Teach-Now Master's in Education

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Andjelika
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2019 12:23 am

Teach-Now Master's in Education

Post by Andjelika »

I'm an experienced Economics/Business teacher (6 years of international teaching experience, HOD, bachelor's and master's degree in Economics and US teaching license) who has completed Teach-Now certification program last year. We are considering moving from China to Europe or Emirates, and wish to build up our resumes as much as possible before we leave. There is an opportunity for me to get Master's in Education in just 16 weeks as an extension of the certification program I completed with Teach-Now. It wouldn't be that demanding, and it might make a difference when applying for my next job (or not?!).

Anyway, I heard from a friend of mine that the school he was working was questioning the master's degree he got from Teach-Now as "it's not a degree from university", while the other schools he applied for had no problem with it. I was wondering if anybody heard about any similar experience with this program. I wouldn't mind completing and paying for it if it's going to be accepted and recognized, but if that's not the case why bothering?...
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

How do you feel about grey areas?

So Teach Nows Educator school of education isnt a complete diploma mill they are accredited by DEAC which is a non-regional accrediting body thats listed by the US DOE. So thats the main grey area. They arent a university, but they also have CAEP accreditation, which really isnt accreditation but approval by their organization for the Teach Now credentialing program, which doesnt apply to the Masters program, nor do any of their other organizational affiliations, so more grey area.

Ive posted on this before so to save you a lengthy read, Ill get to the substance:
1) Teach Now isnt a university, not by any definition other than possibly their own.
2) Teach Nows Masters program is not accredited by a regional accrediting authority. Further, the Teach Now Masters would not be acceptable by the State of California.
3) It is highly unlikely that a transcript or Masters degree from Teach Now would be accepted by a regionally accredited western University for further study or credit transfer.
4) ISs are under no obligation to accept any degree or academic qualification, the sole governance is determined by the ISs policy and professional judgement. You may have an argument if the national immigration and labor ministry grants a visa on the basis of the degree, but the discretion is entirely the ISs. They can put a line on their salary scale document stating only US regionally accredited degrees are acceptable, and they dont need any justification for it.

The main advantage of the Teach Now Masters program is the time resource requirement, 16 weeks is a single term. There are less expensive and more recognized programs (a half too two thirds less coin) but they will take 1 too 2 years to complete.
Your going to spend USD$7K for a Masters that will let you put some honorific initials after your name and will get you on an ISs advance degree salary band somewhere between 80% and 90% of the time, and nothing else.
Andjelika
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2019 12:23 am

Re: Teach-Now Master's in Education

Post by Andjelika »

Thanks, PsyGuy!

Well, that's the thing - I already have a "real" master's degree (in Economics), so I don't need this one to be paid more, but only if it opens more doors since it's a degree in Education. If it does help with getting into better schools or some regions/countries/schools which require you to have a degree in Education, I would be willing to do so. If it doesn't give me an advantage, why doing it?
IE_sciteacher
Posts: 38
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:05 pm

Re: Teach-Now Master's in Education

Post by IE_sciteacher »

Depends on the calibre of school you are looking to move to. Top schools may question the value of said Master whereas middle to lower calibre schools will gladly accept it.

Think of, how can you market the value added to teaching and learning from the master's degree when interviewing. This applies to any master's degree.
PsyGuy
Posts: 10789
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 9:51 am
Location: Northern Europe

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Post by PsyGuy »

@IE_sciteacher

Yes, I read that you had a Masters in economics, but I highly doubt the economics degree is an M.Ed which the Teach Now Educator School of Education is. You would thus have an additional honorific of M.Ed to add to the MS or MA honorific you have for the economics masters. But yes in the vast majority of instances a Masters is a Masters is a Masters for salary band. Some ISs have more stringent requirements, such as the Masters has to be related to the teaching content area to qualify, not a problem if your teaching economics, maybe something else it wouldnt be accepted, but the scenarios where this Masters is going to provide you utility over your economics Masters are going to almost be trivially small.

Its (looking around for @WT123) probably a wash. Upper tier ISs arent going to be any more impressed by your Teach Now Masters than your economics Masters, the rule is outside of a global ivy a masters is a masters. The Teach Now Masters is probably going to cause the occasional problem for you with an IS. Not having an M.Ed is maybe going to be a deciding factor in some scenario that going to be once or twice in a career lifetime.
The only tangible scenario I can see where it makes sense is if your in a rush, and the coin isnt an issue and with your degrees in economics and having QTS you get the M.Ed and then dump a US teaching credential and save yourself PD and renewal work.

I dont diasgree with @IE_sciteacher, that the marketable value is how you can spin the M.Ed in an interview. Teach Now isnt going to give you a whole lot to talk about in an extra 16 week term of online modules, unless you can really talk a good game, and if you can you can probably spin your current academics just as well.
Andjelika
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri Jan 25, 2019 12:23 am

Re: Teach-Now Master's in Education

Post by Andjelika »

Thank you, this was very useful! I appreciate your help.
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