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Alternative teacher certification programs
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Chancellor



Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 5:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hadit wrote:
I appreciate this informative thread, and am considering these alternate programs as well. I read of one in Phoenix, AZ, and it said it was highly competitive and wanted applicants to interview there on site. Is this the case with the others? That would be a big expense to not get into the program.

Also, I like the idea of getting certified but also want to make sure it includes ESL, as I would like to perhaps get into the ME job market at some point. Are there programs that give MA in Education with ESL concentration? I'll search for more info upon the various programs, just wondering if anyone knows off hand. Thanks.
The two programs that JZer and I have mentioned in Texas don't require you to first be interviewed on-site before being accepted. You do, however, have to meet certain prerequisites such as having a four-year bachelor's degree. Every state is different regarding alternative certification programs and there are differences among programs within a state. Some programs are more college based (meaning you have to take certain college courses at a specific university while you're doing your probationary teaching, e.g. West Virginia's Transition to Teaching program requires you to take certain courses from Marshall University or West Virginia University) while others focus more on getting you the practical skills you need to pass the required state certification test(s), e.g. TExES, Praxis I and II, etc. Also, some states (e.g. WV, KY) require a three-year committment while others (e.g. Texas) let you get your standard teacher certificate after only a year of working on a probationary certificate.

What I recommend is deciding first what part of the US you're interested in and then look at the various alternative certification programs in the states in that area. Then, pick a program that best meets your needs, schedule, etc.
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Hadit



Joined: 17 Sep 2009
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:47 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Upon doing some research, I see a lot of the programs require a related undergraduate major, whereas mine was in art (such as all the ones in Ohio, my native state). http://www.texasteachers.org/ does seem like a good program, but it seems like a lot of initial travel to Texas if one is not a resident:

1. Pass the TExES test (taken in Texas), then wait to get the letter of acceptance.
2. Then, one has to apply to school districts oneself, which will require personal interviews at some point. How realistic is it that the schools will want to hire someone with an unrelated bachelors? It seems there may be some disappointment here depending on the market. One would probably want to substitute teach or volunteer to at least show some classroom experience (to build one's resume up a bit).

So the process seems like a few trips to the state in question to complete it. I was wondering if anyone has done the Texas alternate process. I would also be interested in any info on California programs if someone has experience with them.
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Chancellor



Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hadit wrote:
Upon doing some research, I see a lot of the programs require a related undergraduate major, whereas mine was in art (such as all the ones in Ohio, my native state). http://www.texasteachers.org/ does seem like a good program, but it seems like a lot of initial travel to Texas if one is not a resident:

1. Pass the TExES test (taken in Texas), then wait to get the letter of acceptance.
2. Then, one has to apply to school districts oneself, which will require personal interviews at some point. How realistic is it that the schools will want to hire someone with an unrelated bachelors? It seems there may be some disappointment here depending on the market. One would probably want to substitute teach or volunteer to at least show some classroom experience (to build one's resume up a bit).

So the process seems like a few trips to the state in question to complete it. I was wondering if anyone has done the Texas alternate process. I would also be interested in any info on California programs if someone has experience with them.
I'm not a resident of Texas and am doing some of that traveling to do two of the on-site courses or seminars or whatever you want to call them at a time. Of course, I have to space them out a bit, so it'll be more like a couple in September, a couple in October, then maybe start up again in, say February (because I have other plans for late November-early December and I'm going to take the TExES EC-4 test in January).

In Texas, most of the newer teachers have come from alternative certification programs because the reality is that not very many people are going the traditional route to teacher certification (the degree in education and student teaching).

Will school districts want to hire someone who doesn't have an education degree? I think they're more interested in whether you've passed the state tests for the areas of teaching you hope to get into (in my case, elementary education and ESL). Again, in Texas, alternative certification seems to be the primary (or nearly primary) means through which people are becoming teachers.

As for the land of the Californicators, check out this website: http://www.teach-now.org/myresults.cfm

One thing I know about California is that they require teacher candidates to take and pass the Praxis tests (http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.fab2360b1645a1de9b3a0779f1751509/?vgnextoid=48c05ee3d74f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&WT.ac=Praxis+Brochure+and+Front+Door)
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natsume



Joined: 24 Apr 2006
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 9:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chancellor wrote:

One thing I know about California is that they require teacher candidates to take and pass the Praxis tests (http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.fab2360b1645a1de9b3a0779f1751509/?vgnextoid=48c05ee3d74f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&WT.ac=Praxis+Brochure+and+Front+Door)


Actually, not true. California requires the CSET for subject matter competence, and the CBEST for basic skills. It seems they will accept PRAXIS II and Single Subject Assessments for Teaching scores if they are not more than five years old. (I didn't look at Multiple Subject requirements.)
http://www.cset.nesinc.com/CS15_certrequirements.asp#1
http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl674s.pdf
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Chancellor



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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 1:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

natsume wrote:
Chancellor wrote:

One thing I know about California is that they require teacher candidates to take and pass the Praxis tests (http://www.ets.org/portal/site/ets/menuitem.fab2360b1645a1de9b3a0779f1751509/?vgnextoid=48c05ee3d74f4010VgnVCM10000022f95190RCRD&WT.ac=Praxis+Brochure+and+Front+Door)


