The College of New Jersey’s School of Graduate, Global, and Online Education recently launched a new Career and Technical Educator alternate route program designed for individuals who have not completed a formal teacher preparation program but wish to become certified teachers in New Jersey.
Aimed at addressing the state’s ongoing teacher shortage, this program is an ideal option for professionals seeking to transition into a teaching career.
“We know this program can help fill gaps in terms of New Jersey’s overall shortage of teachers, but it also will address the need for additional workforce development in certain technical fields, such as computer science,” said Linda Mayger, dean of the School of Graduate, Global, and Online Education.
Applicants may use a bachelor’s degree in a specific field of study, coursework, employment experience, self-employment experience, or a combination of education and employment experience to meet the New Jersey Certificate of Eligibility Requirements.
At the start of the program, students will take a 50-hour pre-professional CE course and will then seek a teaching position. The remaining two-year, four-course program will be completed while individuals are teaching full time and earning a salary. At the culmination of the program, they will receive their NJ Standard Certificate.
To help ensure success during the first semester in the classroom, a TCNJ faculty mentor will regularly visit to provide on-site guidance and feedback.
“Participants in this program will receive similar support as student teaching candidates in our traditional teacher education offerings,” Mayger said. “These mentors will offer guidance on lesson planning, classroom management, and other instructional practices.”
TCNJ is one of only three institutions in the state to offer this program and is the only one offering students with a bachelor’s degree the option of paying a transcription fee to receive graduate credit for the four courses.
At the conclusion of the program, these courses create a CTE Graduate Certificate, which can be applied toward TCNJ’s Master of Arts in Educational Studies program, which is a stackable route for obtaining a graduate degree.
For more information, please visit the program’s website.
— Luke Sacks