July 19th, 2007
Seguin – What if you graduate from college and then decide that you want to teach? Instead of returning to school for four more years to obtain an education degree, you can become a certified teacher through an alternative teacher certification program. This option is becoming increasingly common, both locally and nationwide.
Texas Lutheran University’s alternative certification program, designed for people who have a bachelor’s degree and want to pursue a teaching career, offers certification in 20 areas.
One major advantage of this program is its rolling admission that allows students to apply at any time during the year. People just starting the program and others nearing the end are in the same classes.
The flexibility of the program is a draw for many students.
Ray Holland graduated from TLU in 2004 with a degree in mathematics, and while there, he tutored several students. “I really enjoyed tutoring and decided that I wanted to become a high school math teacher,” Holland said. “When I was looking at certification programs, TLU’s program was the most flexible and credible program I found locally. I was able to start when I wanted to, am now almost finished with the program, and have taught a full year at San Marcos High School.”
Charlotte Mullennix, a non-traditional student with a degree in biology, is just beginning the program.
“One of my biology professors told me he thought I would make a great teacher, so I decided to get my certification here at TLU because it wasn’t too far from home, and I still have time for my family.”
Javier Garcia, another post-baccalaureate alternative certification program participant, attends TLU alternative certification classes in San Antonio.
“I moved to San Antonio in May of 2006 and was a new college graduate looking for a job in the teaching field. I knew I would need to join an accelerated certification program in order to be hired by a local school district and was looking at several prospects around San Antonio. When I interviewed with my current employer, Southwest Preparatory School, I heard of Texas Lutheran University from my superintendent. TLU carried the best options for me,” Garcia said.
The program includes four courses on teaching as well as a one-year internship that guides participants through their first year of teaching. The students apply to local school districts and are hired as regular first-year teachers, but they have a school-based mentor and a TLU supervisor they can go to with problems and questions.
The other students in the class also offer a great support system.
“Our class is very unique. We have students ranging from ages 22 through the mid- fifties. Everyone has a degree and real world experience. We offer each other support, and we are able to learn from each other and help each other out a lot,” Mullennix said. “It really is a great group to be a part of.”
All three students agreed that they would recommend this program to others.
“This program will make me a valuable asset, a certified teacher for my current organization. Moreover, it has the potential to open many more doors later in my career. I have already recommended this program to countless others who I believe can also benefit from it,” Garcia said.
For more information on the post-baccalaureate alternative teacher certification program at Texas Lutheran University, contact Dr. Rosemary Dawson, Director of the Center for Professional Development, at 830-372-6833, or e-mail her at rdawson@tlu.edu.
Texas Lutheran is an exclusively undergraduate university of approximately 1400 students. For more information about TLU, visit the university’s Web site at www.tlu.edu.
Categories: Academic