Printable View
in VA do teachers actually major/minor in Education? or is there a way to get hired on as a teacher w/o having to go back and do the whole TEP program? I'd love to teach but am just wondering about the certification process since I actually already have my BA in History and really don't want to go back another year to the TEP program at Wise unless I have to.
Usually what will happen is that if you are hired by a county and don't have a teaching license, you will be granted a 3-year provisional license. Essentially, that means you have three years to complete whatever education coursework you need and pass the Praxis. OJT will count as student teaching. I think it would be more complicated if you had a History degree and wanted to teach Health & P.E. You would also have to take enough classes to be considered a P.E. teacher. If you check the Va Dept of Education website under Teacher Licensure, I'm sure that will help you.
according to a friend of mine at the college, you have to PASS the Praxis test in order to do your student teaching.
I think that is pretty much standard anymore if you are in the education pipeline in college. I have a former student who will get her Master's degree before she passes her Praxis. There have been plenty who get jobs without student teaching and then just have to pass the Praxis to get their license. If they don't pass the Praxis within the three years, they get a pink slip.
Here is a great source regarding provisional licenses in VA:
http://www.doe.virginia.gov/VDOE/newvdoe/licroute.pdf
More than one individual in Wise County has taken this route to licensing.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">III. Alternative Licensure - an alternative route to licensure is available through the recommendation of the individual's employing Virginia school division or nonpublic school. A three-year nonrenewable license can be issued through satisfying endorsement course work, experiential learning, or by meeting the provisional-special education requirements.*
*Please refer</div></div>
Ta Da!! Thanks elp6n. I'm not as computer savvy as you.
Either computer savvy, or I just have too much time on my hands this evening lol (in between medicating dogs and cleaning up messes and waiting on the next mess!)
I would have to add one thing about getting a teaching job without any prior teaching experience. It would be a REALLY good idea to substitute or volunteer at a school with the age students you are thinking about working with. And it needs to be for an extended period of time. Time within a school, in any capacity, is going to help you determine whether the job is a good fit for you. And, by the way, my last day is Wednesday! [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif[/img]
I've done the sub thing for quite some time almost 3 or 4 years off and on... plus I did the whole Teacher Cadet program in HS too where you "teach" a class at the Primary/Middle School. I've also done tutoring at the college. I def. know I want to teach HS aged kids.
I think I'm going to wait on applying for a job seeing as how the baby is due almost a month after school starts, but I'll work on studying up for Praxis and hopefully by this time next year I can be teaching somewhere and working on my masters at the same time.
btw thanks for all the info!!
Sounds great! I know my county pays a $2000 stipend to all teachers who have a Master's. Plus, when you go through the relicensure process, you don't have to take any more classes. I've thought about working on one, but the jury is still out on what area of concentration I would chose. Anyway, take care and keep your feet propped up.