A degree in curriculum and instruction is a great way to get into a fast-growing career field. A curriculum and instruction specialist will be able to teach students about the world around them, help them develop skills that are essential for success in life and work, and inspire them to learn more about their own passions. The following article provides some of the benefits of a degree in curriculum and instruction.
What is curriculum and instruction?
Curriculum and instruction is the study of how teachers teach and students learn. It’s a combination of teaching, learning, educational psychology, and other fields that are constantly changing due to new research about how children learn. Curriculum and instruction experts work with educators to develop curricula for classrooms and create assessments that teachers use to track student progress in class. They provide professional development opportunities for teachers to keep up with changes in educational theory and technology usage within schools.
Career opportunities
As a curriculum and instruction specialist, you will be able to take an in-depth look at how students learn and how teachers can best help them. You might work for a school district or as an administrator of an institution that offers educational programs. You can work as a curriculum specialist, an instructional coordinator, a teacher, a principal, a teacher coach, or a special education teacher. In addition to teaching, you may work in administration, curriculum development and program management; test development and assessment; research and evaluation; policy development; instructional leadership; consulting, or community outreach.
High salary
The median salary for an instructional specialist is $66,290, with a 6% job growth rate projected over the next ten years. However, in the corporate sector, training and development managers earn an average of $113,350 per year, with a 7% job growth forecast. All curriculum-oriented jobs are well-paying professions with numerous opportunities for advancement. Curriculum specialists in schools can advance to program developer positions, where they oversee the development of entire programs. In the business world, training managers can advance to director, vice president, and chief learning officer positions.
Professional Learning opportunities
Professional learning is a continuous process. Teachers must be supported by their schools and communities to stay informed, up-to-date on new developments in the field, and ready for any changes that may come up. This means that teachers are provided with professional development opportunities such as conferences or workshops where they can learn from other professionals with similar experiences. These resources can help curriculum and instruction specialists better understand how best practices should be used within classrooms.
Take on roles outside the classroom
There are many roles outside the classroom that you can take on after graduation, such as
- Teaching in a variety of settings, including online, in schools and districts.
- Working as an administrator or consultant with curriculum development and instructional design.
- Coaching staff members to be better teachers by providing feedback on their teaching practices through coaching sessions or shadowing them during lesson planning.
High demand
The need for teachers is growing. The number of teachers is declining. Teachers are retiring, leaving the profession, and not being replaced. To fill these positions, many schools will hire someone from another country who has not been trained in U.S.-based curriculum and instruction methods; this can result in higher costs for students and decreased quality of education overall.
A degree in curriculum and instruction is a great way to get into a fast-growing career field. The need for teachers continues to grow, and there are more jobs available than ever before. In fact, the U.S. Department of Education predicts that by 2020 there will be an additional one million certified teachers needed in public schools nationwide—and this figure does not include teachers working outside their classrooms!
Corporate training and teaching
If you’re interested in teaching, but don’t want to teach in a classroom setting, then corporate training and teaching may be the perfect fit. Corporate training is usually offered through an organization’s human resources department and is designed specifically for employees who need additional skills to work at their company. The benefits of teaching corporate employees are many. You get paid while learning something new! This can be an excellent opportunity if you want to earn extra money while gaining valuable experience as well. It’s convenient as you don’t have to schedule classes or travel anywhere!
Make a difference
With a degree in curriculum and instruction, you get the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of your students and their families, as well as for those who work with you every day. It will help prepare you for this important role by providing skills that will help guide your career path. Teachers need to be prepared to do their best work every day—and they also need ongoing training opportunities so they can continue improving their teaching abilities throughout their careers. You will get the opportunity to design a student-centric curriculum to ensure it is engaging.
Become a better teacher
If you have a degree in curriculum and instruction, you can help teachers become more effective in the classroom. Students learn best when they are engaged and interested. A good teacher gets their students excited about learning by creating an engaging environment where they feel comfortable sharing their ideas with others, asking questions, participating in class discussions and projects, or even leading them through activities outside of school (like sports).
Devise policy
You will also have the potential to reach thousands of students across multiple schools. Even if you never interact with students directly, you will improve their educational experiences through the curricula you select or develop, policies you help design, and guidance you provide to their teachers. While ensuring that your school or district meets federal and state regulations and standards will be a crucial part of the job, you will also have several opportunities to evaluate classroom materials, textbooks, lesson plans, and other instructional content. You can also make changes when things aren’t working.
Conclusion
The curriculum and instruction field is growing rapidly, with more job opportunities than ever before. It’s also an important career field that will help you make a difference in your students’ lives, coach teachers, and design curricula aimed at providing the best education to students.
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