AboutJames J. Kovalcin Expertise I am teaching or have taught AP physics B and C [calculus based mechanics & electricity and magnetism] as well as Lab Physics for college bound students. I have a BS in Physics from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master of Arts in Teaching from same. I have been teaching physics for 27 years.
Expert: James J. Kovalcin Date: 6/20/2008 Subject: Teaching credential without student teaching?
Question Hi,
I'm currently serving in the military, and would like to teach high school physics as a second career. Specifically I'd like to teach through DoDDS (Department of Defense Dependents' Schools) at an overseas base. In order to teach for them, one can obtain a teaching certificate from ANY state.
My issue is that I would like to transition directly from the military to teaching at an overseas base. All of the teaching certification programs that I have seen either require student teaching, or involve some type of "emergency credential" in which you are a paid teacher in the state while completing education requirements. Are you aware of any state from which I could get a teaching certificate without one of these? Ideally it would be all online coursework. If there is no such thing, do you know what states/programs I might look at that have the shortest internship type requirements to issue a license, and don't have a condition of issuing the license that you must have a job teaching in the state? I have tried looking through the different states credentialing requirements, but it can be a bit overwhelming as each of the 50 states have multiple routes to certification, and I am sure I miss some things when I look.
If it matters, I have teaching experience both on the vocational level as well as as an adjunct university professor. I also have two masters degrees, neither of which are in education.
Thank you,
Brian
Answer Try the following link. The University of Kentucky has links to the teaching requirements for ALL 50 states! I personally know of no state where some sort of practice teaching is not required.
I know that you are frustrated by the many different requirements, but that is the nature of our political system - 50 states, 50 standards.
In any case, I think that you will be required to take student or "practice" teaching somewhere before you will receive teaching credentials. On the other hand, what about completing some of your teaching requirements outside of the US? Such as Europe?
Having 2 masters degrees that are NOT education is actually an advantage under the "No Child Left Behind" federal standards where only subject area degrees are recognized to have value!
