Teacher Education & Leadership
Education Specialist in Teacher Leadership
Develop education communities that improve student outcomes in Mississippi.
Enhance Your Effectiveness as an Educator and Leader.
Our TEL Specialist program is designed for the future education leader who does not aspire to lead in administration. You are the type of specialist that wants to lead and develop other teachers, organize community outreach, conduct research, and grow professional development communities in your district.
Our Educator Leadership program prepares You to lead in:
- Data analysis
- Research
- Teacher and education assessment
- Professional Development communities
- Community outreach and partnership
- Teacher content knowledge and leadership skills
Our Program is Respected
One important measure of a degree’s value is the reputation of the university where it was earned. When employers and industry leaders hold your alma mater in high esteem, you reap the benefits of that respect. We’ve been educating for nearly 200 years – and the results reflect that. Our Teacher and Education Leadership Programs have earned top honors for overall quality, affordability and commitment to student success. We are well respected and recognized as top tier teacher education for the 21st century.
EDU 7700 Introduction to Ed.S. Teacher Leadership
This course is designed to provide participants with information about the Ed.S. Teacher Leadership program including: program overview, general program information, program calendar, required courses, course descriptions, field experience, and program capstone.
EDU 6404 Differentiation Strategies for Online Instruction
This course will prepare participants to design and implement equitable learning opportunities to meet the needs of all, diverse K-12 students through differentiation of online instruction. This course will primarily focus on online, differentiation strategies addressing the needs of diverse students related to varying levels of technology skills, academic ability levels, personal characteristics, behavior, social and emotional traits, and cultural and/or language needs.
EDU 7527 Leadership Models and Applications
An in-depth study of modern participative leadership models their applications for change in leadership roles and organizational climate as trends for future leadership effectiveness in educational organizations.
EDU 7560 Advanced Curriculum and Development
This course is designed to prepare reflective practitioners who demonstrate knowledge, skills, and dispositions of curriculum development, refinement, evaluation, and their relationship to effective instruction. The overall goal is to help current and aspiring leaders to develop competencies in the areas of curriculum planning, scope, sequence, reform, and evaluation.
EDU 7751 Teacher Content and Pedagogy Support
This course prepares participants to become effective teacher leaders through the creation, performance, and analysis of needs assessments aimed at identifying teachers' content needs. It equips them with the skills to assess colleagues' content knowledge and design tailored professional development opportunities to strengthen this knowledge. The course emphasizes the interconnectedness of content knowledge, pedagogy, and assessment, and participants gain expertise in testing and assessment, with opportunities to apply their knowledge to address curriculum and instructional challenges. Ultimately, this course provides a comprehensive foundation for participants to lead and improve educational content and instruction effectively.
EDU 7752 Reflective and Collaborative Leadership Practices
This course focuses on the teacher leader’s role in promoting a positive school culture that encourages collaboration, effective communication, and reflection. Participants will examine strategies for establishing and maintaining positive relationships among colleagues where constructive feedback is provided and reflection leads to professional growth. This course will provide participants with knowledge of factors that affect education including trends, policies, and resources. Participants will apply strategies for developing professional learning communities that are focused on school improvement and reflective practices.
EDU 7753 Leadership Practices to Support Diverse Learners
This course focuses on creating an inclusive school and classroom environment where all backgrounds, ethnicities, cultures, and languages are respected and positive and effective communication occurs. Participants will develop instructional strategies for addressing diversity and equity in the classroom to ensure that all students can achieve high levels of learning. Participants will learn to facilitate colleagues’ self-examination of their own understandings of community culture and diversity and collaborate to develop strategies to enrich educational experiences for all students. This course will also promote collaboration between teachers, families, and the community to identify diverse educational needs of students.
EDU 7501 Advanced Educational Research Applications
The research course involves the advanced study of research designs and the development of research projects, at the school district level, in order to develop skills related to writing research reports, data analyses, developing project proposals, completing self-studies, and grant writing. (The areas of focus include identifying and selecting a viable, original research topic, critiquing empirical research, writing a literature review, and developing a plan for collecting data, while using the writing guidelines from the American Psychological Association (APA))
EDU 6554 Tests and Measurement
Deals with the use and construction of teacher-made tests and measuring devices. Includes some exposure to standardized tests and the statistical analysis of test results.
EDU 6405 Leadership Practices to Support Online Instruction
This course is designed to equip participants with the necessary leadership tools to administer and support the online instructional programs at the school or district level. Participants will apply current leadership models, evaluate research on educational technology, and incorporate best practices in online instruction to assess, design, implement, support, and refine effective, online instructional programs.
EDU 7755 Capstone for Teacher Leadership
This course is designed to provide a self-study for participants which involves working with a faculty advisor to complete a program capstone. The program capstone will be a portfolio containing program assessments and participant work including research projects, papers, reflections, field experience and other appropriate work formats. Participants will utilize case studies and real-world examples to analyze decision making processes of teacher leaders. Additionally, participants will research current aspects of teacher leadership and present findings.
- All general requirements for admission to the Graduate School at Mississippi College must be met initially.
- All student seeking the Ed.S. Degree in Teacher Leadership, must have a Class AA License in an area of professional education.
- Candidates must have a 3.25 GPA on all prior graduate work.
- Candidates must supply three letters of recommendation from persons familiar with the applicant’s character, scholarship, and potential for successful completion of the program (One must come from the candidate’s current administrator).
- Candidates must provide proof of three years of prior teaching experience in their licensed area, in an accredited school.
- Candidates must schedule an interview with the program advisor.
- Candidates must successfully complete a writing assessment.
- After 12 hours of coursework, candidates must have and maintain a 3.25 GPA on all work in the Ed.S. Program.
- Candidates must write and defend a research-based project completed during the Ed.S. Program at MS College. Candidates must have a 3.25 GPA, in order to defend their research-based project, before graduation requirements can be considered completed.
- All work for the degree must be worked-on and completed according to the cohort schedule.
- Graduates of the Ed.S. Program in Teacher Leadership must pass the SLLA, before they can apply for the Class AAA License in Administration.
Students should expect that our graduate programs will motivate and challenge them, as they become very confident and competent leaders and educators.”
— Dr. Jennifer Stafford
Department Chair, Teacher Education and Leadership at MC
