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Easiest state to get Teacher Certification? (w/ Praxis II)
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
Posts: 11454
Location: The real world

PostPosted: Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

weshh1 wrote:
Badbeagal: Well, qualifications I have 2 undergrad fieldwork internships at charter schools. I spent one year as a teaching assistant and this past year as a substitute teacher. I also have a couple MA courses (teaching foreign language learners k-12, instruction and classroom management) under my belt.

I was just thinking the initial certification would look good when applying to schools and meet some potential school requirements. Maybe visa requirements too... (Taiwan?)

However, the addition of a couple of grad level courses is not the equivalent of a BA in Elementary Education or Child Development. Also, in terms of "looking good" when applying to schools, keep in mind you'll likely be competing against other job seekers who have the requisite relevant degree + license + full-time, paid teaching experience.
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Shimokitazawa



Joined: 16 Aug 2009
Posts: 458
Location: Saigon, Vietnam

PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 10:10 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

BadBeagleBad wrote:
And that begs the question......just sayin'


You're using "begs the question" incorrectly. "just sayin' "
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home

PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 1:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I don't think BadBeagleBad is a native speaker. Besides I'm sure some native speakers would have trouble with it. And English is constantly changing. Begs can now be raises.


"The term "begging the question" originated in the 16th century as a mistranslation of Latin petitio principii "assuming the initial point". In modern vernacular usage, "to beg the question" is sometimes used to mean "to raise the question" (as in "This begs the question of whether...") or "to dodge the question"."
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JoeKing



Joined: 30 Apr 2008
Posts: 519

PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 2:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

naturegirl321 wrote:
I don't think BadBeagleBad is a native speaker. Besides I'm sure some native speakers would have trouble with it. And English is constantly changing. Begs can now be raises.


"The term "begging the question" originated in the 16th century as a mistranslation of Latin petitio principii "assuming the initial point". In modern vernacular usage, "to beg the question" is sometimes used to mean "to raise the question" (as in "This begs the question of whether...") or "to dodge the question"."
Yes, but from that very same Wiki link, it states "In philosophical, logical, grammatical, and legal contexts, authorities deem such usage to be mistaken or at best unclear".

Anyway, you are right about many native speakers having trouble with it. I was not joking when I said I just discovered the correct usage myself - like within the last 2 months. So I was not trying to knock BadBeagleBad. By the way, he seems like a native speaker to me. Is that an inside joke or shot you are taking at him?
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naturegirl321



Joined: 04 May 2003
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 21, 2014 8:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

JoeKing wrote:
Anyway, you are right about many native speakers having trouble with it. I was not joking when I said I just discovered the correct usage myself - like within the last 2 months. So I was not trying to knock BadBeagleBad. By the way, he seems like a native speaker to me. Is that an inside joke or shot you are taking at him?


I still don't really get it. I've looked at examples too.

Not an inside joke nor taking a shot at her. Through thr forum I was under the impression that BBB is a woman from Mexico. I thought she was a Mexican but spent a lot of time in the USA. I could be wrong though. I was trying to defend her not knock her down.
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Welcheronymus



Joined: 08 Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Location: The Middle Kingdom

PostPosted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 11:14 am    Post subject: Re: Easiest state to get Teacher Certification? (w/ Praxis I Reply with quote

weshh1 wrote:
Hi,

So I am a college graduate and I passed the Praxis II Elementary Ed. which should qualify me for around 12 states I believe. I know the specifics vary but which state could I receive some type of teaching certification (temporary or whatever) with only my Praxis II score and diploma?

**I know some states require that you secure a teaching position prior to the state granting you a temporary certificate. I am looking to omit securing a position and just apply for a temporary certificate with what I have now.

Thank you!


OP, When I started looking into teaching abroad 2 years ago, I looked at a variety of options. As others have suggested, I found the forums (particularly Forum 1) at http://www.internationalschoolsreview.com were a good source of info for what it takes to teach at international schools and helped me alot when figuring out what to do. In the end, I decided to go with TeacherReady to get certified in teaching English for grades 6-12 (my degree is in English).

I can't say if this will help improve your chances of landing a job at an international school, but if some kind of certification is what you're looking for, you might be able to get a "preliminary license" through the state of Massachusetts. (I did consider this at one point as a way to say that I had some kind of teaching credential.) For that you would need to take the Mass. state test(s) (MTEL) and possibly show additional coursework.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/Educators/e_license.html?section=k12

IIRC, the MTEL test(s) could be taken in other states so you wouldn't necessarily have to go to Massachusetts. Though I could be wrong on that or it might have changed in 2 years.

