Ced and Masters Degree in Education
Being a teacher involves a commitment to lifelong learning. Unfortunately, Continuing Educating classes and pursuing a Master's in Education Degree may seem, on the surface, to be conflicting goals. The key to resolving this dilemma lies in every teacher taking the time to become familiar with the state laws regarding Teacher Recertification in their state of employment. Some states clearly separate Continuing Education from pursuit of a Master's in Education Degree program, while others embrace the concept that all learning in the field of education benefits students and helps achieve the state's interest in teacher life-long learning.
The state of Massachusetts is a good example. Over the five year initial certification period, a teacher must earn 152.5 Professional Development Points. On the Department of Education Website (http://www.doe.mass.edu/recert/2000guidelines/sect2.html), the state outlines the various tasks, products, and courses that a teacher can use to reach the 152.5 PDP goal. This document also outlines the PDP equivalents for Continuing Education Units as well as a per-credit conversion for every education course taken in pursuit of a Master's Degree in Education.
There are some basic considerations critical to ensuring proper credit. Communication with your department head or school principal is critical to ensuring that the degree requirements for your Master's in Education Degree program will also count towards your obligatory continuing education requirement for recertification. Generally, so long as you are in a properly accredited Master's in Education Degree program, all of your graduate level courses and some upper-level undergraduate course should receive an equivalent credit with the school system as a specifically-designed course providing Continuing Education Units. To check your state requirements before approaching your department head with a continuing education plan focused on your Master's of Education Degree program, visit http://nces.ed.gov/CCD/ccseas.asp . This web site provides links to all fifty states' Departments of Education, as well as US territories and such entities as the Department of Defense and Bureau of Indian Education Boards.
With some clear forethought and proactive communication, you can meet two career advancing requirements: maintain your eligibility for recertification as a teacher while pursuing the Master's in Education Degree that will help qualify you for positions of greater responsibility. In turn, you will gain the skills to lift your students to a new level of achievement.
