Preparing Teachers for Certification Essay -- essays papers

Preparing Teachers for Certification Each state has its own specific standards that are constantly under revision. The state of Maryland issues teacher certificates for early child hood, elementary education, special education, and then several areas of secondary education. Many of these areas are the traditional, core subjects but certificates can also be obtained in areas like outdoor education, agriculture, data processing, or as a work based learning coordinator. (Certification Educator Information System, n.d.) To gain certification in each area, a prospective teacher must complete an approved program that leads to that particular certification. The traditional method of certification is through college and university programs and each one has its requirements and guide lines that will lead to such certification. In addition, â€Å"all candidates applying for an initial teacher certificate are required to present qualifying scores on the Praxis I Academic Skills Assessments and the appropriate Praxis II Subject an d Pedagogy Assessment, where required. Out-of-state candidates must meet Maryland's qualifying scores.† (Certification Educator Information System, n.d.) Information for teachers on locations, dates, and fees can be found at the Maryland State Department of Education home page. There are several different certificates that a teacher can receive upon completion of an approved program. For example, a PEC or Professional Eligibility Certificate will be issued after all certification requirements are completed and will be valid for five years to someone not currently employed in the state of Maryland (Certification Educator Information System, n.d.) Other examples of possible certificates are the Standard Professional... ...but the information is a little old since it was published in 1997. Lucas, C. (1997). Teacher education in america: reform agenda for the twenty-first century. New York: St. Martin’s Press Includes historical perspectives, as well as origins and development of teacher education in America. There is also a portion about recommendations from working teachers. This source is also a little outdated. Mack-Kirschner, A.(2003). The teacher's guide to national board certification: unpacking the standards. New Hampshire: Heinemann. This is an overview of the National Board's certification standards. She's actually explaining to teachers the preparation they must go through to get their certification. I think this is a great source for me. I have two other books with a lot of good information but this one was published in 2003 so the information is up to date.