While this is not going to be much of a problem for a working professional as for a high school graduate, some courses like the EMBA which are tailored for high level executives are pretty expensive. So if you have to foot the bill for your degree because your employer is not keen on sponsoring you, ensure that you’ve weighed the pros and cons of spending good money on a degree which may or may not reap the rewards you seek.

This guest post is contributed by Anna Miller, who writes on the topic of degrees online. She welcomes your comments at her email id: anna.miller009@gmail.com.

Help Your Students Prep for College Entrance Exams with VerbaLearn

Lifehacker might be my favorite website, because they're probably one of the best education websites out there without even trying. For example, they've found another great vocabulary study resource called VerbaLearn. It's perfect for students (or maybe you) who are getting ready for the SAT, ACT or GRE. One great feature is being able to create podcasts of vocabulary for iStudying, but the best part has to be the smart vocabulary lists that remove words once you've demonstrated mastery (so you can focus on the ones you don't).

A few months ago, Lifehacker wrote about Teach2000, a free flash card creating program that I imagined could help build a great lesson on how to study. Combine them with FreeRice, the addictive vocabulary game that raises money for charity, and you have the beginnings of a pretty good unit on study skills.

Free College Courses For Your Students (Or Yourself)

Productivity hub Lifehacker recently posted about Stanford Engineering Everywhere, which offers free, full engineering courses online. They've also posted a pretty extensive list of free online college courses in a variety of subjects.

This is a great way to challenge advanced students, expose all of your students to college-level work and materials, and give them a taste of what they'll be expected to do with all this stuff you're teaching them.

I haven't explored everything yet, but I'm sure I'd find some lesson ideas and resources I could use in the classroom as well. Of course, you can also use these courses for your own benefit, be it a thirst for knowledge or indulging in nostalgia for your alma mater. If you're considering graduate school, this could help you with the vetting process for schools and areas of study. If you find anything particularly interesting or useful, please post a comment or email me.

Masters Degree Scholarship Opportunity for Teachers via Pearson & Liberty Mutual

I received an email this week that teachers thinking about in a master's degree might be interested in (emphasis added):

Hi Mr. D,

I was reading your blog posts on teachers and education the other day and realized that with school in session, budget strings tightening and teacher salaries being what they are, that you may be interested in learning about a cool scholarship opportunity available to teachers via www.libertymutual.com/teachers. According to the site, teachers from across the country can apply online to receive one of 15 fully funded master’s degrees via Pearson. Time is running out though as the scholarship applications are due October 31 so I thought you might want to check it out, or at the very least, share it with your friends and readers who may want to apply. There’s also a school grant application which your school administrator may want to check out. It provides 10 separate $10,000 grants to fund professional development opportunities in schools.

I did some research and I think it's worth considering. The grant and scholarship applications are located on Liberty Mutual's Learn Return website, which also provides links to distance learning courses offered via Pearson.

The program was announced this summer and the applications are due October 31st. According to the website this is an extension, and the fact that I received this email from a PR rep suggests that there haven't been many quality applications, which should bode well for anyone who's seriously interested. There's more information here and the official rules can be found here.

Teach for America Q&A: already licenced teachers

This is another email I received on MySpace that addresses the issues of already licensed and/or experienced teachers thinking about applying to TFA. I've never really heard the full story of one of the many people who follow this route into TFA, but I've heard and seen enough to offer this opinion:

Q: I read part of your blog. I thought the fantasy football theory was creative and hilarious. I am really writing to you to ask you if you were a teacher before you did Teach for America. I am currently a [fully] licensed teacher for elementary level and I am also finishing my year teaching abroad in Costa Rica with World Teach. I am doing and specialized volunteer bilingual program. Long and short of it, is that I have my license and a whole lot of experience and i am not quite sure about grad school yet, so what do you think the benefits of doing Teach for America would be for a already made teacher.

Thank you for your time,
[licensed teacher]

A: I wasn't a teacher before TFA--I was accepted into the program in my senior year of college. I had a degree in History, and I did a summer teaching program and other little education-related things here and there, but had no licenses or certifications to speak of. Teach for America will place you somewhere that needs quality teachers. I've continued teaching in my original region, the Rio Grande Valley (south Texas) and it has been a wonderful experience. Since you are considering grad school, that is also a reason to consider it since you will get an education award (roughly $8000 for me, probably more today) that you can put towards grad school (or loans if need be). I can't say enough about how much this program changed my life.

That being said, you have enough experience to get a job teaching anywhere without TFA's help. There are many great schools in the same areas TFA is serving (and many more they haven't reached yet) that will help the same kids. Charters are a great way to find a good school full of dedicated teachers, administrators staff and parents in areas where too many schools are failing the kids. KIPP Schools (Knowledge is Power Program) was started by TFA alumni and runs high performing charters all over the country, and depending on where you want to go there are many others like it. I'm not trying to advocate for charter schools. My point is that you have many more options to make the kind of impact you have been making in Costa Rica than even TFA can provide.

