Home Degrees Educational Specialist New Jersey

Education Specialist Degrees in New Jersey

Whether you teach science, social studies, math, or another subject, the effect you have on a child’s life is far greater than the subject you teach. As a teacher, you are one of the main adult influences in a child’s life for at least one academic year. This is a huge responsibility, and one that you must likely take very seriously.

That’s why earning an education specialist degree is advantageous to your career. By taking your education beyond the Master’s degree level, you may learn how to more fairly assess students, achieve learning goals, and excel by New Jersey state standards.

Role of Educators With an Ed.S Degree in New Jersey

Are you ready to do more with your Master’s degree and give back to the state of New Jersey? Take the first step now by contacting edu. specialist degree NJ options below.

Common Core standards have been controversial since their implementation in schools across the country. New Jersey is one of the most recent states to eschew Common Core standards in favor of another set of educational guidelines (Philly.com, 2016). Teachers are now required to use the New Jersey Student Learning Standards, which experts say are crystal clear and tailored to each grade level’s needs.

Funding is often a source of contention in the field of education, and New Jersey schools are using new techniques to get funding. The New Jersey Education Foundation Partnership has started to use Edbacker to fundraise for New Jersey schools, a move that may give education specialists the resources and materials they need to succeed (Benzinga, 2016).

Regardless of your vision for your career, an educational specialist degree is a logical choice. Reach out to local schools to find out more.

Getting Your Educational Specialist Degree in New Jersey

While earning your Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, you may have selected an area of specialty. Many students major in elementary education or secondary education, while choosing to minor in a subject area. However, the process is a bit different in education specialist programs.

Since this degree leads to specialist certification, the area of study you choose is one of the most important decisions you may make in your career. Your area of specialty does not have to relate to your current teaching job. If you choose, you may use this chance to completely change your teaching field.

Options vary between New Jersey institutions, but some available areas of study are listed below:

  • School Psychology
  • Principal/Supervisor
  • Library Media
  • Educational Technology
  • Reading Specialist
  • School Counseling
  • Special Education

Your area of specialty may directly influence your job opportunities, the type of experience you get, and your New Jersey teaching license. If you are considering different options, explore each program’s curriculum to find a program that fits you. These programs generally require between 30 and 40 credits beyond your Master’s degree, so your curricular requirements should be extremely focused.

If you choose to specialize in reading education, you may take courses like:

  • Research, Policy, and Practice in Literacy
  • Teaching Writing for Children and Adolescents
  • Digital Literacies
  • Children’s Literature in Elementary School Curriculum
  • Literacy Development in Elementary and Middle School
  • Diagnosis of Reading Difficulties

If you want to transition from teaching into a new educational role, be aware that you may have to complete more practical experience rotations or earn more credits. For example, specializing in school psychology may involve taking the following courses:

  • Professional School Psychology
  • Home, School, and Community Collaboration
  • Psychoeducational Assessment
  • Behavioral-Social Assessment
  • Fundamentals of Curriculum Development
  • Consultation, Collaboration, and Intervention in School Psychology

Furthermore, specializing in counseling or psychology typically requires getting a psychology license on top of earning a more complex teaching license.

In teaching, it is all about how well you apply what you know. For that reason, it shouldn’t surprise you that classroom experience is a big part of how well you do at this level. How much experience you get depends on your area of specialty and the school you attend, but you should plan on spending at least one full semester in the classroom or in an internship.

Many education specialist students require approximately two years of study to finish this degree. This dedication may pay off in a huge variety of ways. For example, your new degree may qualify you for a new teaching license and allow you to revive your passion for the field of teaching. Furthermore, students with special or particular learning needs may find that their needs are better met in your classroom. Although this degree may take you about two years, the structure of these programs means that you may be able to earn your education specialist degree online.

Working With an Education Specialist Degree in New Jersey

You chose your area of specialty carefully, which means that you should already know what the next step is by the time you graduate. For psychologists, administrators, and teachers moving into a new grade level, this may mean applying for a new license through the State of New Jersey Department of Education. In New Jersey, there are different license types for teachers, career/technical educators, educational services personnel, and school administrators.

This requirement may also affect your earning potential and job outlook. The list below includes some career options, their average salary in New Jersey, and expected job growth through the year 2022:

  • School administrator:1% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $125,090 average salary (BLS, 2016)
  • Instructional coordinator: 6% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $79,060 average salary (BLS, 2016)
  • Secondary school teacher: 1020 jobs per year expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $75,250average salary (BLS, 2016)

Even if you don’t advertise your new degree and specialized experience, you may find that it automatically makes you a leader in your local teaching community. Make the most of this opportunity by joining groups like the New Jersey Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers of New Jersey.

Education is changing rapidly, which is good news for students and teachers alike. Make sure you’re ready for the needs of new students by keeping up on your education. Get in touch with New Jersey programs to begin.