Like most other states in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Oklahoma needs teachers.
More than that, it needs qualified teachers. According to the state Department of Education, nearly 4,000 emergency certifications were issued in the 2021-2022 school year to allow stop-gap educators to fill needs in areas they were never formally trained or qualified to teach in.
But although the current crisis is unique in the experience of current generations of educators, it’s not a new one in the history of the state. As it happens, it’s exactly the sort of crisis that East Central University was created to solve.
Like many colleges in what was once frontier country, East Central started life in 1909 as a normal school, expressly founded to train teachers for towns large and small across the new state.
Sooners in Eastern Oklahoma have been counting on ECU to train their teachers ever since. And now the university stands ready to put the latest shortage in the past as well.
Quality Is as Much a Key as Quantity in Providing New Certified Teachers for Oklahoma Schools
ECU’s College of Education and the School of Graduate Studies together offer the kind of advanced education that turns out some of the finest teachers and administrators in the state. Today, they are invested in preparing graduates to take the reins of pedagogical leadership in Oklahoma and across the country for the 21st Century.
The school counts on a time-tested process of classroom instruction followed by on-site field experiences. That learning is applied in real scenarios under the supervision of experienced faculty members and master teachers.
Enticing Amenities May Pull Even Online Students Toward the East Central University Campus
Although you may pursue your entire master’s degree at ECU through online classes, you may well go out of your way to drop by and visit the recently remodeled Lanoy Education Building on campus.
The state-of-the-art facility includes 13 classrooms decked out with the latest in high-tech assistive teaching technologies, including tablets and robotics equipment. New short-throw projectors are installed that can turn any whiteboard into a smartboard. New speakers and podiums offer a comfortable, accessible experience for students and instructors alike.
And blending the online with the on campus, Wi-Fi blankets the buildings and additional monitors have been installed for increased visibility of instructional images or video conferencing.
This vision of the future of teaching comes courtesy of Pauline and Leon Lanoy, both ECU graduates, both accomplished educators with more than 40 years of experience behind them. Both Lanoys were inducted into the Keefer Educators’ Hall of Fame in 2009.
While the outlines of the program follow the bedrock principles that have made ECU educator training great since the school was founded, the format is entirely modern. Online classes come in easily digestible eight-week segments. Video, audio, and PowerPoint presentations are made asynchronously, allowing you to shift your attendance around as it suits you from day-to-day.
At the same time, online discussion forums are open and active 24 hours a day, ensuring that you have easy access to your instructors and classmates when questions come up.
With full support and plentiful online resources, one of ECU’s online degrees or certificates can get your career wherever you want it to go, faster and at less expense than you can imagine.
Exploring Your Online Degree and Certificate Options for Oklahoma Educator Credentials with East Central University
Meeting Oklahoma state standards for educator certification requires a certification recommendation from the instructors of a state-approved training program. ECU is just such a program. The challenge for students is to earn that recommendation from fair, but tough instructional leaders.
Nowhere is the emphasis on next-generation leadership skills more apparent than in the Master of Education in Educational Leadership degree. It’s designed to meet Oklahoma Standard Administrator Certificate requirements for anyone seeking principal or superintendent positions, but the instruction goes much deeper. Extensive hands-on experience that allows you to put classroom theory into school building practice gives you practical expertise in areas like:
- School finance
- Educational technology
- Legal aspects of education
It’s a lot to pack into 18 months, but at the end you come out with the knowledge and authority to make any school or district shine.
Librarians Have Off-The-Shelf Leadership Training on Tap at ECU
Librarians have a reputation for being quiet professionals, but with a Master of Education in Library Media from ECU, they can also be quiet leaders in and out of the library. With a curriculum emphasis on technology, this Master of Education equips you with the knowledge and skills to be the go-to resources for teachers and students in need of information.
You will check the boxes for coursework to meet state school library media specialist certification standards, as well as picking up the knowledge needed to ace the required test. But just as important is the broad-based education in literacy theory, multimedia technology, and instructional design that will take you a step up the ladder in information management and research skills.
ECU Delivers an Extraordinary Education in Special Education
ECU is known as one of the universities in Oklahoma to pioneer efforts to expand access for students with disabilities. Both the investment of empathy and the expertise developed in offering those services show up in the Master of Education in Special Education offered by the university today.
With a compassionate approach to developing your understanding of the psychological, behavioral, and cultural factors underpinning special education in Oklahoma today, you’ll be well-prepared for the extensive practicum experience offered with this degree. After developing a strong command of the teaching methods, technologies, and legal and ethical factors that go into teaching special ed students today, you’ll have no trouble hitting state certification requirements for Pre-K through 12 mild/moderate disability teachers.
One hundred percent of students at ECU from the past three years have completed the MEd in Special Education program and secured teaching positions after doing so.
Taking Sporting Leadership Seriously with Graduate Studies at ECU
Although it’s rare to find sporting specializations at the master’s level, there’s no better way to prepare for high-level positions in athletic instruction and leadership. That’s exactly the kind of work that ECU Master of Education in Sports Administration sets you up to excel in.
While covering the important detailed tasks of facility management, legal and ethical considerations, marketing, and event management, this degree also pulls back for a big picture perspective on leadership in sporting and the importance of sporting in American society.
It all cultivates your perspective and abilities for turning school sports into a major part of the educational experience. Whether you are aiming for public school systems or sports organizations at the college level, this program should be part of your game plan.
ECU Helps Qualify Students for the Top Job in Oklahoma School Districts
For students bound for the highest levels of leadership in Oklahoma schools, ECU offers the entirely online post-master’s School Superintendent Certificate. Designed for educators who already hold a master’s degree in the field, but need the additional skill work to pass the state certification test, the certificate packs in training in areas like:
- Administration
- School building and facilities management
- Legal issues in education
- American political and government impact on public schools
With every instructor a working superintendent, you’ll get unvarnished, real-world perspectives in each of those topics. And after completing the fast, one-year program, you’ll have new confidence and understanding of the high-level structural, organizational, and cultural aspects that go into making a successful school district.
