Alternative Teacher Certification Programs in New York
The New York State Board of Regents first approved alternative teacher preparation (ATP) programs in 2004 as a means to address critical shortages of properly licensed and/or highly qualified teachers. According to a fact sheet on the New York State Education Department website, the board hoped to attract “highly competent people” with bachelor’s degrees in fields other than education.
The initiative appears to have been successful. In 2008-2009 alone, over 2000 New York teachers received certification through an alternate route according to the National Center for Alternative Certification.
Now, the role of alternative certification programs in New York is expanding further. Last year, a Board of Regents vote made it possible for alternative certification program’s to issue master’s degrees, providing an attractive alternative to education school master’s programs.
How to Become a Teacher in New York
The New York State Department of Education has stringent requirements for entrance into an ATP. Candidates must participate in a 200-hour introductory component, which includes 40 field hours before becoming employed full-time. Once employed, teachers complete additional coursework and training as prescribed by the school district in partnership with a local educational organization.
One such program is Buffalo State College’s Master of Science in physics education. It is designed for individuals that hold undergraduate degrees but have not completed teacher preparation coursework. Physics is a critical teacher shortage area in New York so program graduates are likely to have plentiful job options.
The NYC Teaching Fellows program is for aspiring teachers who are passionate about improving student achievement in the city’s most under-served and challenging schools. The program has an impressive track record. Since its inception in 2000, NYC Teaching Fellows has provided the New York City public school system with over 16,000 new teachers. According to the program website, 11 percent of teachers in NYC public schools started their careers as NYC Teaching Fellows. Program participants are called “Fellows” and they begin their journey with a pre-service training program. Fellows then teach full-time while earning a master’s degree in education at a partner university.
Learning Outcomes for Alternative Certification Programs in New York
If you have your bachelor’s degree, you can become a student in an alternative New York state teacher certification program and prepare to enter the field of education. You can adapt your skills through these alternative teaching certification programs and become an effective classroom leader. Most alternative New York teacher certification programs include learning outcomes that help students become aware of and sensitive to the different learning needs of their pupils. In turn, you should learn how to create lesson plans that cater to learning needs and how to change your instructional approach to suit these needs. Developing different instructional methods is a huge part of most New York alternative certification programs. A teacher should have a whole range of tools to draw on if they want to be successful in the classroom.
Future teachers should aim to become good at assessing their students throughout the course of their program. This includes testing in several ways as well as informally assessing whether or not a student is learning what they need to know. You may need to become effective at using collaboration and communication with your students. You can also expect to spend some time learning about educational technology. From iPads to laptops, you and your students need to be able to use these tools efficiently. To learn more about earning your NY teacher certification, use our directory of reputable schools to request more information about their programs.
Top Online Schools for Teachers In New York
At the moment, federal projections in terms of employment
for teachers in the state of New York show a continued boom. With that
in mind, aspiring educators are looking at alternative means
to gain certification.
New York University
Getting an online degree in education from New York University
can be a straightforward process thanks to the Steinhardt School
of Education. Those looking at specialties may be interested in
their masters courses in bilingual education for example.
Grand Canyon University Online
Grand Canyon University is a source of attraction for aspiring
educators due to their online degree program. If you are intrigued,
the college may also be of some benefit when it comes to the
potential to attend at your own pace.
Columbia University
Columbia University presently offers three online courses, two
of which are for education professionals. The Teachers College
also focuses on students engaging with their curriculum in
diversity workshops as examples of field work application.
Walden University Online
Walden University is an online college that strives to fulfill
the career hopes of budding professionals with a robust
degree program with education as a focus. In that regard,
interested applicants may find the input of the alumni
helpful to their goals as well.
