A school administrator is someone who takes on more of the responsibilities of operating a school, and those who work in this field often want to know more about professional development options. This refers to the methods and steps they take to remain on top of industry trends and to continue working in the field. School administration jobs include the principals who handle the daily operations of schools and superintendents who may look over all the schools in a district or region. These professionals can use any of the top methods to stay on top of industry trends. Here we discuss a few of these methods.
School Administration Certification
One option for someone who wants to work in school administration is school administration certification. This is a type of program offered by many colleges and universities, and some schools offer an online program or a summer program that teachers can complete while working. Designed for both school counselors and licensed teachers, these programs allow students to get the certification necessary to work in school administration. Students will typically take courses on education law; talent acquisition and management; and curriculum design and development.
Principal License
Like school administration certification programs, principal license programs are programs offered by universities and colleges online. Some of these programs are more traditional in nature but feature classes that meet in the early evenings to accommodate teachers who work full time. Principals must have experience in the education level that they want to teach, including either elementary, junior high or high schools. They must have a bachelor’s degree in education along with teaching experience. Though all states have their own requirements for principals, most states require that these administrators have a Master of Science in Educational Administration or a similar field before applying for a license.
Resource: Top 10 Best Online Master’s in Education Degree Programs (M.Ed.) 2016
Administration Conferences
Those working in school administration can look at professional development workshops and other programs that take place during school administration conferences. They can attend a national conference or a regional conference. A national conference is one that takes place in a major city and welcomes administrators from all across the country. Some of these events even bring in administrators from other countries. The National Principals Conference is a good example of a national event. There are also regional conferences held in specific states or regions that allow school administration professionals to attend lectures and workshops.
Online Learning
A school administrator can also gain experience and learn about topics facing principals and other administrators today through online learning programs. The National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP) offers a number of online seminars that educators can watch. Called webinars, some of these are a joint effort between the organization and the Wallace Foundation. These webinars cover the skills that all principals need, how to foster leadership skills in others and the best ways to manage those working in a school. The NAESP also allows administrators to watch the presentations made by professionals at its national conference online.
School administrators use professional development to stay on top of the trends and topics affecting schools, administrators, and the education industry. The best types of professional development for a school administrator include online learning and attending conferences.
