The Challenging Job of a School Superintendent

What makes a successful school superintendent?  While there is no doubt varying opinions, there is some consensus on the basic characteristics of an effective school superintendent.  A survey of recognized top superintendents from around the country indicates that effective communication from the school’s leadership has a significant impact on the success of moving the district’s vision forward.  

The National School Public Relations Association (NPRA) survey shows the “need for good communications as an integral ingredient in superintendent success was cited by every superintendent in this study. Although leadership, vision, and strategic thinking were listed as the most important skills for superintendent success, every superintendent in the study ranked good communications skills as a “very important” component of each of those skills.”

The superintendents mentioned that communication is especially important during times of institutional changes such as implementing “No Child Left Behind and other accountability requirements; changes in curriculum; redrawing attendance boundaries; grade configuration changes; and closing schools.” 

An article on GreatSchools’ website states that successful superintendents have a clear vision, goals and objectives for the district, and work toward achieving those goals.  They noted that the best superintendents understand they are instructional leaders and strive to ensure their students are learning and achieving at the highest levels possible.  This means a superintendent must be “knowledgeable of the best practices for maximizing student achievement and is supportive of teachers in the district.”

Superintendents are managers, and as such, must effectively evaluate the performance of their district.  They are also responsible for seeing to it that school principals are equally effective leaders in their buildings.  Finally just as good communicator skills are a must, the best superintendents are good listeners.  

GSU’s College of Education offers an Interdisciplinary Leadership, Ed.D degree program with a Superintendent (P-12) as one of the concentrations.  The program’s other concentrations are Higher Education Administration, Public Safety, and Not-for-Profit/Social Entrepreneurship.  The doctoral program provides students a comprehensive set of core courses in leadership, research, planning, communication, globalism and finance.  Please refer to the College of Education’s website for the complete requirements and details of our Interdisciplinary Leadership ED.D. 

Sources:

http://www.nspra.org/files/docs/CharacteristicsOfEffectiveSuperintendents.pdf

http://www.greatschools.org/improvement/quality-teaching/94-what-makes-a-great-superintendent.gs

At GSU you will discover a highly diverse student body made up of individuals of all ages and backgrounds and courses that are taught by gifted professors.  At the College of Education we offer undergraduate, graduate, cohort and non-degree certificate programs to prepare you with the credentials you need to be a successful education or mental health professional. Contact us for more information.

Principal Leadership – Take Your Career to the Next Level

Until recently there was not much real-world evidence regarding the impact of effective school principals on student learning, but a recent study changes that.  Reported in the EducationNext, Winter 2013 edition, the article cites evidence that indeed a school’s leadership does make a difference.  The authors of the study are Gregory F. Branch of the University of Texas at Dallas Education Research Center, Eric A. Hanushek from the Hoover Institution of Stanford University and Steven G. Rivkin, professor of economics at University of Illinois at Chicago. 

The study indicates that, “Highly effective principals raise the achievement of a typical student in their schools by between two and seven months of learning in a single school year; ineffective principals lower achievement by the same amount. These impacts are somewhat smaller than those associated with having a highly effective teacher. But teachers have a direct impact on only those students in their classroom; differences in principal quality affect all students in a given school.”  Their report specifically examines the importance of effective leadership at schools serving disadvantaged students as leadership is vital to attracting and retaining high-quality teachers despite less desirable working conditions.  We encourage you to read more of their fascinating study. 

At GSU we offer educators the opportunity to take their career to the next level by earning their Master of Arts in Educational Administration degree designed to prepare school administrators and leaders.  For those wishing to pursue the job of a school principal, one of the choices of concentration in our program is Principal Leadership (K-12).

As a student in the program, you are given the opportunity to learn how to transition from the classroom to a leadership role with plenty of field and clinical experiences.  Please see our website for the complete requirements and details for our Master of Arts in Educational Administration concentration in Principal Leadership (K- 12). 

Source: http://educationnext.org/school-leaders-matter/

We encourage you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website.  Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  We look forward to helping you achieve your educational and career goals.

Reading – The Essential First Step in Learning

As educators, we all understand the great importance of reading in the success of our students.  Reading impacts all aspects of the learning process and by helping our students become proficient readers, we not only make a huge difference in their lives but enhance the entire school’s overall quality.  This is why GSU’s College of Education offers teachers an exceptional Master of Arts in Reading program.  Graduates of the program will be reading specialists who have the expertise to bring staff development to educators serving an increasingly diverse student population. 

To qualify for this outstanding program, you need to have an Illinois (or comparable out-of-state) Early Childhood, Elementary, Secondary, or Special Education professional educator license.  In addition you must have completed at least two years of appropriate teaching experience in a recognized public or private school as stated in the application materials prior to candidacy.  Please see our College of Education website for the complete program requirements and details. 

Our M.A. in Reading program includes practicum experiences at both the elementary and secondary levels.  Students are presented challenging course work with classes in diagnosis, remediation, the psycholinguistic and sociolinguistic foundations of literacy, developing reading programs, and narrative and expository writing instruction. Degree requirements also include a successful completion of an action research project. 

This excellent program provides students the required course work as identified by the Professional Standards and Ethics Committee and the Advisory Group to the National Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education Joint Task Force of the International Reading Association.  Graduates of GSU’s Master of Arts in Reading program are given the knowledge and theoretical foundation in the field of reading and literacy to address the needs of K-12 learners as well as those students who need specialized literacy intervention.

Academic excellence and innovation are natural partners. At Governors State University you’ll find an abundance of both.  We have a highly diverse student body and our courses are taught by gifted professors. Our rich history, cultural amenities and a beautiful campus all contribute to making us one of best colleges in Chicago.

