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Education Specialist Degrees in Virginia

Every day you step into your classroom, you are positively impacting the lives of your students. Regardless of the grade level you teach and the subject you teach, your presence in children’s lives shows them that education is important and that there are people who are willing to help them succeed.

This is a huge accomplishment, but you can do even more by becoming an education specialist. By advancing your skills and hands-on training in one specific area of teaching, you may be able to ramp up student performance in an area of study.

Role of Educators With an Ed.S Degree in Virginia

Education specialists work in classrooms, develop curricula, create teaching materials, and train new teachers, among other job responsibilities. Compare different options now by reaching out to Virginia teaching programs.

In some ways, simply advancing your education can have a positive effect on your school. In several counties, Virginia schools report suspension rates that are unacceptably high (Roanoke, 2016). Education specialists who can properly handle challenging students and stop situations before they become confrontational are a huge advantage in these districts.

You may find a number of opportunities awaiting you if you go into computer science. Virginia schools are adding computer science education at many grade levels (WSLS, 2016). This is an effort to increase the growth of STEM, an area in which jobs are expected to grow quite a bit in coming decades. Focusing on this field now may help students secure a rewarding future for themselves.

Are you ready to attend an edu. specialist degree Virginia program and push the limits of your knowledge? Get started by contacting Virginia schools below.

Getting Your Educational Specialist Degree in Virginia

One of the first decisions you have to make as an aspiring student is what you will study. You may be certified in elementary education, early childhood education, or secondary education, and you may choose to advance your knowledge in the same area. However, you can also take this opportunity to become endorsed in another subject area.

Some of the Ed.S program options available in Virginia are listed below:

  • Curriculum and Instruction
  • Administration and Supervision
  • Reading Education
  • Instructional Technology

If you are torn between multiple options, delve a bit more into each program. Generally, you need to earn between 30 and 40 credits over a period of two to three years. However, the path you take to earn those credits varies quite a bit between programs.

As a reading specialist, you may take classes like:

  • Foundations of Reading Instruction
  • Reading in the Content Areas
  • Language Structures and Phonics
  • Remedial Techniques and Remediation
  • Literacy Leadership and Coaching

If you want to become a principal and establish yourself as a leader in education, you may focus on administration and supervision. In this area, you may take classes like:

  • Leadership Principles and Ethics
  • Theories of Educational Leadership
  • Tests and Measurement in Education
  • Advanced Educational Statistics
  • Educational Leadership and Public Relations

Since it is a post-graduate certificate, you do need to have a Master’s degree in education and a valid teaching license before you begin your coursework. Very little general information or review work is covered, so you may want to refresh your knowledge of teaching theories if it’s been a while since you completed your Master’s degree.

Most programs jump right into the theory surrounding your area of study, making the most of your limited time. If you plan on working full-time as a teacher while earning your degree, look into blended or online programs. These types of education specialist degree programs work around the schedules of working teachers and may allow you to take most of your classes in the summer or during winter breaks.

Of course, the exception to this is practical experience, which must be completed at a local school. You may gain classroom experience in your specialty, complete an internship in educational leadership, or work in an entirely separate area of education.

There’s no doubt that furthering your education is valuable for your teaching career. That is why almost every state requires continuing education for licensed teachers. Your career is built on the importance of knowledge and education, and by attending college for an advanced degree, you are proving that you truly believe in the value of education.

Furthermore, your dedication to teaching may encourage other teachers to take the next step in their training.

Working With an Education Specialist Degree in Virginia

Depending on the area of concentration you choose, earning your degree may be all you need to do to work with your education specialist knowledge. If you want to work in a different subject area or with a different grade level, you may need to add an endorsement to your license by contacting the Virginia Department of Education. This process can take some time, particularly if additional testing is required, so begin it before you graduate.

The type of degree you get may influence your job outlook and earning potential. Some common options in Virginia are listed below, along with their current average salary and expected job outlook through 2022:

  • School administrator: 11% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $94,590 average salary (BLS, 2016)
  • Instructional coordinator: 16% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $74,950 average salary (BLS, 2016)
  • Secondary school teacher: 11% expected growth (O*Net, 2016); $68,070
    average salary (BLS, 2016)

This degree is relatively new, and industry leaders created it because of a shortage of leaders in the teaching community. Don’t be surprised if your education specialist degree puts you in a position of leadership in Virginia. You may want to start building a good name for yourself by getting involved with groups like the Virginia Education Association and Virginia Professional Educators.

The future of Virginia is its children. Your classroom is literally creating the future leaders, scholars, and entrepreneurs of Virginia. Do everything you can for your students—contact local programs to learn more about earning a specialist degree in education.

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