Ok, last installment of So you want to be an admin... (for now). This one is straight from a young teacher (I hired by the way) who has aspirations of being a school leader. Let me correct that, he is already a school leader but he wants a position that pays him for it...eventually. This is a must-read for the aspiring leader and even those who have done it for awhile, like me. Check it out and give Mr. Epley some leadership love.
Enjoy,
So you want to be an admin?
Why pursue a career in administration?
This is
Caroline, my five-month-old daughter.
When I think about education, as a teacher or an administrator, I wonder
what Caroline’s educational journey will look like. It’s this curiosity that
motivates me because I want to a part of the answer. I will lead in education from my teaching
position as long as I’m allowed to do so.
However, I decided to take the necessary steps to open doors to the
world of administration. I did this to
give myself the chance of leading education into the future from a related, but
different, chair. To fully understand my
“why”, it is important to understand my journey to the field of education.
Education
is about serving and building relationships.
I chose to enter the field of education because of my love for history,
but more importantly, my desire to positively influence the lives of our youth.
Early in my life, in 8th-grade US History, I decided I wanted to be a
teacher. Throughout high school I
joggled ideas of physical therapy and other fields that would have made great
careers. Yet, I always ended up back where I started - teaching. I was later hired as a young graduate of the
University of Tennessee to teach 8th grade US History at my old school and in
the very classroom that jump-started my desire to teach.
I believe
mentors are essential to professionals who desire to grow and lead within their
field. My 8th grade history teacher,
Coach Jones, was one of the earliest mentors I remember. Much later, I was lucky enough to be hired by
Dr. Mick Shuran and mentored by him during my first few years as a
teacher. The many conversations with him
stimulated my interest in school leadership.
Those conversations revolved around “everything education” and what we
can do better as educators in the 21st century.
I quickly realized I had the ability to build
strong relationships with students, which allowed some of the obstacles they
faced to become obvious. Some of these
students came from extremely difficult situations at home. Their home lives were so different than mine
as a child. I grew up in Tullahoma but
was naive to the conditions many of our children dealt with at home. Teachers have a unique ability to see
potential in all their students. I was
no different and saw massive potential in all my students.
As
educators, we allow our youth to have meaningful experiences, some of which may
end up being their lifelong passion. The 21st century offers educational tools
and access to knowledge in greater capacities than at any other point in human
history. These tools give students
access to information (OER) and chances to see places (AR/VR) they may never
have been able to in a previous decade.
It’s these chances and opportunities that provide all students with new
opportunities and may very well save some of our young children by helping them
find their passion. I hope to lead education into the future and
provide support to teachers so ALL of our students have the chance to
find their passion and their own “why.”
Through
much thought and prayer, I decided I wanted to further my education and begin
preparing for a possible career in school leadership. For the record, I do believe teachers are
school leaders, actually the most important ones (and it's not close)! I chose
to pursue (August 2016) my Ed.D at Carson - Newman University with a
concentration in administration with licensure and plan to defend my
dissertation in March 2019.
My “Whys”
Disclaimer: My “whys” apply to all the “hats” I wear or may wear over the course of
my career in education.
●
I chose this path because I
understand the tools we have today may very well save kids with difficult home situations by opening doors and
providing opportunities. Serving
teachers and students while providing the necessary support, training, and resources to take advantage of these amazing
tools (AR/VR, OER, Coding, etc.) is something I’m passionate about.
●
I chose this path because I
believe the digital divide is closing (even if slowly) and access to knowledge
will break down barriers for students that may have never been given a chance
to succeed in the previous 20th century “industrial style” classroom. I believe this happens by exposing students
to more information, in relevant delivery
methods, which increases their chances of finding their own “why.”
●
I chose this path because
education needs strong leaders willing to disrupt
education norms and help navigate classrooms into the future.
●
Lastly, I chose this path
to enhance my ability as an educator.
The lessons learned and thinking skills gained from my degree will serve
me well as a teacher and any other position I hold throughout my career.
My “whys”
are built on the same foundation that led me to this field: a desire to serve
and my passion for people and building relationships. Serving is the foundation of my career and it
is my hope that it is what my career will end on, as a teacher or
administrator, and maybe most importantly an educator.
How do you begin to prepare and pursue a career in
administration?
Ask me this
question in 30 years (I’m 27), and I will probably tell you certain things I
could have done better to prepare for a career in education in general, as well
as administration. I don’t pretend to know what an administrator’s daily life
is like. Just like I didn’t know what a
teacher’s life was like prior to entering the classroom. I would not have ever thought to use the
video linked below to explain to the “real world”, as they like to call it,
what teaching is like, but that's exactly what I do.
