As your career in education begins, there is an undeniable feeling of being overwhelmed by all the responsibilities and challenges that the job entails. At that point, it is hard for any teacher early in their career to imagine having the responsibility of a whole school on their shoulders.
However, as time passes, and as the young teacher becomes more comfortable with all the challenges, the idea of becoming a school leader begins to seem more reasonable and, perhaps, appealing. When teachers start thinking about graduate programs to further their education, although there are many options to choose from, it may be that becoming a school principal is the right choice.
Educational Leadership
A graduate degree in educational leadership would be necessary for anyone hoping to pursue a career as a school administrator. This would include school principals, of course, and other top positions such as department heads, central office administrators, and instructional supervisors. There are master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degrees all available for this area.
In many programs, the licensure component to include an add-on in educational leadership is included in the degree plan. Educational leadership programs will consist of a great deal of study on instructional methods and strategies, current trends in education, and management skills to include personnel, budgeting, and teacher evaluations. As opposed to other administrative and leadership degrees, the focus is more directed toward instruction than management skills in educational leadership.
Someone with a degree in educational leadership could pursue a school principal or other leadership position. This person would also be qualified to serve as a teacher leader at the school level. This could mean being a grade-level team leader or a school-wide teacher leader that mentors others and leads professional development sessions.
School Administration
A master’s, educational specialist, and doctoral degree in school administration is also available in many graduate programs. This would be an appropriate degree for someone hoping to become a school principal or higher-level administrator. However, the focus of a school administration degree will be more on management skills than instructional skills. This type of program would include a lot of financial and budget training, human resources training, problem-solving, and current events and challenges in education. While both degrees can prepare a teacher for a school principal position, one program focuses more on instructional aspects, while the other program focuses on management aspects.
Principal Preparation Program
These programs are a combination of the above-mentioned programs under a slightly different name. However, it is important to note that many districts are beginning to implement their own principal prep programs to prepare teachers that are already in their district. In the district where I teach, they instituted one of these programs.
Candidates for the program were required to have a graduate degree in school administration or educational leadership with the corresponding certification requirements. Through a rigorous application and interview process, participants were chosen. In my district, this was a year-long program that involved instruction and mentoring, including internship experiences, by principals in the district, instructional coaches, and other school administrators.
This program was highly beneficial and successful as it essentially trained the next principals for the district. It is important to note that in most districts that offer this program, the advanced degree in some kind of leadership or administrative program is a prerequisite. Participation would be very advantageous for anyone hoping to become a principal in districts that offer this program.
Educational Technology Leadership
As the name implies, a graduate degree in educational technology leadership is related to leading a school or a district in technology-related ways. A person with an advanced degree in this field would be qualified for administration positions or more niche positions such as a software consultant, distance education director, curriculum specialist, or learning applications designer.
A person with this degree would also be eligible to serve as a district supervisor of technology. So this area would be far more focused on technology, less focused on working with students, and perhaps less time working in schools.
Instructional Leadership
Both master’s and educational specialist programs are available for instructional leadership.
This type of program would include principal preparation, emphasis on instructional practices, improving student achievement, and related field experiences. A person would be qualified to serve as a school principal, a district administrator, or a school or district instructional coach with this degree.
If the opportunity to be considered for positions such as a school principal, an advanced degree will be necessary. When you look at the benefits, it is most certainly an excellent option for educational professionals with hopes of career advancement.
