Alternative certification for teachers
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Alternative certification for teachers refers to a method of recruiting educators who receive their teaching certification outside of the standard university-based track. The process emerged in the 1980s, when education experts began to predict a shortage of teachers in various states and subject areas across the country. The programs used to reward this alternative certification vary, but share the purpose of fulfilling a need for high-quality teachers. Methods to award alternative certification usually include a combination of a rigorous, yet short-term training session with continuing education taking progress throughout the school year, and the presence of a mentor teacher for further on-the-job training. This approach works because these educators are typically already well-versed in the subject matter from a previous career or education. They are able to focus on applying that knowledge in an educational manner, fulfilling the educator's financial or career needs, and the district's faculty needs.
As mentioned above, the alternative approach has grown in popularity mainly because certain areas or subjects are becoming harder to staff. Prior to alternative certification, the only real way to fill these vacancies was to offer emergency teaching permits. However, this usually led to under-qualified staff who would likely soon vacate those positions anyway. Such a chain of events only served to disrupt districts further by forcing them to undergo the lengthy hiring process again. Alternative approaches in certifying new teachers allows districts to find talented individuals who are willing to teach, but unable to earn traditional certification because of time or financial conflicts with the university path.[1][2]
External links
- Teach-Now.com
- Center for Career Changers to the Classroom
- National Association for Alternative Certification
Footnotes
