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Professional Education | |
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Teaching as a second career
More and more adults are finding themselves back in the classroom – as teachers. The turning point There comes a time in even the most successful careers when adults rethink their goals. They have developed formidable skills, respect, a comfortable life. Yet it feels like something is missing – it has become routine and unsatisfying. This is the point where business people are most likely to put their expertise to use in helping others. Some decide to teach. And it's not just a career decision, it's a life passion. Opportunities Fortunately, there are more opportunities than ever to help adults fulfill this dream. There is a shortage of teachers, especially in urban areas and in certain subjects such as math and science. And there's a growing secondary student population. Schools are finding that mid-career adults can help to fill the gap. To attract and prepare second career teachers, many states have introduced "alternative teacher certification" programs. Through these nontraditional programs, adults who already have a bachelor's degree can earn certification to teach at the elementary or secondary level in their field. Since teachers must be certified by the state, the details of these alternative programs also vary by state. Some require prospective teachers to complete their educational studies prior to teaching. Others allow adults to teach on a provisional or "emergency" basis while they're completing their studies. One example is the New York State "alternative teacher program" which allows New Yorkers with undergraduate degrees in English, math, social studies and history to teach while earning their certification.* *Source: Times Herald Record, 10/22/00 To find out what's required for licensure, contact the Department of Education in the state where you plan to teach. You'll find a listing here. Two good resources for general information on becoming a teacher are ERIC, the Educational Resources Information Center and RNT, Recruiting New Teachers You can find information on alternate routes to teacher certification at the National Center for Education Information To find accredited teacher education programs, visit the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education at TOP |
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