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I am 23 and will graduate with a BBA in December however I would like to pursue teaching. I would like to teach Mid-level (4-8) Science. I am currently taking science classes to have 24 hrs in the content. I am also a substitute teacher. I will be moving to the DFW area in January. I am wondering weather I should pursue teaching through an alternative teaching certification program such as iTeach Texas or Texas Teaching Fellows or a university based post baccalaurreate program. I am considering UT Arlington or TWU. They both take about a year, the main difference being I can find a paid internship if I choose alternative and post-bacc I would have to student teach. Can anyone tell me which they feel is the better route? Do districts prefer one over the other? Is it hard to find an internship? Has anyone personally had a good or bad experience with any of these? Thanks!
Why teach? At a time when teaching is becoming less atrractive financially (remember what Florida want(ed) to do to teachers' pay--and they are not alone) and socially, why not go into private sector or on to teach at the community college / university level?
I hope there are enough Texas teacher posters on this forum that can help you. As another thread mentioned, each state has different certification standards or paths to become a teacher.
I am 23 and will graduate with a BBA in December however I would like to pursue teaching. I would like to teach Mid-level (4-8) Science. I am currently taking science classes to have 24 hrs in the content. I am also a substitute teacher. I will be moving to the DFW area in January. I am wondering weather I should pursue teaching through an alternative teaching certification program such as iTeach Texas or Texas Teaching Fellows or a university based post baccalaurreate program. I am considering UT Arlington or TWU. They both take about a year, the main difference being I can find a paid internship if I choose alternative and post-bacc I would have to student teach. Can anyone tell me which they feel is the better route? Do districts prefer one over the other? Is it hard to find an internship? Has anyone personally had a good or bad experience with any of these? Thanks!
I joined TX teachers after finishing my masters. I just got my first, full time teaching position. Once you are done with your 'internship' year, which is fully paid (what I am about to do), as opposed to traditional student teaching, which is not paid. Assuming you finish and pass your PPR, you then get your full certification which you can take anywhere. I am leaving to go back to Los Angeles after this year(getting married) and have passed the tests in CA as well. Some of the alt-cert programs help a little with job search, for the most part however, you really have to get out there, network, attend job fairs, etc., and get yourself a job if that's what you want. It is a good way to fast track your way to teaching, if you don't want to go back to school, and you do have a mentor your first year in addition to having to take some classes with the program to prepare you(but you do that BEFORE your internship year). BTW, teaching on the college level requires at least a masters--and the pay is not better than a public school teacher (I know because I considered it, seeing as I already have my M.A.) additionally, they usually require that you go on and get your doctorate. Good luck.
As a science teacher, I would opt for the alternate route. Methods and student teaching that you pay for vs.putting you right in the classroom with a mentor/peer coach is a wonderful alternative.
Why teach? At a time when teaching is becoming less atrractive financially (remember what Florida want(ed) to do to teachers' pay--and they are not alone) and socially, why not go into private sector or on to teach at the community college / university level?
Because your heart is in teaching?
I'm giving up a really stable job with great pay and benefits to teach instead. Sometimes the intangibles are worth more than a bigger pay check.
Good luck, OP. I opted for the degree program as opposed to the alternative classroom based program, because I didn't feel confident in my ability to be effective in the classroom. I really wanted that student teaching semester. On top of that, the alternative programs here were all in pretty rough, inner city neighborhoods. I would love to be able to teach there one day, but I felt that I needed to hone my skills in a more supportive environment. I think it's a pretty personal decision.
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