Alternative teaching certification

An Alternative Teaching Certification is a license that is awarded to someone who has not earned a traditional bachelor's degree in education or a traditional teacher certification, but still possess a four-year degree from an accredited college or university. In the United States, Alternative Certifications are offered in forty-eight states and the District of Columbia.

Alternative Certification programs first appeared in the 1980s. A decline in the number of students seeking a degree in education was creating a shortage of teachers in American elementary and high schools. States began to search for a way to recruit and train people who had already earned a four-year degree and wanted to become teachers. [cite web | last =Feistritzer | first =Emily | title =Alternative Teacher Certification | publisher =National Center for Alternative Certification | date =2006-02-01 | url =http://www.teach-now.org/intro.cfm | accessdate =2006-10-25 ] While the requirements for an alternative certification vary from state to state, there are certain commonalities found in the programs. A prospective teacher is usually required to complete an accelerated university program, pass the state licensing test, and submit to a series of interviews. He or she must be able to demonstrate a mastery of educational methods, and participate in a mentor program with a teacher who has completed a traditional education degree. [cite web | title =Overview of Alternative Routes to Teacher Certification | publisher =National Center for Alternative Certification | date =2006-02-01 | url =http://www.teach-now.org/overview.cfm | accessdate =2006-10-25 ]

= See also =
* Teach For America
* New Teacher Project
* American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE)
* New York City Teaching Fellows
* Mississippi Teacher Corps
* Norda, Inc.

References

* [http://www.xamonline.com Alternative teaching certification test study guides]