Applying to several online schools...

Whether the Drury program will do any good for teachers outside Missouri can only be determined by checking your own State Board of Education requirements. Florida State University has an MS Math Education online.

http://www.coe.fsu.edu/DistanceLearning/mathed.html

 

Fsu

Thank you Ted, this program looks good for middle and high school teachers. I prefer one for elementary school, but in this economy I might need to be looking at all my options to stay teaching.

 

Hi there!

I realize I'm jumping into this conversation a few days late, but I thought I'd offer some thoughts for you. I teach high school in Virginia. I earned my BA the old fashioned way, and then tried out a variety of graduate programs before settling with my MS in Education with Walden University.

Many schools that offer degrees in Education might actually require you to take the Praxis I as an admission requirement. Many states require that for a teacher license anyway, so if you've already done that, you might want to see if that's a requirement, as you'll already have it out of the way.

I've taken education courses through the University of Phoenix, Virginia Tech, and Walden University. I would highly advise AGAINST getting an education degree through UoP. The classes are a joke, and they focus more on your APA formatting than your knowledge of the subject area. Furthermore, they require a lot of groupwork, which is difficult when your teammates are all over in different time zones.

Virginia Tech has an MA in Instructional Technology. I took 6 credits through them and really enjoyed the courses. The programs were semester based, and the instructors I had all had doctorates. The courses, however, did not have set due dates for assignments, which I think was a negative factor because I personally kept procrastinating. The courses and the content, however, were excellent. I know it wouldn't be "in field' but Instructional Technology is a big thing right now.

The third university I attended was Walden University. I earned my MS in Education with a concentration in designing curriculum, instruction and assessment. I LOVED this program. The instructors were great. Tuition actually included books and materials, so they would fedex you everything. The texts were all well known books by big name authors. They also had supplementary article packets and DVDs with seminars and roundtables by more big name people in education like Lee Canter and Robert Marzano. While I did a CIA emphasis, they offer a bunch more.

Although I did not take education courses at these schools, I have attended WNMU and APU. Both schools offer education classes, and APU actually offers some programs, though they are relatively new. If the education courses are anything like others I've taken, they'll be pretty good.

-Matt

 

Matt

Matt,

Thank you for posting your experience. I am doing lots of research on my options, so I love everyone posting all the different opportunities out there.

My biggest hurdle is the cost of these classes/degree. I am paying out of pocket. I know we tend to get what we pay for, so I hope that my choice is affordable for me and gives me the ability to get certification in a high demand area (math, science) but also is applicable to my current position so that it can benefit the students in my classroom.

I don't know what the right direction is for me. My principal suggests Gifted, but I have my own classroom right now and I don't see my being able to teach gifted unless I leave my classroom to do gifted only, which is only 4 hours a week at my school. I like the idea of a gifted masters and/or endorsement eventually.

The other opportunity is either reading, math or science certification via a masters or certification. These would help when the principal has to choose which teachers will teach these classes when we move to departmentalization (supposedly within 1-2 years).

So, do I pick the least expensive C & I with reading specialization, do I pick the elementary math or the science? Do I pick online only or online at B&M school? I like the idea of B&M school with online degrees.

I have looked at Walden, and I am not convinced. I read varying reports... I think they are expensive.

In your research, do you know anything about:

Arkansas State's M.S. Ed. Theory & Practice
Chadron State College's - MA. Ed Instructional Math K-8
Univ. of Texas - Arlington - C & I with specialization

Did you take a class at each school you have thought about attending before you applied to a program? Is that the best way?

It can expensive applying to different schools... and I am all over the place in my search! Maybe I should just take classes in subjects I am interested in. Maybe all together they will add up to a degree or certification!

 

I don't know what county you are in, but there are other ways besides getting a Masters for you to accomplish what you want. I am also a Florida teacher, with other teacher friends in other states, predominately the North, and marvel at their ability to get their Masters degrees paid for by their districts! No such thing in Florida public schools

Regarding the gifted certification, check to see if your county has an approved ad-on endorsement. Gifted is an endorsement that many counties offer, and you don't have to go to graduate school for it. You take the required courses and add it to your certificate once done. I have done this with the ESOL and Reading endorsement and did not pay a penny out of pocket for county courses.
http://www.fldoe.org/profdev/teachprep/teachprep.asp

I am a high school Spanish teacher and recently took the middle school math and science test. It wasn't too bad, but now I have an extra certification and can teach 9th grade math and science or middle school if needed. That cost me $75 a test. I still haven't "added" it to my professional certificate, but I will if I have to.

Since Florida does not offer much assistance for graduate school (the in state tution grants come to $495/year for undergraduate and $950/year for graduate courses), I would say if you want to go to graduate school, find a program that you like and go for it. It doesn't have be directly related to what your teaching to get Master's degree pay which in my county is a $2,500 raise. Sigh!

Florida has their own page for distance learning programs that you might want to check out
http://www.distancelearn.org/

FACTS is geared towards the students, but it is also helpful
www.facts.org

I have been told that the Reading and English endorsements are big alongside Math and Science. I am studying at Western New Mexico University that has a MA in Interdisciplinary Studies. You choose two concentrations. Education related concentrations that they offer are, English, Reading, Education, Bilingual Education and History. The total program costs a little over $5,000 not including books.

There was also another thread that posted MED programs by price. I'm sure if you look around you will find it.

Best of luck to you!

 

Perhaps you can qualify for a Pell Grant.
http://www.ed.gov/programs/fpg/gtepfpg.pdf

 

Farina

I checked out the FLDOE certification site and I will work on those endorsements for free if possible. That will save me some $$ and should help keep me highly qualified for future ESOL, READING and GIFTED opportunities.

With those out of the way, I can work on a Masters with a Math or Science K-6 focus which will definately round me out!

 

The link to the Florida grants is
http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/SSFAD/home/ProgramsOffered.htm

Regarding the RESOL and ESOL and Reading courses, like you mentioned before, some of them are online. For the Reading endorsement I think 1-5 are all online with beacon. Component 6 is done in groups and you have to meet on site, but our sites are spread throughout the county.

When taking classes with the county, I always tell people, if you are waitlisted or don't make the list, go anyway. Many people who sign up don't go, and usually the teachers who teach it will let you sign up on the spot even if you didn't make the list.

If you contact the person who is in charge of the Gifted, Reading or ESOL courses, you can usually ask them to make a class in your area. Check with your principal or one of a nearby school to see if they would be willing to lend the library or other meeting place for the classes. We do that in my county, and they usually comply if the schools agree to host.

 

Should I be worried about this program?

I read this today.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2009/03/24/heh

I understand that distance learning/online degrees are very controversial, face resistance, and that new programs have growing pains etc.

But 2000 students in a class with one professor? Is this setting me up for failure or an easy A??

I am very much interested in the Arkansas State program. I am a current teacher and the 18 months, 30 hours and the cost are the big reasons for me (and evidently lots of other teachers around the country!)

Just ignore and make the best of it? Or try to find a smaller program albeit at a higher price tag?