What do the programs encompass?

Concordia University Chicago is an in-depth university offering more than 100 undergraduate and postgraduate degrees, with more than 5,000 students. The programs are approved by the Higher Learning Commission and align with the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) and the National Association for the Education (NAEYC) standards.

One degree, The Master of Arts degree in Gifted Education, is designed for educators who are interested in developing an understanding of and programs for High Achieving, Gifted and Talented students. The degree aligns with the National Association of Gifted Children (NAGC) program standards. This program supports educators in becoming experts who can meet all learners’ needs through the lens of gifted education. It prepares educators to serve as teacher leaders in planning and implementing programs that address the specific needs of gifted and talented students. The Master’s in Gifted Education offers teachers the opportunity to complete 30 hours of coursework, 24 hours leading to the endorsement.

There is also a Subsequent Teacher Endorsement available to teachers who already hold a professional educator license (PEL) with one or more teaching endorsements. Teachers who wish to add a subsequent content area endorsement can do so with 18 hours of coursework and passage of the applicable content test.

In summary, Concordia offers:

• Gifted Teacher Subsequent Endorsement: 5 content courses (3 credit hrs. each) and a practicum course (3 credit hrs.) Total: 18 credits.
• Gifted Teacher Endorsement: 7 content courses (3 credit hrs. each) and a practicum course (3 credit hrs.) Total: 24 credits.
• Master’s Degree in Gifted Education: 8 content courses, 7 of which are the required endorsement courses (3 credit hrs. each), and one is a practicum course (3 credit hrs.) Total: 30 credits.

NAGC standards have been the guiding framework for designing the master’s program. The standards provide program competency goals that ensure that students are ready to work or continue working with gifted and talented students. The gifted teacher graduate will:

• Think critically and analytically about gifted education and the role gifted programs play in the development of students identified as gifted and talented.
• Develop curriculum and utilize instructional strategies that are differentiated and meet the learning needs of all students.
• Provide leadership in schools with gifted programs through program development and coaching.
• Promote an understanding of gifted learners and gifted education that leads to effective programming that includes: identification, assessment, technology, social and emotional learning, differentiated instructional practices, and productive learning environments.

Why should a prospective student choose Concordia University Chicago’s (CUC) programs over similar programs offered at other schools?

HB2461 recently passed and is now in effect. What does that mean for educators in Illinois? The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) will require schools to include demographic information regarding gifted services and the number of trained teachers in gifted education. According to the Illinois State Board of Education website, The Accelerated Placement Act requires schools to have a policy for identifying and advancing a student who needs early admission to kindergarten, first grade, grade level, or subject acceleration. The call for action is problematic in that it lacks necessary teacher training. As a result,

in response to numerous students’ testimonies for their need to have skills and resources to reach advanced learners, as well as the passing of HB2461, the Department of Teaching, Learning & Diversity decided to research the idea of offering a program dedicated to gifted education.

On December 5th, 2019, the master’s program in Gifted Education was approved by ISBE. Moreover, at this time, we are the only university in Illinois to offer a master’s degree in gifted education.

Concordia University is famous in the Chicagoland area for providing quality programs and excellent graduates in our master’s degree programs.

The master’s degree in Gifted Education will follow suit. All of the course activities are active, engaging, and grounded in research-based theory and practice. Finally, the program will offer rigor and will be taught by instructors with experience in giftedness.

What career opportunities are available to students who graduate from these programs?

In this master’s program, students hold a teaching license and come back to school to enhance their teaching practices or seek other positions at their school. If students either want to work with gifted and talented learners, training is a must. Many districts require that gifted teachers or specialists hold state certification. Graduates will have an opportunity to work as an interventionist, team leader, and gifted teacher. Then completing a master’s degree is needed. Whichever of the choice of mentioned, CUC’s Master of Arts in Gifted Education will fulfill these requirements.

The program can be offered in three formats: face-to-face, online, and a hybrid number, depending on demand.

The post All About Concordia University Chicago’s Gifted Education Programs appeared first on Concordia University Chicago.

Why did you want to work in education? What inspired you?

The standard response here begins with, “When I was a child, I always dreamed of being a teacher.” For me, this was not the case. Unfortunately for me, it was not a great experience that inspired me to be a teacher. As a junior in high school, I really struggled with my Algebra II course. I completed all of my homework, took notes in class, and studied for all assessments. No matter the amount of time and effort I put forth in the class, for some reason I was still struggling to receive a passing grade. As a shy student, I tried to avoid asking the teacher for help, but at this point I had exhausted all other options and gathered enough courage to talk to my teacher about what I could do to improve my grade in his class. He simply told me that there was no other way to improve upon my grade.

I remember leaving his classroom feeling demoralized and broken. I felt like a failure. This horrible feeling is what inspired me to become a teacher. A teacher can mean the world to a student. They can build a student up or tear a student down. I wanted to be a teacher that builds my students up. So I made it a career, and to this day, I hold a standard of being that teacher that provides the support my students need to be successful.

Why did you choose Concordia University Chicago for your M.A. principal preparation program degree?