I think TFA may be frustrating for you because they'll be treating you as a brand new teacher, and they like to train you in their own way (which may run counter to your experience). What they will offer is ongoing support and professional development throughout your 2 year commitment and beyond, an education award that will help you with grad school, and placement in an area where you are most needed.

I almost forgot one more huge benefit that may be the thing that gets you to sign up--having TFA on your resume along with the other experience you have will help you get in to pretty much any grad school you want. TFA is a very selective, elite program, and grad schools just love that sort of thing. TFA has partnerships with many schools so you can apply now and defer until your commitment ends or, alternately you will have application fees waived or alumni-only scholarships available from different institutions.

If grad school is your goal, TFA has many advantages, but I would guess from your email that is just an added bonus and not the only impetus behind going for it.

FOLLOW-UP: Thank You sooooo much for taking the time out to respond to my email and so promptly. I will take the information you have shared with me when making my decision whether or not to apply to TFA.

May you have laughter in your life and love in your heart, especially for the little ones.

[licensed teacher]

Thanks to the [licensed teacher] for the inspiration for this post. Feel free to ask questions via comments or email.

Teach for America Q&A: certified in Physical Education

I've been using Google Analytics to analyze the traffic coming to the blog, and almost all of the search terms have to do with Teach for America. Also, since I am active in teacher groups on MySpace, I get more and more messages everyday from people asking for information about TFA to help them decide whether to apply or not. I wouldn't be living up to the mission of I Want to Teach Forever if I didn't share these discussions. This will be the first of many postings on this topic. Feel free to email in your own questions!

Q: hey! im will be graduating from [a university] in the fall with a masters degree in kinesiology and i am very interested in teach for america. i will be certified to teach physical education, grades k-12. do you have any info that may be helpful????
thanks,
[an interested party]

A: Well, let's start at the beginning. Your advanced degree can be a benefit and drawback in TFA. Obviously your experience will help you in the classroom, and teaching at summer institute won't be as challenging as it would for someone who's never done anything like it before.

However, you may become frustrated when going through TFA's initial training process, because you were taught how to teach one way, and they will teach you their way, and the two methodologies might clash at times. Also, I can pretty much guarantee you that you won't be teaching physical education, because there is such a huge demand in the core areas (especially science, which is where you would likely end up). I've never heard of anyone being placed in a PE position--and in a middle or high school setting you would almost certainly have to teach a core subject as well as be a PE teacher [if that was indeed possible]. That last part is the reality of the teaching landscape right now, not a TFA thing. If you do join TFA, be prepared to teach something unrelated (or only [related] tangentially) to your degree.

Now that's out of the way: The application process starts with an online application. If you get through that, you are scheduled for an in person interview. I don't know how much this has changed in the past 4 years, but my experience involved going to Accenture's corporate offices in New York City and jumping through a series of hoops with a roomful of TFA hopefuls. We were given discussion topics, had private interviews with recruitment staff, and had to give a short sample lesson on more or less whatever we wanted. A few weeks later they tell you whether you have been accepted and tell you the region they will place you in if you accept. When you accept, they begin to send you materials to read to prepare you for that summer's training institute (which takes place in locations across the country).

Institute, in short, is a month of teaching summer school in one of TFA's regions while absorbing a multi-year teacher education program at the same time. It is an incredibly intense trial by fire that will make or break you. In your case, as I said before, your experience will be a great benefit, but there's no PE in summer school, and you could be teaching any subject and any grade level (which could be completely different than what you'll be teaching in the fall).

Your TFA regional staff sets up interviews and does numerous other things to get you a job ASAP after entering the program (probably even before Institute). They will be the ones setting up professional development and the rest of the support network throughout your 2 year commitment. At the end of each year, you receive an education award that can be used for paying off loans (or going to grad school, although I doubt you'll be doing that again!).

Besides this support, you are otherwise a full-time teacher employed by the school district just like everybody else at your school. TFA doesn't pay your salary.

Each region gives you help in where to look for housing and everything else you need when moving to a new area, but they don't do it for you. You'll probably make friends and decide on roommates with other corps members early on as well.

At this point I asked if [an interested party] had any more questions, since I could go on forever. I enjoy being able to share my experiences with people--I guess there is no off position on the teacher switch (thanks, Dave).

Let me put a disclaimer here for now and the future: I don't work for Teach for America. I don't plan on doing so. I have a very positive view of it and had a positive experience. The opinions expressed herein do not represent those of Teach for America, TFA-RGV, or anybody else. These are my experiences and my viewpoints, and YMMV.