Master’s in Elementary Education Online

What You Should Know

Take a look at some of the career opportunities and options available to those who earn master’s degrees in elementary education online. Brainstorm questions and concerns to ask admissions officers when applying to online universities.

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Overview

Elementary school teachers make profound impacts in their students’ lives. Most students can remember an important teacher who, during their elementary years, pushed them to succeed and explore the world of education.

These teachers lay down the foundation that will lead to their students’ success, introducing them to complex topics in science, math, literature, and social studies. In order to ensure you will provide your students with the best education possible, consider earning your master’s degree in elementary education.

A master’s degree in elementary education will help you expand your current understanding of the theories and structures behind elementary teaching. In a master’s degree program, you’ll focus on learning additional teaching strategies for elementary-aged students, and examine research on new, cutting-edge technologies and methods in teaching.

Many teachers looking to earn their master’s degrees wish to advance to the next level of teacher certification. If you’re already teaching full time, it can be difficult to take time off from work to earn a master’s degree at a traditional university. When you’re already working from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. everyday, you’ll encounter difficulty trying to fit in time for class, studying, and driving to and from school.

Today however, many universities offer online degree programs that let you obtain a master’s degree in a flexible, manageable time period. At an online university, you can designate when you learn, study, and complete assignments, allowing you to work full time while earning a degree.

Because elementary school teachers focus on such a large variety of subjects, earning a master’s degree will help you to further your expertise on those subjects.

In your online master’s degree program, you’ll concentrate on developing additional teaching, curriculum design, and classroom management skills. For example, you’ll learn more about how students develop reading strategies, vocabulary skills, and writing abilities, and learn to integrate these theories with classroom instruction.

As an elementary school teacher, you must become a source of information on multiple topics, and learn how to introduce these topics in a way that makes sense to young learners. You’ll gain a deeper understanding of number sense, and how to recognize mathematical patterns in the world, while also exploring scientific theories and experiments to use in the science classroom.

Elementary education master’s degree programs will also help introduce you to new teaching methods and techniques through student teaching opportunities. In order to obtain your master’s degree, you’ll participate in internships that will give you more first-hand experience to try your newly learned techniques in the classroom.

Many individuals looking to earn their master’s degrees enroll in “master’s plus” programs that also lead to teacher certification. If you’ve earned your bachelor’s degree in a liberal arts field, and have always wanted to teach, consider examining a master’s plus program.

If you think earning a master’s degree online might be a good career move, ask yourself if now is the best time to earn your degree.

Should I Earn a Master’s Degree?

Earning a master’s degree will give you a step up on other professionals seeking teaching positions. Before you enroll in a program, however, ask yourself some of the following questions:

  • Am I dedicated to advancing my knowledge in elementary education?
  • Am I interested in earning higher pay and discovering more job opportunities?
  • Can I make room for additional responsibilities in my life?
  • Am I comfortable working online? Will I be too distracted?
  • Do I want to learn more about teaching methods and strategies for elementary-aged children?
  • Can a master’s degree advance my career?

Earning a master’s degree requires a significant time investment, but leads to career rewards. With a master’s degree, you can expect to earn a higher pay, and take higher positions in your school.

The experience and knowledge a master’s degree provides might allow you to develop a school-wide curriculum, or give you additional opportunities to collaborate with school leaders to implement programs.

Typically, teachers who go back to school to earn their master’s degrees are experienced and knowledgeable, but need that extra push graduate school provides that allows them to explore advanced theories in development.

If earning an online master’s degree in elementary education sounds like a good opportunity for you, make sure you develop a set of questions to ask admissions officers. Some questions might include:

  • How long will it take to earn my degree?
  • Will I need to take time off of work? What will my course load look like?
  • How will I communicate with my classmates and teachers?
  • How much will my education cost? Is financial aid available?
  • How will a master’s degree improve me as an elementary school teacher?
  • How will I schedule my classes?

If you’re set on enrolling at an online university, you should also explore some of the career opportunities available to master’s degree holders.

Careers

With a master’s degree in elementary education, you’ll find yourself in higher demand from schools looking to employ expert teachers who will lead their students to academic success.

If you’ve obtained a master’s degree, you might qualify for some of the following careers:

  • Lead Teacher
  • Elementary Teacher
  • Department Chair
  • Administration
  • Educational Researcher

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, an elementary school teacher with a bachelor’s degree earns an average of $33,000, while a master’s degree often increases pay by between $10,000-$15,000.

If you commit to advancing to a leadership position in your school, this pay will increase even further. Depending on how you want to chart your career path, additional leadership positions may become available to experienced teachers.

If you’re interested in learning about the advanced theories and practices behind childhood learning in a flexible schedule, request information from online universities offering master’s degrees in elementary education.