A career in education is a rewarding path as you help to guide young and not-so-young minds. From early years to adult education, seeing your students develop in their understanding and confidence can make every day worthwhile. Education is also a career path with many different options for advancement. If you are an experienced educator, you may be considering your next move. Educational leadership is one option that experienced educators may choose. Both interesting and rewarding, if it is an option that appeals to you, it is definitely worthwhile finding out more about it and how you can move into an educational leadership role.
What is educational leadership?
The purpose of educational leadership is to boost academic achievement. It will do this through various methods, including material improvements, improved staff training, and new educational policies and processes. To achieve this, educational leaders need to be able to work with others involved in education, such as teachers, parents, students, and policymakers.
The responsibilities of educational leaders include maintaining a healthy, safe learning environment, aspiring for the success of all students of all socio-economic levels, making improvements to the curriculum, using the best management techniques, and managing the staff to delegate responsibilities appropriately.
Educational leadership positions
There are many roles in educational leadership, and which one you aim for will depend on several factors, including the age range you are most interested in. While this list is not exhaustive, positions can include:
- Assistant principal or principal
- High, middle, or elementary school superintendent
- College provost
- Special education specialist
- Dean of faculty or students
- Director or supervisor
- University registrar
- District administrator
If you aspire to any of these roles either now or in the future, it is a good idea to start looking at what you need to do to achieve an educational leadership role. It is never too soon to start adding to your resume to enhance the chances of your dream job.
Further study
Qualifications in education will show prospective employers that you are serious about your role and have gained a thorough grounding in the areas an educational leader needs. A good option for this is a Master’s in Education, which can be studied at many universities throughout the country.
If you are unsure about taking time away from the classroom to pursue further study, an online course will offer a more flexible option and means you do not limit your choice to a university near you or even one in the same country. These courses are as rigorous and challenging as an in-person course but can be studied online at a time convenient to you. A good example of a master’s course designed for those with other commitments is the online ma education at the University of Exeter, one of the UK’s top universities. Through 100% online study, you can gain a master’s in two years on a course that prepares you for educational leadership roles.
Mentoring
Once you have been an educator for a few years, you can start taking on leadership aspects without waiting to qualify formally or hold a leadership position. Becoming a mentor will allow you to demonstrate your leadership capabilities by guiding and supporting new staff members as they start their careers. As a more experienced educator, you will have a lot to offer them, but good mentoring can often be a two-way street. Recently qualified staff will usually have had up-to-date training on the latest education theories and aspects they can share with you. Learning about the latest ideas will be highly valuable to you once you take up a leadership position, as it can inform your policy decisions.
Conferences and events
If you get the chance to attend an educational conference or event, you should most certainly accept. Whether at the local, state, national, or even international level, you will find these places a mine of opportunities for learning new educational theories and practices.
These events will also be valuable for networking and making contacts that can be valuable to you throughout your career. You may find a mentor of your own, someone already in a leadership role who will be happy to guide you and you may hear of leadership positions available before they become more generally known.
Conferences and events are a place to pick up lots of new ideas and tips to improve your teaching. Once you have returned from these events, implement those new ideas in your own work and offer to demonstrate them to other educational professionals in your area.
Educate yourself
Before or after acquiring formal qualifications, there are many ways you can educate yourself through books, articles, and podcasts. There are usually times of day you can slot these into. Listen to an educational podcast on your drive home each evening or if you travel on public transport, use that time to read articles in academic publications.
As you acquire new skills, don’t be afraid to contribute to the media on education. Many educational blogs are always on the lookout for new writers, and podcast hosts will be keen to find new guests. Contributing to educational media is a permanent way to make your mark and give prospective employers a chance to get to know you and your ideas.
Volunteer
Look for voluntary ways to increase your responsibilities to demonstrate your suitability for a leadership role. There may be opportunities in the school or college where you work. You can also volunteer to serve on education boards and committees. In this, you can start playing a role in influencing policies and changes as well as gaining further opportunities to learn from educators further up the career ladder from you and picking up more ideas to try in your professional life.
Should you be an educational leader?
Educational leaders tend to be well-paid and are in positions where they can make a very real difference in the lives of students, helping them to reach their full potential. These are also positions with good long-term job security, as education is a sector that will continue to develop. For experienced educators, an educational leader’s role is something well worth considering further.