Area educators interested in learning how to hone their teaching skills or prepare for leadership roles among their peers are encouraged to enroll in two new degrees being offered locally by Missouri State University’s Outreach office on the Missouri State University-West Plains campus.
The Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning (MATL) and the Specialist in Education, Teacher Leadership (SETL) will be offered in a joint cohort format beginning this fall.
The 33-credit-hour MATL is designed to help educators already in the classroom develop new ideas and teaching strategies that will deliver better learning outcomes for their students, according to officials in MSU’s School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies who are offering the degrees.
The 36-hour SETL is designed to help educators develop the skills needed to step into leadership roles as a teacher, such as a division chair or mentor.
“These degrees will push teachers to think about how and why they do what they do in their classrooms,” said Dr. Krista Tate, instructor and coordinator of the MATL/SETL programs. “They will teach them to be better attuned to their students’ learning needs and gives them the skills to be teacher leaders among their peers.”
“Missouri State University’s MATL and SETL degrees are not like degrees offered by other universities,” added Dr. Steven Jones, a professor in the School of Special Education, Leadership and Professional Studies. “They are for teachers who want a unique opportunity to think about what they’re doing — to think together, with colleagues, in a cohort that meets in-person once a week for two academic years.”
The majority of educators who enroll in the MATL and SETL degree programs have been teachers for a while, and SETL students will already have a master’s degree in an education-related field, he added. They enroll in the programs so they can challenge, review and rethink their teaching practices, he explained.
“There is a ‘why’ to teaching that teachers need to realize, one that matches the ‘how’ they are using,” Jones said. “There are better, deeper, more helpful and more challenging things to read, think about and discuss with others than teachers have done so far in their careers. And that’s what happens in these degree programs.”
Those interested in the MATL should have a bachelor’s degree and certification or the potential for certification to teach preschool through 12th grade before applying to the program. The program will consist of 18 credit hours of professional learning community courses and 12 credit hours in an emphasis area.
Those interested in the SETL need a master’s degree and certification or the potential for certification to teach preschool through 12th grade before applying to the program. The program will consist of 18 credit hours of professional learning community courses, three credit hours of an administrative area leadership course and 12 credit hours in an “emphasis area” or a slate of electives designed to meet the student’s individual content area interests.
“When teachers are involved with this kind of thinking, reading and discussion in a graduate education program, it’s not just teachers who benefit. Their students benefit, too, and so does the school and the school district as a whole. And that’s just the way it should be,” Jones said.
For more information about the MATL and SETL programs and how to apply, contact Deanna Smith, MSU Outreach regional outreach administrator for the southeast region, at 417-255-7777 or DeannaSmith@MissouriState.edu.
Financial assistance may be available to some students, provided they meet eligibility requirements, Tate said. For more information about this assistance, contact Tate at KristaTate@MissouriState.edu.
