Why Educator Advanced Education Matters: My Thoughts
Throughout my childhood and adolescent years, my father was a strong proponent of rewriting the historical struggles for a first-class education and globally promoting higher education for all students. Even as an adult, I recollect on my father saying, “Get all the education you can. Because education is the one thing, they cannot take from you. The greatest investment is not Wallstreet or the stock market but you. Continue investing in yourself because you are the investment.”
Being a first-generation college student and a member of the Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) community, my father instilled in me the essentialness of racial diversity in educational institutions, bridging equity gaps among the disenfranchisement of Black and Brown people, and being a social justice trailblazer in leadership and sustainability. My father was one of the first BIPOC students to integrate his neighborhood high school.
Ever since hearing my father’s advice, I have been on a journey to erase the counterculture of education and empower parents, families, educators, administrators, and stakeholders in stimulating the young minds of tomorrow’s leaders.
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. declared, “It seems to me that education has a two-fold function to perform in the life of man and in society: the one is utility and the other is culture. Education must enable a man to become more efficient, to achieve with increasing facility the legitimate goals of his life” (Strauss, 2021).
Advanced Education Opportunities
With advanced education in the form of graduate programs and professional development options, teachers can accelerate their skillsets in equitable and inclusive learning environments, cultural diversity and positive school climates, and differentiated instructional methodologies for all learners.
For a comprehensive list of advanced education options from graduate programs to professional development opportunities, explore the table provided here.
Advanced Education Pros for Professional Educators
Educational institutions are ever-changing vehicles for transforming the pedagogical practices of teachers and educational leaders. With the integration of social media and educational technology, state department of education initiatives, and content-specific curriculum standards, more than ever advanced education is paramount to proficient and advanced learning outcomes.
Moreover, continued education is a non-negotiable for high-quality instruction and professional pathway for the following:
- Career advancement
- Promotions and salary increases
- Global employability and marketability
- Career growth and professional development
- Lateral career transitions and skill development
- Lifelong learning and staying abreast of innovative ideas
- Enhanced soft and hard skills (i.e., interpersonal and organizational skills, problem-solving and rapport building, subject matter expertise, curriculum design, and instructional leadership)
- Professional relationships and industry recognition as a scholarly researcher and practitioner
Interested in continuing your education? Check out our education graduate programs and take your next step today!