Once I
determined I wanted to begin preparing to ready myself for a potential shift to
school leadership and understood my goals, I had to unravel the seemingly
infinite amount of layers revolving around university programs, licensure,
cost, and value. I wanted to make sure I
could become a licensed administrator in the state of Tennessee and that my
degree held value. Value is obviously
hard to measure, so I went with a school I knew had a great reputation and was
within my budget. There are many aspects
to consider when contemplating a doctoral program, but some of the more notable
ones are discussed below.
FAQ of
Aspiring Administrators
Questions:
|
Answers:
|
I received my master's degree in 2014
from UT - Knoxville. So, I decided I
wanted to earn my Ed.D. Carson-Newman
offers Masters, Ed.S, and Ed.D programs.
Some schools offer an Ed.D and some offer Ph.D. Some may even offer both. Carson-Newman’s doctorate program awards
you with an Ed.D.
|
|
Which
school should I attend? In-state or out-of-state?
|
Several reasons I decided to attend
Carson-Newman University include their accreditation with the state of
Tennessee’s licensure program, they are in-state, and I really valued their
Christian perspective. I wanted an
in-state school, because I wanted to be a licensed administrator in the state
of Tennessee. I’m sure there are ways
to accomplish this with out-of-state schools, but I’m unsure of them.
|
Should
I participate in an online program or hybrid?
|
Many universities are
moving to online methods of delivery.
UT-Chattanooga and UT-Knoxville offer a hybrid model. Students attend classes periodically but
also find coursework online. This was
a big decision for me. I felt the
ability to network and learn from others would be valuable in a hybrid
program. However, due to costs and
proximity, I chose an online method of delivery. I have been impressed with Carson -
Newman’s ability to communicate and ensure students grow while participating
in their program.
|
Is
my school accredited with the state of Tennessee’s licensure program?
|
Some doctoral students
already hold an administrative license.
I was not one of those. So, it
was important for me to choose a school accredited with the states licensure
program.
|
What do I have to do, in unison with my
coursework, to become a licensed administrator?
|
At Carson - Newman, you
can earn your Ed.D without gaining licensure.
You have to be accepted into Carson - Newman’s Leadership Licensure
program to have the opportunity of
becoming licensed. The licensure
program is a completely separate program filled with tons of requirements
that must be met. A few of the steps
that must be met: Portfolio filled with
information related to your career, interview, 175 practicum hours,
completion of a practicum project, and a passing score on SLLA.
|
How
will I pay for my school? Are there tax benefits I should know about?
|
You can take out
student loans to pay for your school or can utilize Carson - Newman’s
partnership with Official Payments: Payplan.
This program divides your annual tuition into 12 payments making it
much more manageable.
There are tax credits!
The Tax
Assistant is a great tool for you to use to understand your
eligibility for certain benefits.
Widely Used Education
Tax Credits
|
What
does it take?
|
I believe having a
mentor or someone who has “been there, done that” is important. That person can provide advice and
confidence as you pursue your degree.
Other characteristics that are important include:
● Organized
● Relentless
● Motivated
● Committed
All of these are
extremely important because it's not easy paying for it, spending time away
from family, and continuing it for three years minimum. I would also say it’s important to find a friend to
complete the program with. I didn’t
have this, but it would have been helpful.
|
During the first few
years of my career, I developed three broad, but important, professional
goals. They are meaningful and
applicable to any position within the field of education and certainly as an
administrator.
1. Do what is best for the students.
2. Positively influence the progression of
education
3. Be a lifelong learner.
These goals apply to many areas of education and are how I
hope to be able to summarize my career.
Since these are somewhat long term, I have developed several other
goals, or Maxims if you will (thanks, General Neyland), that help direct my
daily professional life.
I hope to use my degree to positively
and efficiently stimulate progress in education by meaningfully implementing
new and relevant strategies that correlate with the current and future job
markets of the world. I believe this
happens by taking risks and being supportive of trying/implementing new
instructional strategies. My long term
goals still leave room for people to say, “Ok, so what does that mean? What
does that look like?” Similarly, I don’t
want to reflect on my career and see someone who had lots of great ideas but
never acted on them. My Maxims help establish
my daily mission and are explained below.
1. Be a risk taker.
-
I hope to use my degree to positively and
efficiently influence educations progression by meaningfully implementing new
and relevant learning strategies.
2. Promote trying new things without fear of
failure.
-
I
believe this happens by taking risks and being supportive of
trying/implementing new instructional strategies.
3. Move and lead!
-
I am as guilty as anyone of coming up
with grand ideas but leaving them at just that - an idea. Don’t wait for the next lesson, the next
unit, or the next year to try something new.
Likewise, support others brave enough to implement new instructional
strategies. Lead by assuming extra
responsibilities and offering assistance to others even when it may be inconvenient.
Interested in starting your journey as a
doctoral candidate?
Click the table below (or HERE) to take you to links of programs throughout the state of Tennessee as well as one in Kentucky!
MS
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