Be a Great Teacher

What Be a Great Teacher is

Be a Great Teacher is a US provider of graduate-level professional development courses for teachers who need credits for salary advancement (a lane change) or license renewal. Its contact details give an address in Maple Grove, Minnesota. The homepage says that "For over two decades we've been proud to offer educators high-impact, affordable courses along with prompt customer service", and the courses are billed as "Designed by REAL teachers for teachers". Credit comes through two academic partners, Morningside University and Augustana University, so a teacher takes the course with Be a Great Teacher and receives the graduate credit from one of those universities.

The pitch is practical. The homepage sums up the process as three steps, "Shop for Right Course", "Complete the Coursework" and "Be a Great Teacher & Earn More Money", and says "1000s of educators nationwide" have chosen it for their graduate-level credits. The homepage frames the benefit in two parts: teachers "not only earn academic credits" but the credits also help them "advance your salary and further develop your teaching skills." Courses are bought online through a shop with a learner account, and the company keeps teachers in touch through an e-mail list and its Facebook, X and Instagram accounts.

Three ways to take a course

The FAQ describes three formats.

Video courses. These consist of "professionally produced videos and corresponding text lessons", designed for educators' professional development and offered year round. The FAQ calls them "an affordable and flexible way to earn graduate level continuing education credit" and adds that "Many come away refreshed from the easy to implement, inspirational, and effective teaching strategies presented."

Independent study courses. These are text-based and aimed at "the teacher on the go". Each consists of one book with corresponding lessons. The learner reads the book, works through the lessons and returns the book at the end. The FAQ says students "enjoy the flexibility of an independent study course and find it easy to fit into a busy schedule." These are also offered year round.

On-site courses. Live classes run in certain states during the summer, and the FAQ links to registration for Ohio and Minnesota on-site courses. A class goes ahead once it reaches the minimum of 10 participants, at which point registrants get a confirmation with the exact location. Class times vary by state and appear on each state's registration form. Teachers interested in teaching the on-site courses can call the company about employment.

There are no final exams in the video and independent study courses. Instead the learner writes an Action Plan "on how you can incorporate the information you learned from the class into your own teaching or leadership position". Courses can be taken in any order.

Time to finish and support

Each course gives the learner up to 4 months, with "only one due date". The homepage says students are "always a text, phone call, or email away" if they have questions or want feedback while they work, and invites teachers to call, text or e-mail for help choosing a course. If a school district wants details about a course, the company will send a syllabus and outline to present to the district office.

The top-rated courses on the homepage are Teaching from A-Z: Practical Strategies for Lasting Success in Education (rated 4.94 out of 5), FITT 101: Fun Inspiring Teaching Tools (rated 5.00 out of 5) and Teaching For Excellence (rated 4.98 out of 5). The site also has pages for live onsite courses, testimonials, instructors, a professional speaker and daily fun facts, and a Teacher Resources page with short classroom activity videos (a kindness activity, Pass the Can, building relationships, getting to know your students) that points to the company's YouTube channel.

Credits, transcripts and what they count for

The FAQ says courses carry "either 2 or 3 semester hours of graduate level credits" through Morningside University or Augustana University. Each credit hour "is generally equivalent to 15 hours of student work, including both class time and independent work", and the FAQ spells out that a three-credit course means 45 contact hours.

On relicensure and lane changes, the FAQ is careful: credits "meet requirements for license renewal and lane changes (salary advancement) when prior approval has been obtained by the student from his or her district, state or employment personnel office." For a graduate program elsewhere, students are advised to get prior approval from the academic advisor and dean at that institution. The FAQ also says the courses Morningside and Augustana have approved are graduate level and "could be used as electives in our master's degree."

Proof works in two steps. Every student receives a receipt stating how many credit hours the course was worth. After completing the class, the student receives a grade report and can then request a transcript from the university. For Augustana, the FAQ asks students to wait for the grade report e-mail first, notes a $5 charge for a transcript through Augustana's Parchment site, and says a paper transcript takes 1-3 weeks and an e-mailed one 1-2 days.

Prices, discounts and cancellation

The site does not print per-course prices on its main pages. What the site does state is the discount policy: "Save big when you take more than one course or when you collaborate with fellow educators and register as a group!" The company can also stagger course start dates so a teacher has time to finish each course while still getting the multi-course discount. Payment is by Visa, MasterCard or Discover.

Withdrawal is allowed at any time for every format, with a $75 non-refundable cancellation fee. For independent study and video courses, students who withdraw must return all course materials.

Who it suits

Be a Great Teacher fits US classroom teachers who need graduate credit to move up their district's salary schedule or renew a license and want coursework they can fit around a school year. The four-month window and single due date suit busy teachers, the video and book formats run year round, and teachers in Ohio or Minnesota can choose a summer class in person instead. Teams of teachers at one school can register together for a group discount. Teachers should get their district's or state's approval before enrolling, as the FAQ itself advises, and those aiming at a full master's degree should check with their program first.