A consulting teacher is an experienced educator who provides assistance to teachers, administrators, and other members of the educational community. They are experts in their field and are hired to advise on new technologies, classroom policies, student performance, and more. Consulting teachers can help plan lessons, deliver a model lesson, develop management skills, organize a peer observation visit, or address any other issues related to professional growth. Education consultants are passionate about K-12 or higher education and want to positively influence student performance.
Most seek an opportunity to make a significant difference in the way education is delivered and received. For some teachers and administrators, taking a break from becoming educational consultants may be only temporary, while others choose to remain in an advisory role. Education consultants are seen as experts in their field and are hired for the advice and guidance they can provide in struggling or underperforming school systems. Education consultants working for government often collect and evaluate information to advise managers.
Although you may be able to develop a career without a master's degree, educational consultants with a master's degree in a relevant field have a better chance of promotions and salary increases. As a guiding force to improve opportunities and classrooms, educational consultants are shaping the academic lives of students across the country. Whatever your previous experience, the best way to position yourself as an educational consultant is to learn everything you can about a specialization, selling yourself as an expert in that niche. These consultants focus on creating excellent educational products for students, teachers and schools with the goal of improving student performance.
Most employers seek to hire educational consultants with an advanced degree in a field such as curriculum and instruction. Meanwhile, many consulting teachers also have previous professional experience in roles such as a special education teacher or substitute teacher. Schools and post-secondary institutions hire educational consultants to examine how their students learn on a holistic level and recommend improvements in policies and programs. As an education consultant, you can help make that happen by advising teachers, families, school administration, school boards, and government officials on the best educational techniques and technologies used in classrooms across the country.
