The nationwide shortage of teachers that is the topic of many newscasts is a considerable problem. The official efforts to address the deficiency have been meeting with varying levels of success for the last few years. While schools across the country cope with the lack of highly qualified teachers in some subjects, the current shortage presents a great opportunity for anyone who wants to become a teacher. There are any number of teacher certification programs that are accepting new applicants on an almost daily basis, and while the prerequisites for acceptance vary, the name of the game seems to be flexibility.
While those looking at teaching as a career path, for the first time, are finding abundant options available, there are also many Masters’ teacher certification programs that are geared toward those who are presently in the teaching field.
With government involvement, there are many colleges, universities and special educational facilities now offering assorted types of teacher certifications. The programs vary with the school’s level of accreditation, the regional school districts that are working in cooperation with these facilities, and government incentives that schools are able to offer.
A Master of Science in Education is usually considered the apex of degrees on the Master’s level, and is often sought by those whose goal it is to work on an administrative level, such as principals and superintendents. The minimum requirement for getting into such a program is likely to be a Bachelors degree with a respectable grade point average, and passage of the GRE exam. The cost for a MS degree is usually higher than for most other teacher certifications. For some programs, however, an Associates’ degree (AA)is sufficient, and a GPA of 2.6 may be high enough for acceptance.
The cost of the programs will likely be something to contend with, so several schools have implemented more flexible schedules and packages that allow applicants to continue working as they earn their degrees – either in classrooms, or at other jobs. There are also several ways to apply for and receive financial aid in the form of loans or grants, and with teaching salaries on the rise (especially for those with advanced degrees), paying back those loans is less painful than in times past. There are even some federal programs that will forgive portions of the tuition in exchange for a commitment to work in the inner cities for an agreed upon period of time.
Specialization seems to be on the rise when it comes to teaching certificates as well. As an example, in order to meet the need for more science and math teachers, there are special Masters’ geo-science certification programs to choose from. Some of these programs are designed to be completed in four years, but can be completed in as little as two years if you already possess a BS or AA degree. As long as students can remain flexible, there are so many assorted programs available, both on site and on line, that there should be something for almost everyone. When looking into the programs available it is important to be aware of the end goal, and then to look into the options available.