A school consultant, also called an educational consultant, plays an integral role in supporting teachers and helping them develop professionally. There are a variety of reasons why a teacher might need the assistance of a consultant. Whether it is to help an instructor engage students with disabilities or to help them integrate technology into each lesson plan, there is a long list of teachers and students in all settings who can benefit from the services of a consultant.
Knowing that you have a passion for the field of education and, more specifically for helping teachers succeed, is the first step in choosing this occupation. The next step would to be to put this passion in action so that you can transition in to a school consulting role. If you are simply not sure where you should start, read on and learn how to start a career in education consultancy.
Get Your Teaching License
You cannot expect to support teachers and provide guidance to these professionals if you have not once been in their shoes. Before you can join a consultancy team, you will need to complete a teaching program and then test to get your teaching certification. Once you have your teaching certificate, you will get the hands-on experience in an education setting. Then you can assess what areas of education and teaching you want to support. Some examples include: curriculum development, use of technology, use of arts, or how to communicate with students.
Decide What You are Passionate About
In order to be a consultant in any field or industry you need to be an expert. While not all experts have passion, a majority of successful experts who enjoy their jobs find this enjoyment because they have taken the time to assess the field and identify what they love about it the most. You will need to really be honest about your own strengths and weaknesses in the field first. Once you find out what makes you the most excited about teaching, you can then start to develop an expertise so that you can help other teachers love that aspect of the job as much as you do. The key is to choose an area in which you can dedicate yourself to providing support.
Become a Credentialed Expert
Once you have found your area of focus, you can begin to establish yourself an expert. Having an advanced degree is one way to show that you have the credentials for consulting, but even then you need to be able to choose the right major or concentration. When you are selecting a degree program, try looking for one that has courses in areas like: educational research, curriculum theory, program evaluation, instructional analysis or psychology of education. These are general areas of study that will help you build on your knowledge.
School consultants are administrators and support staff in one. They play a very important role in improving schools and the learning experiences of students every day. Typically, a school consultant will work with a consulting firm or as independent freelance consultants. They can expect to earn anywhere between $50 and $150 per hour and may charge a flat fee per assignment. Decide if being a school consultant is good full-time or part-time position, and then start studying for mastery of subject areas.
