About TeacherCertificationDegrees.com

Teacher Certification Degrees is a free resource for those looking to explore, start, or expand a career in education. Our editorial staff has written and published a wealth of information on how to become a teacher, including teacher certification, teaching degrees, teaching careers, related articles, news, and interviews.

Published by Project 7 Labs LLC, Teacher Certification Degrees was established in 2010 and is based in the Seattle metro area. We have been a Better Business Bureau accredited business since 2012.

Our Editorial Process

At Teacher Certification Degrees, we use experienced writers, editors, expert reviewers, and contributors to create and review our content. We evaluate each team member’s background and experience to ensure that our content is accurate, up-to-date, and relevant to our readers.

Writers: Professional writers research and write all of our content. Our writers adhere to a style guide in order to maintain consistency throughout the website. All of our content is original and backed by reputable sources.

Editorial Team: Our internal editors fact-check, standardize, and approve all content before it goes live to ensure the best possible experience for our readers. They also write for Teaching Certification Degrees.

Expert Reviewers: Since teacher certification and degree requirements frequently change, we partner with experts in the field to regularly review our content so that we can continue to provide our readers with the most accurate, up-to-date information available.

Contributors: We periodically work with education majors and professionals in the field who share their personal experiences and give advice to our readers through interviews and other content contributions.

Editorial Team

Audrey Stoffle

Audrey Stoffle is the Chief Editor of Teacher Certification Degrees. A graduate of Berea College, Audrey has a BA in English with a writing emphasis and a minor in Spanish. She has worked as Editor for a literary magazine, Appalachian Review (formerly Appalachian Heritage), and spent years teaching English in Spain. Her writing and editing work has appeared on a variety of career and travel websites. When she’s not writing, Audrey enjoys running and photography. Follow Audrey on LinkedIn.

Laura McPherson

Laura McPherson is the Associate Editor of Teacher Certification Degrees. She earned her bachelor’s degree in History and Career and Technical Education from Eastern New Mexico University and holds a five-year Substitute License in Illinois. She has also worked as an ESL tutor. Her experience includes creating and deploying career training modules for professionals in various industries. Her creative work has appeared in literary journals such as Paperbark and Corvus Review and she has been an awards reader for The Community of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP). Follow Laura on LinkedIn.

Maggie Holland

Maggie Holland is a Seattle-based editor and writer with a focus in health, news, education, and LGBTQ+ topics. She has reported and edited for a number of Atlanta-based publications and served as editor-in-chief of the Red & Black Newspaper in Athens, Georgia. Maggie graduated with a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia where she studied journalism, sociology, and sustainability. Follow Maggie on LinkedIn.

Writers

Erik Blair

Erik Blair is a professional writer of multiple forms of content, including educational, marketing, communications, and entertainment. He has a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) from the University of Southern California in Media Production as well as a BS from Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He also creates immersive theatrical productions in locations such as Los Angeles, California and Tucson, Arizona. Follow Erik on LinkedIn.

Janan Dean

Janan Dean is a writer for Teacher Certification Degrees. She has a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Toronto and a PhD in Social Work from the University of Edinburgh. In the past, she has worked as a caseworker and research consultant in the public and nonprofit sectors. Janan has published articles in academic journals, created postsecondary curriculum resources, and now contributes her expertise on the higher education system with Teacher Certification Degrees. In her spare time, Janan shares behind-the-scenes content from her family’s farm on social media. Follow Janan on LinkedIn.

Mary Ellen Ellis

Mary Ellen Ellis is a full-time freelance writer and former educator. She has a degree in biochemistry from the University of Michigan and received certification for secondary education from Eastern Michigan University. As a writer, she specializes in education, science, health, and small business and works as both a content writer and a copywriter. When not writing, Mary Ellen loves to run and work out, cook, and play with her two cats, Beaker and Bunsen. Follow Mary Ellen on LinkedIn.

Beth Price-Williams

Beth Williams is a professional writer and published author who runs a writing firm catering to a global clientele. She holds a Master’s of Professional Writing from Chatham University and a Master of Arts from The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Follow Beth on LinkedIn.

Shannon (Paterson) Reagan

Shannon Paterson is a writer and editor who spent 10 years working in the fast-paced television news industry as a reporter, producer and news anchor. She graduated from the University of Idaho with a Visual Communication degree. Shannon lives in Boise with her husband and two young children, and loves to spend time biking, hiking, traveling, and creating short films with her family. Follow Shannon on LinkedIn.

