Industry
Outlook for Instructional Coordinators
The first thought that comes
to mind when education occupations are mentioned is the field of
teaching; however there are a number of positions available within the
field of education environment that do not involve classroom teaching.
Instructional coordinators
provide ongoing training for teachers, administrators and school
districts
As minimum education standards
increase across the nation, it is expected that occupations for non
teacher trainers will continue to increase.
Instructional coordinator positions are also
commonly known as:
- Curriculum Specialists
- Teacher Trainers
- Facilitators
- Staff Development Specialists
Teacher trainers perform a
variety of tasks and quite often specialize in the service they
provide. The primary function of staff development specialists is to
provide required staff development to educators.
This may be
accomplished through:
- Training teachers
- Develop instructional materials
- Assess the quality standards of instructional
programs and schools
- Review promising textbooks
- Perform evaluations to determine the success or
failure of a school’s curriculum
As technology becomes more standardized in classrooms and technological
concepts continue to expand, many instructional coordinators are
choosing to specialize their work in the implementation of technology
in the classroom.
Employment
Opportunities for Instructional Coordinators
Employment opportunities for
staff development specialists can be found in local and state education
as well as private education.
A number of positions can
also be found in the field of education consulting firms
School districts may hire
their own instructors, however many positions seem to be available on a
regional basis where coordinators serve a number of school districts
located within a particular region or section of their state.
It is not anticipated that
budget cuts will hamper the growth of occupations for staff development
specialists.
Individuals who specialize
in areas that are currently under focus such as math, reading and
science are expected to find the greatest employment opportunities as
well as better paying positions.
In addition, individuals with
experience or training in English as a second
language can also expect to find more and better
paying employment prospects.
Job Search for
Instructional Coordinators
Open positions for teacher
trainers are not typically found in the classifieds section of
newspapers. Job seekers looking for work in this field will usually
find employment opportunities either by work of mouth, education
message boardsand web sites as well as private
recruitment firms.
Cover Letters
for Instructional Coordinators
The cover letter used to apply
for a position as an curriculum specialist should always mention where
and how the candidate heard about the position. Qualifications and
prior achievements play a key role
in the selection of a candidate in this field. Former teachers and
administrators should use the cover letter as an opportunity to play up
their experiences in the classroom and especially any awards and
special achievements garnered during their tenure.
Resumes for
Instructional Coordinators
Both a chronological and a
curriculum vitae resume are appropriate when applying for work as a
teacher trainer. Work experience and education are vital to
successfully obtaining a position in this field.
Training
& Qualifications Instructional Coordinators
At a very minimum, a
bachelor’s degree is required in order to obtain work as a
staff development specialist.
In most cases, employers
require a graduate degree
A large majority of staff
development specialists are former teachers
and administrators who have either chosen to leave classroom teaching
or who are retired from the classroom and have opted to pursue work as
teacher trainers for financial and personal reward reasons.
Instructional coordinator
positions are often very attractive to teachers and retired teachers
because of the income potential.
The average earnings across the nation for staff development
specialists are usually significantly more than that of the average
classroom teacher.
As educational standards and
technological concepts continue to increase and develop, facilitators
are required to stay on top of the latest trends
in education. Continuing education classes can be very beneficial in
this regard and are often required by employers.
Advancement opportunities are
available in the field of teacher trainers; offering higher paying
positions and positions that offer greater responsibility.
Good luck in your job
search for non teaching positions in education !