I honestly had not even thought of moving towards obtaining a degree in principal preparation until a colleague of mine handed me a flyer about all of the programs offered at Concordia University Chicago. The flyer stated how it would only take two years to complete the program. What appealed to me was that there was a location offered right down the street from where I live and the fact that the program was arranged so that you were able to continue working while moving towards your degree. After attending an informational meeting, I was excited to get started and pursue this new educational program.

What skills did you gain or sharpen through your program at Concordia University Chicago and how do you use them today?

Well, I have not become a principal just yet. I finished the program and received my degree, but I decided that I still want to teach for a few more years before I decide to move on to becoming a principal. However, my view point as a teacher has changed immensely. I view my principal’s actions and leadership in a different light. There is a different type of leadership required to be a principal and so many more aspects that I did not even take into consideration before completing this program. This program has also encouraged me to take on more leadership roles at my school to continue the practice of leadership over teachers and staff.

How has your master’s degree impacted you in terms of your current position or a position you’d like to attain in the future?

This program has made a great impact on the position that I would like to attain in the future. I realized that right now, I am not quite finished leading children. I want to focus on my practice of teaching children first. And when the time is right, I will be ready to move on to an administrative role. It will be a different type of leadership role as I will be responsible for leading the entire school community, but I know I’ll be ready to confidently take on this new career and challenge.

What was a challenge you faced during your principal preparation program, and who or what helped you overcome it?

The biggest challenge that I faced during this program was time management! Man, I thought getting my bachelor’s degree was hard! Now, I was going back to college to get another degree and working a full-time career at the same time. In the beginning, it was really difficult to balance both. After about a month, I worked into a routine that really helped me to become successful. During the week, my focus was on teaching my students. On Saturdays, my focus was on being a student. I would spend my Saturdays at a local coffee shop doing research, writing papers, and completing projects. This structure worked really well for me and helped me to maintain my expectations as a teacher and also learn how to be a principal at the same time.

What was the biggest takeaway from your principal preparation program?

I think the biggest takeaway was viewing challenges in two perspectives: as a teacher and also as an administrator. I have not yet stepped into the role as an administrator, but I continuously think about how I might make decisions in my current school. I have noticed that my views on certain challenges in the classroom have changed. I continuously think about the school’s mission and vision and how I am promoting those pieces as a teacher and leader in the school. I also give my current administration a lot more respect and gratitude when it comes to the amount of hard work and the many different hats that they have to wear on a daily basis.

What would you tell (or what advice would you give) prospective students considering the M.A. principal preparation program at Concordia University Chicago?

My biggest piece of advice would be to put a routine into place. It can be difficult to balance work life with student life. Find a routine that works for you that will help you to be successful in both. For me, I discovered that spending one day over the weekend towards my studies helped me to be successful. My other piece of advice is to get to know your professors. Many of them have had years and years of experience, and I learned so much from their experience that has really helped me to understand what it takes to be a successful administrator.

Is there anything else you would like to share? 

Have fun! There will be times that it will be stressful and overwhelming. Just remember to take it one step at a time. And remember, you are learning about a brand new career path! Take in all the new learning experiences as you grow from an educator into a leader!

The post Alumni Spotlight: Gabriel Hoerger, M.A. Principal Preparation appeared first on Concordia University Chicago.

Monthly Budgeting Makes the Bills Manageable

One of the ways I made paying for a graduate degree manageable was by incorporating payments into my regular budget. I found this was really easy to do with Concordia, because they offer the option to make monthly payments, rather than paying one big bill once or twice per semester. This way the cost of the program was spread out evenly over the entire year, and it was easy to incorporate my school payments into my family’s regular budget for expenses. I can’t underemphasize how much this relieved the stress of having to worry about a large upcoming payment a few times a year. If you are feeling stressed or anxious about the prospect of massive school bills in order to get a graduate degree, then relax. Take a close look at your monthly budget, and see where you can find wiggle room. By giving up a few pleasantries here and there, you will likely find that most of your degree can be paid for through careful and strategic budgeting.

Take Advantage of School or District Reimbursement Programs

Many school districts offer tuition assistance/reimbursement. If you haven’t looked into this yet, it is definitely something to check out ASAP. Chances are something is offered to help assist with your school costs. In my own experience, the school district offered a fixed amount each semester for classes in which I earned a B or higher. At first, I was dismissive of the assistance program because it didn’t seem like a lot, but once I started my degree, I quickly realized its value. Although the amount didn’t cover the full cost of tuition, it definitely took a huge chunk out of the bill and made it possible to pay for the entire degree out of pocket through careful budgeting. If you haven’t already, talk to your school’s HR representative or other school administrator about what kind of tuition reimbursement is offered. You can also try negotiating with your administration for reimbursement based on professional development through your degree. Good school districts and good administrators understand that a graduate degree in education is a worthwhile investment in their teaching staff, and any amount will go a long way toward reducing your monthly payment.