Expert Reviewers

Megan Bartlett

Megan Bartlett is a full-time educator at a K-12 public school district in Illinois. She has a Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance from the University of Iowa, a Master of Science (MS) in Instructional Design and Technology from Western Illinois University, and a Master of Science (MS) of Education in Educational Administration from Northern Illinois University. She has over 15 years of experience teaching instrumental music and has taught students from the ages of 4 to 85 years old. In her free time, Megan sits on her local school district’s academic foundation board and enjoys cooking new recipes and spending time traveling with her family. Follow Megan on LinkedIn.

Robin Cathey

Robin Cathey is an Academic Professional and the Director of the Community-Based Academic English Program at Georgia State University. With a Master of Applied Linguistics, she has over 15 years of experience in the education sector. She earned certification from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission in ESOL, English, and K-12 through an alternative certification route from the University of West Florida. She specializes in academic programming for disadvantaged students and English as a Second Language (ESL). She enjoys reading and traveling in her spare time. Follow Robin on LinkedIn.

Jacquelyn King

Jacquelyn King is a full-time special educator at a K-8 public school district in Illinois. She has a Bachelor of Science in Education from Eastern Illinois University and a Master of Science in Teaching and Learning with an emphasis in educational technology from University of St. Francis. She’s been teaching students with disabilities for 14 years at the elementary level. When she is not teaching, she enjoys taking aerial hammock classes and spending quality time with her family. Follow Jacquelyn on LinkedIn.

Jeff Klaiber

Jeff Klaiber holds two degrees: A BS in psychology from the University of Calgary and an MS in clinical psychology from Marquette University. Jeff worked as a psychological analyst for the Milwaukee Public School system for 15 years. In this role, he assessed, evaluated, and reported on students who had been referred for psychological, emotional, or academic issues. In addition, Jeff has been a substitute teacher for the past 12 years and currently teaches 4th to 8th grade at Saint Sebastian Catholic School in Milwaukee, WI. He is a two-time US speedskating Olympian and Level III (highest level) certified US Speedskating coach. From 2010 through 2018, Jeff coached speedskaters at the highest level of sport, including at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In October 2021, Jeff took his expertise in skating to the world via his YouTube channel. As a writer, Jeff was the primary copywriter for five radio stations in Milwaukee for 11 years and wrote thousands of 30- to 60-second radio commercials. A DJ for 17 years for rock stations in Milwaukee and Chicago, Jeff also is an avid painter, hiker, and cyclist. He is married and lives with his wife Suzanne in Milwaukee, WI. Follow Jeff on LinkedIn.

Michelle McMullin

Michelle McMullin is a full time middle school English Language Arts teacher at a charter school in New Jersey. She has a Bachelor of Arts in both English and Education. Michelle spent over twenty years as a small business owner, running both a successful retail business as well as a real estate holding company. Michelle also spent four years on her local Board of Education, where she developed an interest in educational policies and practices. She is a voracious reader and enjoys spending her summer at the beach. Follow Michelle on LinkedIn.

Elizabeth Simon

Elizabeth Simon is a full-time Literacy Coach with a virtual K-12 public charter school in Michigan. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Vocal Performance and Elementary Education with a Specialization in Music and Reading from the University of Iowa. She obtained her Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Instructional Technology from Sam Houston State University, and a Certificate of Advanced Study (CAS) in Educational Leadership and Administration from Colorado State University. Elizabeth has logged over a decade in the educational field and has served as a general classroom teacher (second and third grades), a technology teacher (Pre-K through fifth grade), an Assistant Principal, and a Literacy Coach. In her free time, Elizabeth is currently participating in Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling (LETRS) and is highly passionate about the Science of Reading. She enjoys reading, cross-stitching, and spending time with her family. Follow Elizabeth on LinkedIn.

Contributors

Marisa Kaplan, Former Instructional Coach
Tony Vincent, Learning and Technology Consultant
Dr. Sandra Hirsh, Former Professor and Director at San José State University School of Library and Information Science
Frederika Jenner, Former Delaware State Education Association President
Marla Vaughn, Alabama Conference of Educators President

Further professional contributors: Teacher Certification Degrees Interviews

Data Sources

Indeed powers our highly flexible job board with daily updates.
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation
National Association for Alternative Certification
National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification
National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
National Center for Education Statistics
National Council on Teacher Quality
National Education Association
Projections Central Long Term Occupational Projections
US Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics
US Department of Education
Zillow

Select Sites Referencing Us

Columbus State University
New Jersey Education Association
Pennsylvania Department of Education
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Tufts University

About Teacher Certification Degrees