What are teaching endorsements and why should I have them?

Are you ready to take your education career to the next level? Whether you’re a certified teacher looking to expand your expertise in an additional subject area or gain skills to move into another teaching specialty, a teaching endorsement is a valuable credential. By adding endorsements to your teaching certificate, you can teach with more confidence, develop leadership skills, increase your marketability and work with diverse learners.

The value of teaching endorsements

Teaching endorsement programs provide excellent learning opportunities to educators because they typically have fewer courses than a full degree program and take less time to complete. They also offer several career benefits, enabling you to:

• Receive the latest training in your specific area of interest. You’ll explore current, relevant topics for your ideal position.
• Gain classroom-relevant skills. Many endorsements for teaching include observations, practicum courses and other field components, which offer invaluable experience and skills you can use immediately.
• Meet teaching requirements for more subject areas (depending on your state). You could teach an additional subject in your current position or move into a role with a new focus.
• Add versatility to your resume. Teaching endorsements help you stand out in the field and demonstrate your teaching expertise.
• Showcase continuous development. Ongoing learning allows teachers to pursue excellence throughout their careers and qualify for a wider variety of job opportunities, according to the National Education Association.¹

Ultimately, adding endorsements to your teaching certification helps you practice skills that can better the lives of your students as you advance your education career.

What kinds of endorsements are there?

Endorsements for teaching are available in many subjects that align with a wide variety of career goals. Brenau offers endorsements in some of the most well-known subjects: autism, dyslexia, K-5 teaching specialties, and teaching English to speakers of other languages (ESOL). Each endorsement focuses on topics that help you improve your teaching skills for different groups of students.

• Autism: Students diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder (ASD) can benefit from teaching strategies and classroom environments that set them up for success. According to Autism Speaks, a nonprofit advocacy organization, teachers can help by addressing sensory details such as bright lights, making sure their classroom is calm, communicating effectively and outlining behavior expectations.² Endorsements help teachers discover and practice these techniques.
• Dyslexia: Students with dyslexia face more obstacles when learning to read and write. According to the International Dyslexia Association, a teacher’s expertise is the key to providing effective dyslexia accommodations and creating a support system for students to succeed.³ A dyslexia endorsement is a great way to gain these skills.
• ESOL: According to U.S. News & World Report, around five million K-12 students in the U.S. are learning school subjects alongside the English language. Training for teaching English language learners can help in any career and is quickly becoming a preferred credential. Many schools and districts are seeking teachers with this training, and some require teachers to have certification no matter what they teach.⁴ An endorsement prepares teachers to better serve students across all subjects.
• Science: Science endorsements prepare each teacher to deliver a leading-edge curriculum, including the science of life, Earth and space. STEM Teaching Tools, a provider of open education resources (OER), stated that “[t]he future of our nation depends on a scientifically literate public.”⁵ Developing this literacy takes a concerted effort from teachers who are dedicated to exceptional science education.
• Math: Studying math helps students think logically, discover patterns, solve complex problems and analyze data. These skills apply to everyday life and offer a foundation for success in careers across STEM fields. MIND Research Institute has advocated for quality math education to include new and innovative learning experiences that encourage understanding, analysis, creativity and confidence.⁶ Teachers can go beyond having students memorize equations and punch calculators with a math endorsement focused on collaboration, critical thinking and hands-on learning.
• Reading: Successful students must first become effective readers, but many face barriers. Child Mind Institute, an independent nonprofit, framed this challenge in this way: “Reading, a fundamental skill essential for academic achievement, professional success and societal participation, is currently challenging a significant number of children across the nation.” The organization also noted that explicit, systematic reading instruction can help address reading challenges.⁷ This type of instruction follows the natural order of basic concepts (letters and words) to more complex concepts (phrases and sentences). Many reading endorsement programs cover systematic reading along with analyzing and correcting common reading difficulties.

What does a teaching endorsement require?

Teaching endorsements are available to professionals who have completed teacher certification. In addition to specialized courses, some endorsement programs require field experience or a practicum that provides hands-on skills in real-world teaching environments.

Endorsement requirements often vary by state. In Georgia, for example, endorsements may or may not be required for educators in certain fields. The Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia report that “In some areas, the endorsement is required in order to be considered in-field in a designated area, while in other cases the endorsement is not required but simply strengthens and enhances competency levels.”⁸ Endorsements can boost your knowledge and skills in any case, but they can best help you move ahead in your career if they meet your state’s requirements. If you’d like to transfer your teaching endorsement to another state, be sure to check that state’s transfer policies.

Enhance your career with a teaching endorsement taught completely online

When you’re ready to make your next move, Brenau University is here to help you succeed. In our online programs, you’ll explore teaching specialties and practice innovative instructional skills. We offer the following PSC-approved education endorsements, each consisting of three sequential courses.

• Autism: Develop knowledge and skills necessary to assess the academic, communicative and social needs of students with autism spectrum disorder. This endorsement includes a field component.
• Dyslexia: Learn to recognize and support students with dyslexia through research-based techniques.
• English to Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL): Learn how to support English learners in reading, writing, speaking and listening at the K-12 level. This endorsement includes a practicum.
• K–5 Science: Learn to plan, implement and evaluate successful science lesson plans. This endorsement includes a practicum.
• K–5 Math: Practice the fundamentals of teaching mathematics at an elementary level. Gain the skills you will need to connect with students online and give them the attention they need to succeed.
• Reading: Explore reading in several teaching content areas, identify reading issues that students can face and practice correcting reading difficulties.

Brenau University’s education endorsements give you training in the areas you need to move your career forward and better the lives of your students. If you have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited university, a Level 4 teaching certificate or higher and at least one year of classroom experience, pursuing an online education endorsement program at Brenau University may be the right choice for you.

We’re here to answer your questions. Request more information today.

Sources

1. National Education Association. “Fostering Mid-Career Educators’ Continued Growth and Pursuit of Excellence.” Retrieved October 22, 2024, from https://www.nea.org/resource-library/great-teaching-and-learning/recommendations/professional-teacher.
2. Autism Speaks, Inc. “Autism in the classroom: Strategies for success.” Retrieved October 23, 2024, from https://www.autismspeaks.org/tool-kit-excerpt/autism-classroom-strategies.
3. International Dyslexia Association, Inc. “Dyslexia in the Classroom: What Every Teacher Needs to Know.” Retrieved October 23, 2024, from https://dyslexiaida.org/dyslexia-in-the-classroom/.
4. U.S. News & World Report. “How English as a Second Language Affects Learning.” December 6, 2021. Retrieved October 23, 2024, from https://www.usnews.com/education/k12/articles/how-english-as-a-second-language-affects-learning.
5. STEM Teaching Tools. “Why Do We Need to Teach Science in Elementary School?” Retrieved October 23, 2024, from https://stemteachingtools.org/brief/43.
6. MIND Research Institute. “Why is Math So Important?” Retrieved October 23, 2024, from https://blog.mindresearch.org/blog/why-is-math-so-important.
7. Child Mind Institute, Inc. “The 2023 Children’s Mental Health Report: Evidence-Based Reading Instruction and Educational Equity.” October 17, 2023. Retrieved October 24, 2024, from https://childmind.org/blog/the-2023-childrens-mental-health-report-evidence-based-reading-instruction-and-educational-equity/.
8. The Office of the Secretary of State. Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia. “Chapter 505-2 Certification.” Retrieved October 29, 2024, from https://rules.sos.ga.gov/gac/505-2.

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