Education Specialist Degrees in Vermont
A significant part of public money goes to education, including state funds and federal funds. For that reason, education is widely researched across the United States. The more research that is published on education, the more thoroughly teachers like you can meet learning goals and help students succeed.
Furthering your education is one way to become a more effective teaching professional. There are several degree options beyond the Master’s degree level, including the Ed.S. Higher education may put you in a position to change your career or improve your abilities in your current area of study.
Role of Educators With an Ed.S Degree in Vermont
Ed.S programs are established with working, skilled teachers in mind. Contact Vermont schools below to find out how you may benefit from this degree.
Vermont has consistently performed well in a number of educational measures. In the report “Promising State Policies for Personalized Learning,” Vermont was rated number one in states that use competency-based education policy requirements (VT Digger, 2016). This indicates that Vermont is an excellent place for aspiring teachers, since you can rely on evidence-based policies that support the work you do.
Vermont is also a great place to be if you work in early education. Across the United States, Vermont was rated number two for access to pre-K services, with enrollment increasing rapidly each year (Times Argus, 2016). Pre-K access is a significant predictor of further academic success, so this victory may pay off all the way through students’ postsecondary educational pursuits.
Whether you’re intrigued by how an advanced degree may change your career prospects or benefit your students, you can get started now by contacting education specialist degree VT options below.
Getting Your Educational Specialist Degree in Vermont
There are two ways to go about earning a specialist degree in education. First, you may start right after earning your Bachelor’s degree. If you choose this path, you need to find programs that combine the Master’s degree and education specialist degree into one program. Typically, this type of program requires at least 60 credits.
The other option is a conventional educational specialist degree. It includes about 30 credits and requires a Master’s degree. This option may include online coursework options, as it’s often assumed that students are working teachers who may not be available during conventional class times.
No matter which option you choose, your area of study is crucial to your success. In the list below, some options are intended for those who want to keep working as classroom teachers, while others are intended for students who want to completely change their career options.
Compare some Ed.S options at Vermont schools below:
- Career and Technical Education
- Instructional Design
- Educational Administration
- Curriculum Development
- Supervision
One area of concentration is instructional design. With this degree, you may learn how to develop curricular materials for a variety of subjects, create schedules and lesson plans that best meet student’s learning needs, and use evidence-based teaching methods. Some required courses are listed below:
- Principles of Instructional Design
- Fundamentals of Technology Tools
- Learning Theories
- Collaborative Learning with Technology
- Policy and Planning Issues
- Topics in Instructional Technology
If you want to go into administration as a district administrator or school principal, you have to qualify for special licensure in Vermont. Your education must build on your knowledge of teaching to help you become a skilled leader.
Some of the classes you may take as an education administration student include:
- School Law
- School Personnel Administration
- Instructional Supervision
- Research and Assessment
- Curriculum Leadership in K-12 Education
- Administrative Issues in Education
- Public School Finance
On top of the courses listed below, which may be available in traditional classroom format or online, each school has specific experience requirements you must meet. For example, you may need to complete an internship, create usable lesson plans in an internship, or get teaching experience in a new subject area. As you compare Vermont programs, make sure you compare different practicum courses.
Advancing your education with this degree can be beneficial to your career, but it may also positively influence the field of teaching as a whole. The more time teachers spend furthering their education and training, the more students benefit. This also strengthens public perception of the field of education, making it easier for school districts to get the funding and public support they need.
Working With an Education Specialist Degree in Vermont
After you have officially completed your education specialist program, you may be ready to find out how you can use your knowledge to start the next phase of your career.
Use the list of job titles below to compare job outlook expectations and average salaries for Vermont education professionals:
- School administrator: 20 job openings per year expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $
84,380 average salary (BLS,2016 ) - Instructional coordinator: 7% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $
62,810 average salary (BLS,2016 ) - Secondary school teacher: 60 job openings per year expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $
56,670 average salary (BLS,2016 )
You may need to add an endorsement to your license or get a completely different license, depending on what type of degree you learn and how you plan on using it. All licensing is regulated by the Vermont Agency of Education. Through them, you should already have maintained your teaching license throughout your degree.
With your advanced education, you should be ready to make an impression on Vermont education. Every year, there are new teachers that come into the field and need quite a bit of support to adjust to the world of teaching. Consider using your experience and education to serve as a mentor, providing teachers with the resources they need and helping the state of Vermont keep excellent teachers. You may want to get involved in groups like the Vermont National Education Association and the Vermont Association for Middle Level Education.
Obviously, investing in education can have many positive effects. Take the first step now by contacting education specialist programs in Vermont.
