Teachers Cetificate
Hi, I have been a Special Education and Inclusion Aide for 9yrs and am wanting to get my Teaching Certificate. I live in Texas. Can anyone tell me, if you know, would I have to take all of the required college classes or would any of my experience help me to be exempt from some classes? I am a level 3 para and I took the state test 6yrs. ago and passed. Would any of that help me so I wouldn't have to go as many years as usual. Personaly, I feel that the PACT program should be opened to a Para with 5 or more yrs. as an Aide regardless of having a Bachelors Degree or not. We are certainly way more qualified in all the areas of Education and Classroom management than someone with a Bachelors Degree in Business. All these years of knowledege should be able to help me cut out several college class if you ask me.:) Also, I think the state should come up with a modified program for Aides like me and many others?
Certification
Hi I am in the process to become a teacher as well. Although I am in South Dakota I can tell you I don't think there is anyway for your experience to help you out when I talked to our local board of regents they advised my that becuase of my experience I could not do the sophmore feild experience, however all the other courses I would need to take their reasoning is that a teacher has much more responsiblity then a para and the things they learn in the classroom prepare them for these responsiblities what a joke. It is frustrating because I have been a para for five years. Something you might want to check is our state received a grant that allows Paras to get a two year degree for free as long as they are working in a school district. THe whole program is online and correlates with a teaching certificate. I will graduate with this degree in the spring of 2010 and then I will only have to pay for the last two years of my degree the grant pays for all my books tution and expence at any state university. And where I am if you have worked in the district and acheive higher education you are almost garunteed a position when you apply. So it is at least hopeful.
Para to Pro
I understand what you mean. I myself am trying to become a teacher. The leap from Para to Teacher seems huge. I think you would have a difficult time getting certified in any state with out a Bachelors degree. The NCLB law requires that teachers have four year degrees. I also see your point that your experience should count for something. I am not sure about how the certification process works in Texas. I would suggest you could check out CLEP test. This is a test you can take to get college credit in most any subject. Taking these test could save you almost a year of college. I hope this helps
Good Luck in your quest from Para to Pro
ETM
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