GSU’s College of Education - Doctoral Programs

At Governors State University, we offer an exceptional selection of doctoral programs that will take your career to the next level.  All of our programs are designed to accommodate working professionals and offer course work in a variety of formats or times.  Our class-sizes are small and students are mentored by a group of experienced, gifted professors.

One of our doctoral offerings is a Counselor Education and Supervision, Ed.D degree that is designed to produce advanced clinicians, supervisors, competent researchers and educators. The challenging program offers students experiences in clinical work, teaching, supervision, research and advocacy.  As a student, you will develop a strong background in education and counseling theory.  If you have a CACREP-accredited master’s degree, you will be able to complete the program in as little as eight semesters.

Another doctoral program offered from the College of Education is our Interdisciplinary Leadership, Ed.D.  To ensure the program is convenient; all courses are offered online or in a hybrid format.  Students will learn the theories, principles, practices and applications of effective leadership.  The program offers the opportunity for advanced study in the choice of one of the following concentrations:  Higher Education Administration; Not for Profit/Social Entrepreneurship; Public Safety and Superintendent (P-12 Endorsement).

In addition we also offer an Educational Specialist degree (Ed.S.) in School Psychology.  The program equips professionals to directly and indirectly deliver a continuum of educational and mental health services to children and families and to work with teachers and other educators to enhance student learning and well-being.  This is a four-year, cohort-based model that provides future school psychologists with a solid professional and academic foundation that reflects depth and diversity in both psychology and education.

Please refer to GSU’s College of Education website for the programs’ complete requirements and details.  If you have further questions, please contact a department advisor. 

We invite you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website.  GSU has a highly diverse student body made up of individuals of all ages and backgrounds as well as courses taught by gifted professors. Learn more about the rich history, cultural amenities and beautiful campus that contributes to making us one of the top colleges in Illinois.   

M.A. in Psychology – Theoretical Sequence

At Governors State University, our College of Education offers a M.A. in Psychology degree that provides the professional preparation for students seeking to enter into the field of human services or as a stepping stone toward advanced graduate studies.  Our program has the choice of two exceptional sequences, Clinical Psychology or Theoretical Psychology.

Our Theoretical Sequence in Psychology offers students a strong theoretical background in the traditional areas of psychology.  The program is designed to engender sensitivity to cultural and individual differences.  This sequence prepares students to pursue advanced graduate studies such as a Ph.D. or Psy.D. degree.  

Furthermore, the M.A. in Psychology gives students the educational background they need to work in research for businesses or social services.  The degree also provides the opportunities to teach general psychology classes at the junior or community college level.  For those that hold a teaching certificate, you will be eligible to teach at the high school level. 

Our master’s in psychology theoretical sequence is not an applied degree but rather focuses on a strong theoretical background in traditional areas of psychology.

It is not mandatory that students have an undergraduate degree in psychology to be admitted to the program; however, it is strongly recommended.  Please see our website for complete requirements and information or contact a department advisor if you have additional questions.

     

For those interested in pursuing a Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology, beginning in Summer 2015, we will now offer the program at the GSU Naperville Education Center.  Check out our website for complete details and requirements for applying to this program. 

  

We encourage you to explore our many degree, certificate and individual course offerings listed on our website.  Each college has stellar programs and world-class professors; all of which are focused on delivering academic excellence in a small-class setting.  We look forward to helping you achieve your educational and career goals.

GSU’s College of Education Offers Exceptional Master’s Programs

If you are interested in advancing your career, GSU’s College of Education (COE) offers professionals an excellent selection of Master of Arts degree programs.  Our gifted faculty guides learning while mentoring students through hands-on experiences, and our class-sizes are small to ensure individualized attention.  Furthermore, students have the opportunity to apply what they learn in the classroom at our on-campus Family Development Center, working with children from the community.

The College of Education offers a M.A. in Counseling degree with specializations that include: Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Marriage & Family Counseling, and School Counseling (K-12).  Starting in Fall 2015, the program will run on a cohort-based model.  The program prepares students with the skills to provide direct services to clients; diagnostic, consultative, and evaluative services; and preventive intervention.

Another program from the COE is our Early Childhood Education.  Here we offer a Sequence for Currently Licensed Teachers and Licensure Sequence for Non-Teachers.  Students are provided the opportunity for significant field experience in school settings and experience the type of challenges and situations faced as a practicing professional.

In our M.A. in Education (non-licensure program), we offer Computer Education, Curriculum & Instruction, ESL/Bilingual Education, Mathematics Education and Science Education.  Our program is designed to enhance and facilitate your professional development as a classroom teacher, regardless of the level at which you teach and prepare you to take a leadership role in your school system.   

Our M.A. in Educational Administration offers the following concentrations: Chief School Business Official, Higher Education Administration and Principal Leadership.  This is an in-depth program that prepares school administrators and leaders to meet the challenges of a demanding educational environment. 

The College of Education’s M.A. in Multicategorical Special Education prepares experienced teachers to work across the full continuum of educational services.  Here, students are offered a program that emphasizes an individual approach to the education of the exceptional learner. 

The M.A. in Psychology degree offers a choice of Clinical Sequence or Theoretical Sequence. You will develop a strong theoretical base as well as learn assessment and research skills.

Lastly, our M.A. in Reading program will prepare you to be a reading specialist and to deliver staff development to educators who serve a diverse student population.  Please see our website for complete program details and requirements. 

Academic excellence and innovation are natural partners. At Governors State University you’ll find an abundance of both.  We have a highly diverse student body and our courses are taught by gifted professors. Our rich history, cultural amenities and a beautiful campus all contribute to making us one of the best colleges in Illinois.