Lead Teacher

One example of a teaching career development opportunity is becoming a lead teacher. Lead teachers are usually experienced teachers that work within a grade level or high school department (English, math, etc.) to help guide and support the other teachers in that grade. Also, lead teachers often serve on leadership teams with the other lead teachers and the school administrators. More often than not, lead teacher positions do not come with a salary increase. However, by stepping up to be the lead for an entire grade level or department, you gain leadership experience and recognition that could result in opportunities to move up to other positions that do come with a pay increase.

To become a lead teacher, it is helpful if you have several years of experience in the same subject or grade level. There are always opportunities for leadership at the school level. Volunteer to lead a PLC group or offer to share newly acquired information on a teaching method at the next faculty meeting. Be the one that volunteers to go the extra mile and help out when needed. These kinds of actions will definitely let your principal know that you are a leader and that you are up to a new challenge!

Department Head/Chair

Department head/chair positions are becoming more common in most school districts today. These might also be called instructional coaches or instructional facilitators. These positions may come with a pay increase. They are often at the district level. For example, in my district we have instructional coaches for primary, intermediate, middle and high school grades. These coaches head their given grade-level departments and provide support to all the teachers in the district in those grade levels. They also lead professional development workshops. These types of positions are the next logical step from a lead teacher and they are a way to set yourself up for the next big move.

Administrator

Many teachers looking for career development think of school-level administrator as the ultimate goal. To make yourself eligible for principal or assistant principal positions, you must acquire a degree in school leadership/administration. This would mean at least a master’s degree, and many districts require an Ed.S. or Ed.D. for principal positions. Not only do you have to make sure you have the qualifying degree and licensure to be an administrator, but you also need to be a familiar name and face. By volunteering for committees or other duties at the district level, and by serving in other roles such as PLC leader and leading professional development, you can gain recognition in your district that will make you a logical consideration when leadership roles become available.

Teaching in Higher Education

Another option for career development would be teaching at colleges and universities. Many of these institutions welcome applicants with higher degrees and years of experience in the field. Often teachers serve in positions like supervising student teachers or part-time adjunct professors while still teaching in their other district position. Some teachers choose to go on to teaching in higher education institutions after retiring from their school district positions. Either way, teaching in higher education is one of many ways to pursue career development that can supplement your current teachers’ salary or provide the brand-new adventure of teaching college students.

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Of course you can look for opportunities inside and outside your district at the same time as well. Either way, there are many chances for you to build a network of like-minded professionals, which can increase your chances of landing a job interview and possibly an administrative position.

You may be in a different position and already in an administrative job you aren’t satisfied with and you’re looking to make a move, such as assistant principal to principal. There are some differences between this and looking for your first administrative job, but the same principles of networking apply. The greater your network, the more chances you’ll have to interview, hopefully in multiple districts. Go as wide as you need to and interview as often as you can. At the worst, you’ll gain valuable interviewing experience, which will help you eventually ace that key interview.

Ask an Administrator to be Your Mentor

If you have built a worthwhile teaching career, you’ve gained the respect of the administrators you have worked under. You may have asked one or more of them to complete internship hours under their supervision while completing your master’s degree in school administration.

This can be a valuable chance to approach an experienced administrator to serve as an informal mentor for you. Talk to them about their own experiences, including the interviews they had to attend, the entry level jobs they held, and their overall personal insights into the field. You’ll be surprised at what you haven’t thought about as you embark on this career path.

Leadership Opportunities and Active Involvement in Your School District

Building a Strong Reputation in your Home District

This may not sound like an actual opportunity, but it can be the gateway to many. The stronger your reputation, dependability, and integrity, the stronger your chances are for being invited by colleagues and administration to serve on committees, take leadership roles, and emerge as a leader among your peers. This can be in various positions which I’ll outline below.

School, District, County, and State Committees

You may be given the chance to serve on a curriculum committee, a school climate committee, or take a role in your local association. My advice is to do as much as you can. Learn about every facet of education possible. You will develop a more comprehensive approach in your own career and also appreciate what the other players in the process experience and have to deal with.

Internship/Observation Hours

As you approach the end of your master’s degree, you are going to have to complete internship hours. Make these count. Do not view them as a chore or hassle. You’ll begin to see the interplay between teachers and administrators and how to best bridge that gap. You need an appreciation of both sides to be able to be effective in the long-term.

This can include everything from assisting with discipline referrals to communicating with parents and also understanding the administrative side of staff evaluation, just to name a few. You can also reach out to neighboring districts and ask to complete some independent observations. It is a good experience to observe in districts with differing socioeconomic, cultural, and demographic backgrounds.

Book and Topic Studies

If you have motivated peers in your administrative cohort, you may want to suggest a book or topic study you can meet periodically to discuss and exchange notes and ideas on.

Attend Board Meetings

This is where the “sausage is made.” It is very common to hear teachers and administrators express an aversion to attending board meetings because it is the most political aspect of a school district. After all, board members have to run for and be elected to their positions and then subsequently wield a fair amount of power. Still, it’s an important function to understand, and I would recommend attending some of these meetings to learn the process and fully understand the role of the board, especially the concept of “board-approved policy.”

Connect With Former Classmates

This is another avenue of networking. The further you go in school and start to major or specialize in something, the more often your friendships and networks will form around academic and career interests. Keep in touch with this part of your network. Social media platforms like LinkedIn is an easy way to do that. You never know what opportunities can come from this.

I hope some of the ideas for networking for administrative positions that I have laid out here are helpful. This is not a complicated process, but it requires some effort and assertiveness to broaden your chances of landing an administrative job. It can also be a part of developing lifelong professional and personal relationships, which can enrich both of those aspects of your life.

You’ve got important career goals — we have the graduate program to get you there. Check out our available graduate degree programs to advance your career today!

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