Since you've already taken that Praxis test for Elementary Ed, maybe there is a state that offers something similar to Massachusetts' "preliminary license"? I checked a few states (MS, SC, TX, CT, KS, HI, NY) at http://www.ets.org/praxis/states/ and did not see anything like that, as it seems like all of them want to see completion of an educator preparation program before they award any kind of license. But that is a limited sample I looked at.

I did check Florida as that is where I will get my certification from when my fingerprint check is complete. It looks like for them to issue a "temporary certificate" they would need to see that you're working in a school in Florida http://www.fldoe.org/edcert/cert_types.asp .

Long story short, I was in a similar boat 2 years ago and concluded that there weren't any short cuts. If for no other reason, the better international schools are also going to want to see 2 years of post-certification teaching experience in your area of certification.

That said, there are lots of "less than elite" international schools that might hire you without certification or extensive experience. If you really want to go abroad, you could find a decent school, enroll in an alternative certification program, and work on getting certified while you're teaching abroad. That's more or less what I did.
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weshh1



Joined: 20 Oct 2013
Posts: 87

PostPosted: Tue Jul 22, 2014 7:17 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thank you so much for that reply welch!!!!

That really sums up my thoughts and research on the matter. And the
"preliminary" vs. "Initial" license in Mass is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for taking the time to research and share what you know.


I'm not really set on an international school and it is good to know that I have potential at some that are less than stellar.

The Teacherready program may be a good option to complete online while I work somewhere. How would you describe the workload from it?

Do you plan on teaching in FL or just receiving teaching cert. there because of TeacherReady?
-I actually have a voucher for the FTCE Elementary Ed. exam because I missed my scheduled time like a year ago (I am from FL). That is another check mark for TeacherReady for me. Wouldn't want to waste 200$.


As far as certification options go, I am also considering getting my CELTA this fall if I don't go into a teaching job somewhere.
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Welcheronymus



Joined: 08 Aug 2009
Posts: 49
Location: The Middle Kingdom

PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 12:45 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

weshh1 wrote:
Thank you so much for that reply welch!!!!

That really sums up my thoughts and research on the matter. And the
"preliminary" vs. "Initial" license in Mass is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you for taking the time to research and share what you know.


I'm not really set on an international school and it is good to know that I have potential at some that are less than stellar.

The Teacherready program may be a good option to complete online while I work somewhere. How would you describe the workload from it?

Do you plan on teaching in FL or just receiving teaching cert. there because of TeacherReady?
-I actually have a voucher for the FTCE Elementary Ed. exam because I missed my scheduled time like a year ago (I am from FL). That is another check mark for TeacherReady for me. Wouldn't want to waste 200$.


As far as certification options go, I am also considering getting my CELTA this fall if I don't go into a teaching job somewhere.


I started the TeacherReady program in the US and I was working full time. Luckily I had a job where I could take paid time off to do some of the field assignments in a local school. Midway through the program I took a job teaching ESL at a high school in China where I am now. I was then able to do the practical, field assignments in my own classroom. My supervisor, an assistant principal, is a licensed teacher in China and he did the observations of my lessons for the final part of the program. It was a lot of work and kept me busy but it is manageable even if you're working a job while working on the program. You'll do a lot of interviews so it helps if you have some teacher friends.

For me, I am getting licensed in Florida because of TeacherReady. I'm no longer a Florida resident Sad . Longterm, teaching and working abroad is my goal and I need a teaching license from a state in the US. While I won't have the 2 years of post licensing teaching experience in the US, I still think I have a decent chance at getting hired at a "good enough" school while I decide if I want to pursue a Masters degree through the University of West Florida (the uni associated with TeacherReady).

If you are a Florida resident, many community colleges and small colleges offer alternative certification/educator prep institutes that would cost half of what TeacherReady does if you qualify for in-state tuition. I'm not sure if those institutions offer online programs; and they might also take 6-9 months. And for Elementary Ed they may require additional coursework. But it would be worth looking into if you're interested in certification in Florida.

