question for teachers --- do you have an EdD?

[Anonymous]

I am looking into further education and am wondering how useful as EdD would be.

Has anyone earned it? What were your reasons for earning it and how has it helped your career?

And how hard was it to earn while working full time?

[Anonymous]

Not sure what that is. Are you already a teacher? I have a Master's and have taken a lot of credits through the county and don't feel the need to get another degree. Either way, it is very hard to take school courses while teaching full-time.

[Anonymous]

An EdD is a doctorate in Education (i.e. not a PhD).

I already have a Masters degree. I can keep taking more courses but feel like they should be leading toward something. I'm not interested in administration at this point.

[Anonymous]

No.At one time it was preferred for administrative work. Now it is not..maybe a few get doctorates. Generally these programs are not as rigorous at doctorates in other disciplines...but they are time consuming abdcexpensive. Most teachers have numerous grad degrees and credits for certification purposes. The doctorate will not afford you any more real incone...a chance at a better job, or even a better status.

[Anonymous]

I have an M.Ed. Many teachers have an EdD equivalebt, but not so many with the actual degree. The price of the full degree is too expensive for a teacher salary, and it's impossible and takes forever for the school district to reimburse for classes. Reimbursement is also not really trustworthy. School districts will honor a phd equivalent (ur number if credits) for the salary step increase though. More often EdDs would work in curriculum development forca textbook company or CAL or somewhere like that.

[Anonymous]

OP again. I used to take courses for free through the county, but the credits didn't transfer when I moved to a new state! I earned my National Board Certification years ago, but unfortunately let the certification lapse when I wasn't working as a teacher for a few years. To get it again, I'd have to go through the whole process; I think at this point I'd rather work towards my Masters + 30 which will never expire or need recertification.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No.At one time it was preferred for administrative work. Now it is not..maybe a few get doctorates. Generally these programs are not as rigorous at doctorates in other disciplines...but they are time consuming abdcexpensive. Most teachers have numerous grad degrees and credits for certification purposes. The doctorate will not afford you any more real incone...a chance at a better job, or even a better status.

Our school district has a salary scale -- MA, MA+30, MA +60 and doctorate so the EdD puts you at the top of the salary scale. It's maybe a $2,500 bump over MA+60 so not that much more.

[Anonymous]

not worth it unless you plan to teach college or move up the ranks in central office

If you teach, it's hard enough to work on an advanced degree. However, it's even more difficult if you have kids of your own. I was in the system for about two years when I started my admin program through Hopkins. It took me about 4 years to complete it.

I can't imagine doing this with kids of my own - even if most classes are online.

[Anonymous]

Most of my friends who are teachers just get a 2nd or 3rd Master's degree. We still get the pay increase (Master's + 30, Master's + 60...). I am working on my Master's + 30 right now.

[Anonymous]

The only people I know who have them are principals. I don't know how useful they are otherwise, unless you want to be an administrator, or teach at the college level.

[Anonymous]

This is not a career to spend that amount of time and money in with a the promise of a doctorate. It won't afford you any more in the way of $$- just a couple of thousand. Want to teach college? Ok- You can do that as a adjunct with experience and a masters, but not much $$ there either. Want to be a professor full time?OK- but.. VERY low salary, limited tenure potential, and you will be competing with a billion adjuncts which are preferable to colleges now in order to keep costs down.

If you are into grad school just because you love the abuse, get a variety of certifications in different things that might generalize into a variety of jobs in or out of education. ( Technology, a language, etc..) In doing so, you will meet recertification requirements, get it paid for it if you are in a public school, and it will give you the most bang for your buck. But.. a doctorate in education...a waste of time. Unless it is just vanity- maybe you want to be called Dr. Larla/Larlo Smith.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is not a career to spend that amount of time and money in with a the promise of a doctorate. It won't afford you any more in the way of $$- just a couple of thousand. Want to teach college? Ok- You can do that as a adjunct with experience and a masters, but not much $$ there either. Want to be a professor full time?OK- but.. VERY low salary, limited tenure potential, and you will be competing with a billion adjuncts which are preferable to colleges now in order to keep costs down.

If you are into grad school just because you love the abuse, get a variety of certifications in different things that might generalize into a variety of jobs in or out of education. ( Technology, a language, etc..) In doing so, you will meet recertification requirements, get it paid for it if you are in a public school, and it will give you the most bang for your buck. But.. a doctorate in education...a waste of time. Unless it is just vanity- maybe you want to be called Dr. Larla/Larlo Smith.

+1. I have a MAT. Masters +30 status in MCPS.

[Anonymous]

MCPS doesn't have a higher salary scale for a doctorate but PGCPS does.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:MCPS doesn't have a higher salary scale for a doctorate but PGCPS does.

right - no recognition of a PhD or ED.d
most recent salary scale - http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/ersc/employees/pay/schedules/salary_schedule_mcea_effective_11-29-2014.pdf

[Anonymous]

I have an M.Ed. I'm certified in two specialties in addition to elementary ed. Instead of pursuing a PhD, I'm going to pursue an additional certification as I work towards renewing my license and getting my Masters + 30. I'm looking at getting certified as an ESOL teacher--not necessarily to become one, but to strengthen my skills in the classroom. Soon every teacher will need to be an ESOL teacher to some extent.