Actually, not true. California requires the CSET for subject matter competence, and the CBEST for basic skills. It seems they will accept PRAXIS II and Single Subject Assessments for Teaching scores if they are not more than five years old. (I didn't look at Multiple Subject requirements.)
http://www.cset.nesinc.com/CS15_certrequirements.asp#1
http://www.ctc.ca.gov/credentials/leaflets/cl674s.pdf
Okay, so my information is a bit outdated (I think I was looking at information on a college website in California):

Single Subject Praxis II Exams: The Praxis II Series of Assessments in single subject areas not replaced by CSET are also used to meet the subject matter competence requirement for Single Subject Teaching Credentials. Effective January 2005, all Praxis II examinations will have been replaced by the CSET. Therefore, Praxis II scores for examinations taken after December 2004 will not be considered for California certification. These constructed-response tests are usually used in combination with an SSAT exam. The length of the exam is about 3-5 hours, depending on the exam. All exams are offered nationally three times a year.
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Hadit



Joined: 17 Sep 2009
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 5:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Another thing I see is that there are alternative teaching routes that end in a Master's Degree being rewarded, but not all of them do. Here is a search list of programs ending in a Masters Degree being rewarded.

http://www.teach-now.org/myresults.cfm

This may allow one to make the most of getting certified, but I am not sure which (if any) of these programs would allow one to concentrate on ESL.
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Chancellor



Joined: 31 Oct 2005
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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Thu Oct 22, 2009 1:30 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hadit wrote:
Another thing I see is that there are alternative teaching routes that end in a Master's Degree being rewarded, but not all of them do. Here is a search list of programs ending in a Masters Degree being rewarded.

http://www.teach-now.org/myresults.cfm

This may allow one to make the most of getting certified, but I am not sure which (if any) of these programs would allow one to concentrate on ESL.
From what I've seen, those who want to concentrate on ESL also need to get a general education certification, e.g. elementary school, middle school or high school. In the program I'm going through I'll be taking the EC-4 content exam in January and subsequently the ESL supplemental exam.

Not all states require teachers to get a master's degree. My home state of New York has made it a requirement that all of its teachers will have a certain amount of time (I think it's something like five years) to get a master's. They don't need a master's to get hired but they will need to get one at some point. Then again, New York State isn't big on alternative certification either and teachers here have this really elevated view of themselves that they're somehow equivalent to doctors, lawyers and scientists.
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jg



Joined: 26 Mar 2003
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PostPosted: Sat Jan 16, 2010 3:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Florida has an alternative cert program that requires evening study at community colleges, and it's cheap and very doable. In one year you can be certified or nearly so, depending on your own progress of course. All subject areas are covered. Best of all, you don't need to have been an Education major to enroll; all you need is a bachelor's degree and some patience. I have more of one than the other.Very Happy

http://www.fldoe.org/EdCert/
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Chancellor



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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 8:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jg wrote:
Florida has an alternative cert program that requires evening study at community colleges, and it's cheap and very doable. In one year you can be certified or nearly so, depending on your own progress of course. All subject areas are covered. Best of all, you don't need to have been an Education major to enroll; all you need is a bachelor's degree and some patience. I have more of one than the other.Very Happy

http://www.fldoe.org/EdCert/
Well, when Florida didn't respond to my request for additional information, I decided to consider another state. After looking at a few different states, I went with a program in Texas (I'm presently up here in Buffalo, NY) - I'll be taking the content exam for EC-4 (which also includes some elements of teaching English language learners) next week. For more about that program: http://www.texasteachers.org/.
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jg



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PostPosted: Sat Jan 23, 2010 11:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Good luck in Texas! Lots to do there.
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Chancellor



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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2010 5:16 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chancellor wrote:
jg wrote:
Florida has an alternative cert program that requires evening study at community colleges, and it's cheap and very doable. In one year you can be certified or nearly so, depending on your own progress of course. All subject areas are covered. Best of all, you don't need to have been an Education major to enroll; all you need is a bachelor's degree and some patience. I have more of one than the other.Very Happy

http://www.fldoe.org/EdCert/
Well, when Florida didn't respond to my request for additional information, I decided to consider another state. After looking at a few different states, I went with a program in Texas (I'm presently up here in Buffalo, NY) - I'll be taking the content exam for EC-4 (which also includes some elements of teaching English language learners) next week. For more about that program: http://www.texasteachers.org/.
UPDATE: I passed the EC-4 content exam.
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jg



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PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Congrats! What does the job situation there look like? Here it's looking up, but it was so abysmal there wasn't any worse it could have gotten.
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Chancellor



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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jg wrote:
Congrats! What does the job situation there look like? Here it's looking up, but it was so abysmal there wasn't any worse it could have gotten.
From what I'm hearing, Texas isn't doing too badly. In fact, most of its new-hires are coming from alternative teacher certification programs. San Antonio Independent School District, for example, has a job fair coming up in June for the 2010-2011 school year.
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shantaram



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PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2010 2:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
This thread is really helpful, thanks to everyone who has given advice. 'Bookmarking' it!
So, what are you going to do?


That is a long story!
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Chancellor



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Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)

PostPosted: Fri May 07, 2010 1:52 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

shantaram wrote:
Quote:
This thread is really helpful, thanks to everyone who has given advice. 'Bookmarking' it!
So, what are you going to do?


That is a long story!
Every story starts with a single word.
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