Education Specialist Degrees in New Hampshire
People who want to contribute to the future of New Hampshire have quite a few career options, but perhaps teaching is the most meaningful way to give back to society. No matter which age level you teach or what subject you specialize in, your interaction with a child can influence them for the rest of his or her life. If you spend your time looking for new projects, new teaching methods, and current teaching research, you could really benefit from an Ed.S degree in New Hampshire.
This post-Masters degree was constructed with graduate-level teachers in mind, particularly those who want to devote their career to working in schools instead of research. Find out more about your options and what this degree entails.
Role of Educators With an Ed.S Degree in New Hampshire
Are you curious about how you could better reach the students of New Hampshire? Discover how an education specialist degree may help by contacting schools below.
The experience you gain as an education specialist could help school administrators solve challenging problems, such as the current issue with school choice in New Hampshire (Cato Institute, 2016).
For many small communities, there is no default school district, and students must instead travel to schools in larger cities. Proposed legislation would give parents more freedom in school choice.
One major goal of New Hampshire legislators is to get more students into college. In fact, a new bill would put seed money into an account for a child and allow them to use it for educational expenses upon reaching the age of 18 (NH Register, 2016). If this comes to fruition, it’s extremely important for students to have the critical thinking skills and academic potential needed to succeed in college.
Comparing school options can help you pick an area of specialty that suits your career. Request information from New Hampshire schools to get started.
Getting Your Educational Specialist Degree in New Hampshire
Upon completion of an education specialist degree, you should be ready to take on highly specialized positions within the school districts of New Hampshire. To reach that goal, you have to be at the top of your field. However, you can do so fairly quickly with this type of program.
Education specialist programs often include between 30 and 42 credits, which full-time students may be able to complete in approximately two years. A lot depends on your area of specialty, since some subjects are more demanding than others.
A selection of programs available at New Hampshire schools can be found below:
- Educational Administration and Supervision
- Leadership in Counseling
- Assessment and Evaluation
- Special Education
- Mentoring Teachers
When you start your degree, you should take courses that are directly applicable to your chosen field of study. If you go into educational administration and supervision, for example, you may find that your curriculum includes courses like:
- School Finance and Budgeting
- School Law
- Educational Supervision
- Curriculum Study
- Educational Evaluation
- School Facilities Management
- Policy, Politics, and Planning
If you choose a specialty that relates to classroom teaching, your courses may delve more into teaching theory, student learning styles, and teaching techniques. Programs in special education may include classes like:
- Exceptionality in Education
- Assessment and Teaching of Children with Learning Difficulties
- Laws and Regulations Affecting the Education of Students with Disabilities
- Positive Behavior Supports
- Public School Administration
- Human Resources in Education
In many cases, online educational specialist degree programs are available, as online courses reduce the burden on working teachers. However, you do still need to meet the student teaching and internship expectations of your course. In administration, you may spend one semester in an internship. In special education or literacy education, you may get student teaching experience in your new field.
The benefits of an education specialist degree are very diverse. This degree does give you some background in education research, although you may find that it focuses on how to use educational research in your classroom rather than conducting research. In addition, these programs use the most current research in your area of study to hopefully increase student engagement and learning.
Taking steps to further your education may help administrators and parents feel confident about their choice of school district and the community’s dedication to teaching.
Working With an Education Specialist Degree in New Hampshire
Keep in mind that you may need to append or change your teaching license before you begin working with your education specialist degree. The Bureau of Credentialing of the New Hampshire Department of Education separates licenses into many different categories, including licenses for administrators, special education teachers, subject area specialists, social workers, and school psychologists. If you need to change the student population you work with or the subject you teach, consult with the Department of Education to find out how you must proceed.
With the proper license, you may be able to explore new career opportunities. Some job titles are listed below, along with average salary information and expected job growth through 2022:
- School administrator: 4% expected growth (O*Net, 2016);
84,230 average salary (BLS,2016 ) - Instructional coordinator: 14% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $
62,910 average salary (BLS,2016 ) - Elementary special education teacher: 5% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $
55,650 average salary (BLS,2016 )
It’s important to use your knowledge of research, teaching techniques, and state standards to positively influence the field of teaching as a whole. One way you may go about this involves joining local teaching associations. If you take on a formal leadership role, it’s clear that you may have the chance to influence many people. However, even without a formal role, you may still guide new teachers, help experienced teachers think outside the box, and overall be a positive voice in the teaching industry of New Hampshire.
Get started by looking into groups like the National Education Association of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire School Administrators Association.
If you are ready to earn an education specialist degree, New Hampshire schools may be the perfect starting point. Use the list of schools below to get in touch with programs that interest you.
