Every teacher knows the challenges that come at the start of a new year. You’ll need to get acquainted with your new students as a new set of educational milestones looms large ahead. Those are priorities, but they may be buried under the weight of new textbooks or a first year department head with a new vision to adhere to.
Teaching is a calling and pays dividends far beyond the typically meager financial benefit. Teachers have a sense of purpose when approaching the classroom and its students, but not all teachers are created equal. The lucky few are gifted with hyper awareness in the classroom and are the bane of their colleagues’ existence – every other teacher that puts in hours of extra work each week preparing strategies for a smooth class only to be derailed by the first obnoxious question from a rowdy student. These teachers – simply put – are dialed into their students and just ‘get’ what is needed from them.
For the rest of us without superhuman abilities in the classroom, an early start to planning and a well-designed and time perfected game plan is essential to success. One of the best things you can do to start building this firm foundation is to go back to school yourself. Earning your Master’s degree is an excellent option for teachers hoping to improve their ability in the classroom and job mobility outside it.
Earning your Masters is easier than you might think. Today, there are endless resources out there to help you succeed, and a number of high quality online degree programs, as well. This means you can complete the work at your own pace rather than trekking across town after a long day of work to sit down in someone else’s classroom for a few hours. In fact, nothing may be equal in turning you to furthering your education than the slog to class after your own have finished for the day. Teaching is hard work, after all!
This doesn’t have to be your reality when you pursue higher education, though. Online courses such as the Merrimack Master’s in Education degree program allow for flexible study that can take place during your lunch break, on your couch after work, or even over the weekend. By choosing an online platform to complete your degree, you have the ability to choose when and where you want to study. Courses are offered in a way that reflects traditional classroom curriculum, and the degree you will earn at the end is no different from the one proudly displayed by some of your colleagues. The only difference is the convenience afforded to you when you choose to study online.
Once you have completed the degree, a new world of possibilities will open up to you. Department Head and Vice Principal obviously require extensive educational work experience, but most candidates for promotion or outside hires will only really be considered if they have achieved heightened academic credentials on top of valuable teaching knowledge. A Master’s program is the perfect opportunity for you to explore the mechanisms of teaching. It’s a far more nuanced approach than the rudimental trial and error process that new and even experienced teachers go through in order to hone in on the perfect approach for their students. Concerted study will help you understand processes that strike at the core of these issues and will make you a more informed educator with high growth potential in the future.
Getting your Master’s degree is a smart choice for all teachers. Whether you are in the early years of your career or are a long-time educator, adding a Master’s degree to your resume and the skills and knowledge that come with it are essential to your future. Making the decision to learn at your own schedule in an online classroom is a no-brainer!