Getting a CELTA is a good idea as many countries are moving towards wanting to see some kind of training to get a visa. Technically I think China requires some kind of TESOL class (it doesn't have to be a CELTA, just a course like it) though there may be some flexibility depending on which province one works in. I have a friend who completed a CELTA course in Miami Beach a few years ago. I think International House ran it, but I'm not 100% sure. He thought it was a good course, very intensive though.
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mitsui



Joined: 10 Jun 2007
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Location: Kawasaki

PostPosted: Wed Jul 23, 2014 8:44 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Massachusetts? Well, that is surprising since in the 1990s they were kind of demanding and required ESL teachers to pass a test in any foreign language.
Seems that they have made requirements easier, as has Arizona, since they may be wanting to attract teachers.
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nomad soul



Joined: 31 Jan 2010
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 1:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

weshh1 wrote:
I'm not really set on an international school and it is good to know that I have potential at some that are less than stellar.

If not international schools abroad, then what situation(s) do you expect to teach in?
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weshh1



Joined: 20 Oct 2013
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 25, 2014 11:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Public or private schools. Or specific language center like Disney English.
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mysterytrain



Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 366

PostPosted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Welcheronymus wrote:

Getting a CELTA is a good idea as many countries are moving towards wanting to see some kind of training to get a visa. Technically I think China requires some kind of TESOL class (it doesn't have to be a CELTA, just a course like it) though there may be some flexibility depending on which province one works in.


There is no across-the-board government requirement in China for a TEFL / TESOL certification for one to be issued a "Z" visa and Foreign Expert License. The provincial authorities of some provinces or municipalities (like Beijing, Shanghai) might have such a requirement, I'm not sure.

SOME countries DO have a governmental requirement of some form of teacher certification (at the minimum, TEFL or TESOL) to issue a work permit and residence visa. Indonesia, where I teach currently, is one of them. In China, many employers do require or at least strongly prefer a minimal certification, but again, it is not required by the government nationwide.

In general, the minimum requirements for foreign teachers are increasing (BA or BS diploma, certification, experience, criminal background check are becoming the norm in most countries), and the enforcement of those requirements in ASEAN countries is getting stricter. That is the trend and it can be expected to continue over the next decade. That said, another thing worth pointing out is that although enforcement of regulations and laws is getting more strict, the "theory of relativity" still applies (guanxi or "it's not what you know, it's who you know, or what you know about whom, or what "gifts" can be provided to the right person ... etc. I'm speaking of the guanxi wielded by the employer or sponsor, not the foreign worker).
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nomad soul



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PostPosted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

For those who are confused, the previous post isn't relevant to North America nor to obtaining US teaching certification to teach children.
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mysterytrain



Joined: 23 Mar 2014
Posts: 366

PostPosted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

weshh1 wrote:
Public or private schools. Or specific language center like Disney English.


You absolutely do NOT need a state teaching certification to be employed by and teach for a private foreign language school or "training center", such as Disney English, EF, etc. If you had one, you would most likely be vastly more qualified (on paper, at least) than most if not all of your colleagues in such a place (not that that is necessarily a bad thing). Neither do you need a state teacher cert to, for example, teach in many or most public schools in China or South Korea. The requirements for private K-12, etc, schools vary.

Disney English requires, from what their recruiting materials online say, two years of teaching experience of some kind, preferably experience teaching young learners and / or teaching overseas. They do not require a CELTA, or even a TEFL cert, prior to being hired (they will arrange for you to complete an online TEFL course, if you don't have one).

Seems like you're aiming a bit high on the qual side and a bit low on the job side, to be honest. I mean, if you're going to go for a certification and pay good money for it, why go for a job that doesn't require such certification, and if that's the kind of jobs you're looking for, why bother with the cert?

Confused
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mysterytrain



Joined: 23 Mar 2014
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 08, 2014 3:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

nomad soul wrote:
For those who are confused, the previous post isn't relevant to North America nor to obtaining US teaching certification to teach children.


Well, no, it isn't. That might be sufficiently clear from words like"China" and ASEAN being sprinkled liberally throughout.

The OP has stated that his / her intention and purpose for seeking a state-issued teaching certification in the U.S. is to help him / her qualify for jobs teaching overseas, and that s / he is not interested in teaching in the United States with the certificate.

The post is relevant to the OP's stated interests and intentions:

weshh1 wrote:

The reason I posted it here is because I hope to get an initial certification to open up doors for teaching jobs abroad. I am not particularly interested in teaching in the state that I will get certified.


Any further "confusion"?
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