|
 Teaching
can be an excellent career choice. It is a very rewarding
profession and salaries have been rising. There is always
a demand for quality teachers that know their field. People
that want to teach in grades K-12 in public school systems
must have a certificate (license) to teach. A Clearly Renewable
Professional Certificate is granted once you complete (or
test out of) a state approved program of teacher education
that includes training in how to teach, course work in the
teaching field, teaching practicum and passing the appropriate
teacher assessment tests. This training can occur at a university
or on-the-job while you are teaching. So the most efficient
certification route depends on how much of the required
training has been completed. Georgia Tech does not
offer any teacher training programs; this web site is for
information only. The state of Georgia has 57 different
teaching licenses that are issued by the Professional Standards
Commission www.gapsc.com
(PSC) with three license types. Pay scales are determined
by the highest college degree attained. The state of Georgia
pays its teachers by the highest college degree attained.
The three types are:
- Clearly Renewable Certificate:
This full professional license is granted once you have
completed a program of teacher education from an approved
program provider or tested out of it; passed the appropriate
teacher tests (PRAXIS I & II); and have “student”
teaching experience. Since Georgia Tech does not have
any teacher training programs approved by the PSC this
would mean completing a teacher education program that
included licensure from an approved college or program
provider. Licenses: T-4; T-5; T-6, T-7 depending on
whether your highest degree is a BS, MS, Specialist
or PhD (EdD). Most universities with a college of education
offer a variety of programs that feed into the different
license types:
- Non-degree programs: These are
post-baccalaureate programs for people that already
have a bachelors or higher and may be teaching with
a non-renewable or intern certificate license and
need the education courses to upgrade to a full
Clearly Renewable Certificate. These are often called
“Alternative Certification” programs
- Bachelors in Education: Program
provides the education courses, teaching field coursework
and teaching practicum at the undergraduate level.
License: T-4 once PRAXIS II is passed
- Master’s of Education:
Program provides the education courses, additional
teaching field coursework and teaching practicum
at the graduate level. License: T-5 once PRAXIS
II is passed. Each university will have it’s
own undergraduate GPA, GRE test score and teaching
field coursework requirements for admission. Course
work required may be more than the minimum number
of teaching field courses required for a provisional
license in any area. These programs are sometimes
called “Alternative Master’s Programs”.
The list of state approved teacher programs at these
different levels can be found at http://www.gapsc.com/ApprovedPrograms/EducationProgram.asp
- Intern
Certificate: If you have a Bachelors
degree in an area related to the teaching field (GPA
> 2.5) and pass PRAXIS I you can apply directly
to a county for employment as a teacher.
 Counties
that have areas of high need use this method to employ
teachers through the TAPP program. http://www.gapsc.com/GATAPP/home.asp.
The county will apply for the certificate for you and
arrange for you to affiliate with a TAPP provider. You
will then take an intensive 4 to 5 week course in professional
training during the summer at a college, a local school
system, or a Regional Education Service Agencies (RESAs).
You will begin teaching the following fall with mentoring
and monitoring. The rest of the professional training
is done at night during the first two years and your
two years of teaching counts as your “field experience”.
A Clearly Renewable Certificate is granted at the end
of the two years once PRAXIS II is passed and all education
courses completed. This is one avenue for eventual full
certification but not many urban counties use it extensively
unless the teaching area is one of high need such as
science or math. See www.gapsc.com;
Alternative Certification.
- Non-Renewable
Certificate: This is a 5 year non-renewable
license. If you have a Bachelors degree in an area related
to the teaching field (GPA > 2.5) and have passed
PRAXIS I & PRAXIS II you can apply directly
to a county for employment as a teacher. The
county will apply to the state for your certificate.
Certificates: BT-4; BT-5: BT-6 & BT-7 depending
on whether your highest degree is a BS, MS, Specialist
or PhD(EdD). You have two options for completing the
professional training (education courses) in order to
upgrade to a Clearly Renewable Certificate:
- Affiliate with state-approved teacher program
and take the education courses required at night,
on-line, summers.
- Test out of the education courses by passing
the PRAXIS exam on the Principles of Teaching and
Learning. Grade level P-5 take PRAXIS 0522; Grade
level 4-8 take PRAXIS 0523; Grade level 6-12 take
PRAXIS 0524
Professional Teacher
Assessment: All certificates require a passing
grade on one or more teacher tests. These are called PRAXIS
exams and are administered by Educational Testing Service
(SAT folks!). See www.ets.org/praxis.
-
PRAXIS I -PRAXIS I is a
general knowledge test like the SAT administered by ETS
for teachers (Reading, Writing & Math Tests-1 hour
each. You may exempt it if you have an SAT >1000 OR
ACT > 43 OR GRE > 1030.