Take Advantage of Concordia’s Flexible Schedule Options

When I first looked into a master’s degree, I was unsure whether I could afford to continuously take classes without pause to recoup financial expenditures. When I talked with my Concordia advisor, we discussed the possibility of taking summer sessions off and extending the program length by a year in order to make the costs more manageable. Ultimately, with the ability to incorporate monthly school payments into my regular budget, as well as some help from tuition reimbursement, I found that there was no need to lengthen the program, and I was able to take classes continuously. Regardless of your financial situation, Concordia is great because they offer the chance to complete a degree program at a pace that best aligns with your financial situation and abilities. Getting a master’s degree in education is a worthwhile investment for a lifelong career; don’t let the prospect of stretching it out an extra year prevent you from starting now.

The post How I Paid for My Master’s Degree at Concordia University Chicago appeared first on Concordia University Chicago.

Concordia Will Allow You to Fit Your Coursework Around Your Professional Schedule

The great thing about Concordia was how it allowed me to fit coursework around my professional teaching schedule, ensuring my students’ educational experience didn’t suffer, and avoiding awkward conversations with the boss about missing work time in order to go class.

As a full-time teacher, I often observed colleagues missing important responsibilities like parent teacher conferences, department planning meetings, tutoring sessions and other clubs or sports as a result of their graduate studies. Let’s be honest, in the world of education, everybody understands the need for pursuing a degree in higher education. But when the rigid schedule of traditional graduate classes begins to interfere with professional work responsibilities, it can have a negative effect on your students’ educational experience at the very least, and at worst it can affect how principals or coworkers perceive your job performance. I observed first-hand the negative effect it had on student experiences and colleague perceptions.

Thanks to Concordia’s flexibility I never had to miss a work event, or explain to my students why I wasn’t around when they needed me. The program is a great fit for full-time teachers because it provides high-quality educational experience while allowing you to continue prioritizing the education of your students first.

Maximizing the Most of Your Time

As a full-time teacher, I really appreciated how Concordia allowed me to make the most productive use of my time. Our school hosts parent teacher conferences in the late afternoon/evening in order to allow working parents to attend as well. In addition, my responsibilities often require that I chaperone or facilitate after-school events that occur late after regular school hours. Normally my time between the end of the school day and the beginning of these events would have been wasted, but with Concordia’s online program being conveniently accessible anytime and anywhere, I was able to complete much of my coursework during this time. I was also able to avoid the inconvenience and wasted time that normally comes with commuting to graduate classes, and instead use that time complete coursework.

Having visibility of my entire course at one time really allowed me to plan ahead and be more productive as a teacher by incorporating coursework as much as possible into my regular curricular planning. For example, while taking a course on curriculum design, I was able to develop performance tasks and rubrics throughout the course that aligned with three units I teach in U.S. History. Being able to create curricular content for work while completing coursework for my degree was one of the greatest parts about getting my degree with Concordia as a full-time teacher.

The post Concordia University Chicago is a Great Fit for a Full-Time Working Teacher appeared first on Concordia University Chicago.

Without a doubt Concordia University was the most convenient option that allowed me to balance all three of these concerns. I absolutely loved getting my master’s in education with Concordia University, because of how convenient it was to complete coursework whenever it best fit my schedule. I also enjoyed the convenience of saving time and money by avoiding unnecessary travel, while quickly improving my instructional practice and helping my students achieve better educational outcomes.

Convenience, Flexibility

As a public school teacher, I have a busy work schedule with many professional responsibilities, including lesson planning, grading, meetings, tutoring sessions and facilitating afterschool clubs. Every professional teacher knows how these responsibilities will easily take the entire work day and often more!

I realized a traditional program with inflexible hours wasn’t going to work with my busy modern family lifestyle, but Concordia gave me the same high-quality educational experience combined with the ability to complete coursework whenever was most convenient for me.  I also had the convenient option to plan my degree work around my professional work schedule, ensuring that my work performance (and my students) didn’t suffer.  I also avoided those awkward conversations with the boss about missing work commitments in order to pursue a degree.

The Online Convenience

The convenience of completing coursework online from home or work also allowed me to avoid the nuisance of wasted time and money on travel costs that many people forget to consider when applying to a traditional degree program.  In the past, I spent almost as much time in a car or on a bus as I did in class, but with Concordia, I was able to maximize my time because of convenient and constant access to online classes.   Whether I was enjoying homemade breakfast on my weekend morning, sipping mocha at my favorite local coffee house, or hanging out at work in the downtime between classes and parent teacher conferences, I always had my class available.

Concordia Made Me a Better Educator

The best part about the convenience of getting a master’s degree through Concordia University was the high-quality content and instruction that was immediately applicable to my instructional practice. Both led very quickly led to improved educational outcomes. In each class, I had the chance to apply the knowledge and skills I was acquiring daily by creating and implementing better lesson plans. I was also able to closely align my instructional objectives with relevant district and state standards.  Concordia’s online format allowed me to anticipate and plan for how future course assignments could align with my curriculum I was often able to plan for lessons while completing coursework at the same time. One of my favorite and most effective civics lessons was created as part of my coursework for Concordia!  The convenience of a flexible schedule, combined with a more -effective use of time, cannot be underestimated in the busy context of the educational profession today.

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