Education is a life-long process, and it is especially important for educators to keep updating their own knowledge and skills. While your basic state teacher certification will prepare you to teach in a public or private school from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade levels and give you a start in your career, you will need higher credentials to work in a four-year University. You also need to stay in touch with new developing technologies and teaching methodologies in order to provide your students with a better and richer learning experience. Going for an advanced teaching degree will help you in your professional development, and the best thing is you can do this without leaving your job.

Since the ‘No Child Left Behind’ Act, many U.S. States have made continuing education more or less mandatory for teachers. You need to take an advanced teaching program if you want to stay certified. Many new teachers prefer to get a few years of teaching experience under their belt before pursuing an advanced degree. Aside from the fact that teaching experience is an eligibility criterion in some advanced teaching certificate programs, there is the question of deciding which educational area to specialize in. Finance is another consideration since starting salaries for teaching professionals are not exactly high and continuing education programs can be expensive. Most teachers going for advanced degrees have been in the profession for a number of years.

Continuing Education

There are many continuing education options for teachers, quite a few offered throughout the year by the school systems themselves. You can take classes in after-school hours or attend weekend professional development seminars and summer courses. Your local school system will also offer information, advice, and financial aid if you want to go for national-level training. With the growing popularity of distance education, you can consider going for an online teaching degree. More and more working professionals these days prefer online education as it allows you to study wherever and whenever you want as per your own convenience. You should just make sure that you’re getting your online teaching degree from an accredited institute.

Here are some advanced teaching degree programs

• M.S. in Education - Educational Leadership
• M.S. in Education - Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment
• M.A. in Teaching and Learning - Teaching Literacy and Language
• M.A. in Teaching and Learning - Teaching Students With Special Needs
• Master of Arts in Education / Administration and Supervision
• Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning with Technology

National Board Certification

The National Board Certification is perhaps the most valued teaching certificate in the United States currently. To be eligible, you must have a bachelor’s degree, a state teacher certification, and at least three years teaching experience. Offered through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, it has very rigorous standards of assessment, requires over a year for successful completion.

Financial Aid

Financial aid is available for all deserving candidates in the form of various scholarships and loans from many state and local school systems. You can request for a scholarship through the National Board Scholarship Program and for loans through the National Education Association, the American Federation of Teachers, and the Federal Candidate Subsidy Program. If you are a military veteran, you can  be eligible for financial aid through the Montgomery GI Bill.

Advantage of an advanced teaching degree

Despite the expense involved, the benefits of getting an advanced degree are obvious. Teachers with advanced teaching certificates earn significantly higher salaries and enjoy better job satisfaction. Your motivation for education combined with your advanced education can help bring a stronger learning focus and enthusiasm into your classroom, and, this will benefit your students immensely.