-
PRAXIS II - this is a test of your knowledge
in the specific teaching field you are applying for licensure
in. There are usually two tests. Each state decides what
tests are required and what the passing score is. Tests-at-a-Glance
are available for download at www.ets.org/praxis
| CERTIFICATE |
GT MAJOR |
PRAXIS
II EXAMS |
| BIOLOGY grades 7-12 |
Biology |
0235 Biology: Content Knowledge
0233 Biology: Content Essays |
| BUSINESS grades 7-12 |
Management |
0100 Business Education |
| CHEMISTRY grades 7-12 |
Chemistry |
0245 Chemistry: Content Knowledge
0242 Chemistry: Content Essays |
| EARTH/SPACE Science |
Earth & Atmospheric Science
(EAS) |
0435 General Science: Content Knowledge
0433 General Science: Content Essays |
| ECONOMICS |
Economics, GEML |
0081 Social Studies: Content
0083 Social Studies: Interpretation |
| ENGLISH grades 7-12 |
Science, Technology & Culture
(StaC) |
0041 English Language, Literature,
& Composition: Content Knowledge
0042 English Language, Literature, & Composition:
Essays |
| FRENCH grades 7-12 |
INTA/ML (French) |
0173 French: Content Knowledge
0171 French: Productive Language Skills |
| GERMAN grades 7-12 |
INTA/ML (German) |
0181 German: Content Knowledge
0182 German: Productive Language Skills |
| HISTORY grades 7-12 |
History, Technology & Science
(HTS) |
0081 Social Studies: Content
0083 Social Studies: Interpretation |
| MATH grades 7-12 |
Math, Computer Science, Physics
and any Engineering major |
0061 Math Content [2 hr.]
0063 Math Proofs [1 hr.] |
| Middle Grades- ENGLISH |
Many Majors |
0049 Middle Grades- English Language
Arts |
| Middle Grades- MATH |
Many Majors |
0069 Middle School-Math |
| Middle Grades- SCIENCE |
Many Majors |
0439 Middle School - Science |
| Middle Grades- SOCIAL SCIENCE |
Many Majors |
0089 Middle School- Social Studies |
| PHYSICS grades 7-12 |
Physics |
0481 Physical Science: Content Knowledge
0261 Physics: Content Knowledge
0262 Physics: Content Essays |
| POLITICAL SCIENCE |
Public Policy, INTA, IAML |
0081 Social Studies: Content
0083 Social Studies: Interpretation |
| SCIENCE grades 7-12 |
Biology, Chemistry, Physics and
Earth & Atmospheric Science |
0435 General Science: Content Knowledge
0433 General Science: Content Essays |
| SOCIAL SCIENCE 7-12 |
HTS, Economics, Psychology |
0081 Social Studies: Content
0083 Social Studies: Interpretation |
| SPANISH grades 7-12 |
INTA/ML (Spanish) |
0191 Spanish: Content Knowledge
0192 Spanish: Productive Language Skills |
| TECHNOLOGY Education |
Electrical or Mechanical or Industrial
Engineering |
0050 Technology Education |
 The
most efficient means to a teaching job depends on how
much of the teacher training process you have already
completed.
-
Have a Bachelor’s but
not from an approved program? Two Choices:
-
Enroll in a state approved Master’s
of Education program. These programs are usually
four semesters full time and result in a T-5 Clearly
Renewable Certificate. This is probably the best
route for Georgia Tech students wishing to teach
as a long term career. If you decide to get a T-4
license by taking the education classes at the undergraduate
or non-degree level then later on decide you want
a Masters to get the higher pay you will be taking
some of the same education classes over again just
at the graduate level. HOPE Teacher Scholarships
are available to pay tuition and books if you are
enrolled in a Master’s of Education. program
in fields that have teacher shortages. These are
actually loans to you that you do not have to pay
if you teach for a few years. See www.gsfc.org
for more information and a list of the current high
needs areas which usually includes math and science.
-
Seek employment with a local county
school board through the Intern or Non-Renewable
Certificate. Complete requirements for Clearly Renewable
Certificate (T-4) described above while on the job.
-
Have a Master’s or PhD
but not from an approved program? You should
consider the non-renewable or intern licensing route
where the education courses will be picked up as you
teach though a non-degree certification program.
-
Counties that have many fully certified
applicants apply each spring may choose not to hire
many teachers through the Intern or Non-Renewable Certificate
route. However, many counties are very interested in
hiring GT grads. Try to get your application to Director
of Teacher Recruitment.
If you are a current GT student and are interested in how to seek certification after graduation, please contact the Teacher Certification Advisor, Dr. Marion Usslelman at 404-894-9673 or marion.usselman@ceismc.gatech.edu in the CEISMC (http://www.ceismc.gatech.edu/) office at 760 Spring St. (Econ. Development Bldg) for specific information.
Web Sites of Interest:
Professional Standards Commission (state licensing board)
PRAXIS Tests (Exams for teachers)
Atlanta P.L.U.S.
Georgia Teacher
Alternative Preparation Program
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