Teachers in K-12 classrooms have a lot of demands on their time. They work long hours, they need to be knowledgeable about curriculum and subject matter, and they also need to continue learning new skills throughout their careers. Earning certifications is a great way for teachers to stay current with industry trends while still being able to focus on teaching students. In this article, we will review 5 different certifications that are perfect for K-12 educators.
Google for Education Certification
The Google for Education certification is a great way to learn how to use the most popular K-12 technology. With this course, you can get an in-depth look at Gmail and G Suite (formerly known as Google Apps for Education), which are also two of the most popular education software tools available today. The certification is offered by Google and it is recognized in more than 90 countries.
The Google for Education certification is designed specifically to provide a wealth of resources that can be used inside classrooms as well as outside. Explore what's available through courses on any subject area such as history; grade levels like 3rd Grade Math Curriculum Topics; videos covering anything from how dinosaurs were discovered all the way up to learning about biofuel sources worldwide - plus so much more!
The benefits of having this certification are amazing. You will have access to the most popular K-12 technology, be recognized globally as a top education credential, and this certification can be completed online or onsite with other training options as well.
This certification can take up to five hours per week of coursework over a four-month period with an exam at the end. This is a great certification for teachers who want to learn how Google tools can improve their teaching careers.
Early Childhood Special Education Certification
The Early Childhood Special Education certification is great for early childhood educators who want to get more specialized instruction in the area of special education. This is an important certification to have because it provides you with the tools and resources to help children reach their full potential. With this certification, you will learn how to identify disabilities in young learners as well as provide support strategies that are evidence-based.
The need for better-qualified teachers to work with the youngest, most vulnerable children in our society has been growing at an alarming rate. Recognizing this and seeking out these students is a top priority of many non-profit agencies that are committed to providing support services that have not traditionally been available before.
The Council for Exceptional Children reports over $200 million dollars worth of grants awarded nationwide since 2012 to help make up some ground on the problem which affects hundreds upon thousands each year nationwide - or about 8% of all special education needs reported by schools across America according to their latest statistics from 2014.
ESL Certification
The ESL (English as a Second Language) certification is for teachers who want to learn how to provide instruction to students with limited or no exposure to the English language. This certificate provides the tools and resources needed to teach learners from diverse backgrounds, which can be invaluable when teaching in K-12 classrooms.
The benefits of obtaining ELS certification are many. You will have the skills and resources to teach globally with confidence and will be recognized as an expert in the field of English instruction. Your students will benefit from the lessons that you teach with this certification and will help them to adjust to life in the future.
GATE Teacher Certification
The GATE teacher certification is for teachers that want to focus on children who have been diagnosed with specific learning disabilities. This certification is an important credential for teachers because it provides the tools and resources needed to teach learners who have difficulty in certain areas of academics or are struggling academically overall.
Some students have abilities so remarkable that they are considered gifted. They may excel at math, science, music, or all of these things and it is the responsibility of schools to provide specialized education for them because they need this in order to thrive.
Gifted and talented education programs are designed to foster the students' gifts while reducing the pressure that can come with being gifted. Innovative teaching strategies such as personalized instruction, engaging in creative problem-solving activities, and providing opportunities for competition relieve some of this stress by focusing on what makes an individual student unique.
GATE teachers have a unique relationship with their students. They act as facilitators, advocates, and collaborators rather than authority figures who maintain some distance from the student.
Usually, gifted kids are more interested in exploring things themselves. In this capacity, GATE teacher's roles are less about motivating students or drilling information into them, and more about advocacy for these children's needs in order to help facilitate activities that they would find interesting, like lab experiments on chemical reactions, instead of memorizing periodic tables which may take up time better spent elsewhere.
Visually Impaired Teacher Certification
The visually impaired teacher certificate is for teachers who want to learn how to provide instruction in various aspects of blindness, including visual impairment. This certification provides the tools and resources needed to teach students from diverse backgrounds, which can be invaluable when teaching K-12 classrooms that have students with disabilities such as these.
This credential will make you qualified to teach visually impaired students. You will have the skills and resources to help children learn how to read, write, do arithmetic, and more using raised or braille letters. Your students will benefit from lessons that you teach with this certification because they can use text-to-speech software on a computer or have braille materials right in their classroom.
A quick glance at the certification requirements for teaching in K-12 classrooms shows that there are a variety of options available. The five certifications we’ve highlighted here have different focuses and goals, but they all provide teachers with important skills to help them better serve their students. Whether you want to learn how to teach English as a second language or see if your school needs more gifted and talented programming, these certificates can help make you an expert on any subject matter so that you can offer support where it is needed most.
