That said, can anyone describe the overlap between an administrative credential and a doctorate?

An administrative credential doesn’t permit college-level teaching but is the converse also true? I feel like I’m missing some options here?

e.g.:

Dan, what position do you hold with a doctorate on campus? Did you get a doctorate and an admin credential? I wasn’t aware the coursework overlapped much but what I don’t know about either programs could fill libraries.

Thanks, team.

As you figure out what works for you, here’s the road I traveled. I chose “Get a Doctorate. Lead Teachers”. The doctorate gave me a ton of tools that have enabled me to affect change on our campus. Though I miss teaching kids, I get to work with teachers who are hungry for competent, caring administrators and I get to be in classrooms with kids every day who think I’m the big man on campus. It helps being 6′ 4″ in elementary school. Leading a school community towards a common vision is quite a blast. It doesn’t hurt that my 1st grade daughter goes to the school and I get to hang out with her at the same time.

You have a VERY strong and good program for your classroom, each step away from the classroom, you will have less control over what goes on there. Will you be able to tolerate other adults. Also, how well do you think they will tolerate you? (I don’t mean this in a mean way–like you think oh, you’re so smart, just that you need to self-evaluate)

I bring this up because I’ve seen some fantastic classroom teachers who become martinets as administrators. If you’re in public school in Calif. you won’t be able to fire at will, how will you work with teachers who are not up to your standard?

Here was a checklist I made awhile back about signs of wanting to be an administrator: http://mizmercer.edublogs.org/2007/02/16/signs-you-want-to-be-an-administrator/

“[T]here are virtually no documented instances of troubled schools being turned around without intervention by a powerful leader. Many other factors may contribute to such turnarounds, but leadership is the catalyst.”
– http://tinyurl.com/3bnou3

I’m certainly going to keep listening to see how you wrestle this one out!

Setting:
Classroom or Office, boardroom, community event, etc.
Audience:
Pre-career, Young Adults or Career, All ages
Material:
University Teacher Ed Ciricu. or Whatever facilitates good teaching and learning.??
etc…
(Of course, this is not truly an ‘or’, there’s a blur to the line.)

It’s about your personality and where you feel you’re at your best. And, I wouldn’t discount the adminstrator idea, or let teacher scare you out of it. (See below.)

Both Paths:
I agree with previous comments about being one step removed from kids. But, it’s not that you wouldn’t have an impact on students it’s just different; more global and indirect.

Admins:
From my limited teaching experience, an administrator has a huge impact creating a school environment conducive to collaborative teaching and learning. Supported, comfortable, confident teachers who collaborate create a great classroom atmosphere. But, many administrators I know sacrifice to get there schools to those places. Going to bat for, defending, and promoting your school at tons of meetings and late night events doesn’t play out so well on the social life. For better or for worse admins come up in teacher conversations really often.

Ed Prof.
Much of my philosophy of ed. was worked out in school. Some of it has been reworked by practice and some still holds. Good guidance in developing your foundational beliefs about ed has great impact on teaching style.

Alternate idea:
Stay in the classroom and be a Master Teacher…
Who doesn’t teach like/or exactly opposite to the style of their master teacher? That’s having an impact.

Big Question:
Where do I want to be in 10 years? Achievements, lifestyle, relationships, etc…

Next Steps:
Ask people who have those degrees what they do, and if it was worth it. Maybe you need one of the degrees for what you’re shooting for. Maybe you don’t need either?

Keep me posted. I bailed on the doctorate after finishing the MoE. Well, I guess I bailed on the classroom ed part too, for the time being. So, who am I to talk.