I'm a sub teacher. What's a fast way to get a teaching certificate?

[Anonymous]

Right now, they are hiring experienced subs on a provisional and giving them time to get their standard license.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Has anyone taken the Teach-Now program by Moreland University to get teaching certification?

Yes, I have. But I'm a 5th-year teacher (career switcher) that is leaving the profession. I do not recommend MCPS for employment (I teach science). Moreland is VERY VERY VERY fast-paced. If you can handle that, go for it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know several people who have gone through the ACET program successfully as career changers:
https://www.montgomerycollege.edu/academics/abeess/school-of-education/alternative-certification-effective-teachers.html

This program!

Not worth it if OP already has a Master's. Get a cert via MCPS by taking the Praxis tests. Contact the certification office at MCPS for certification steps. They can help, but they also are super swamped.

[Anonymous]

PP who wrote this: "Not worth it if OP already has a Master's. Get a cert via MCPS by taking the Praxis tests. Contact the certification office at MCPS for certification steps. They can help, but they also are super swamped." ... Where did you get that information?

I have a doctoral degree in science and was recently hired as a special ed teacher on a conditional contract. I was told that NONE of my graduate courses counts towards the course requirements to get a special ed teaching certification (because they're science courses, not related to special ed). Thus, they recommended me to take Moreland's Teach-Now: 6 months of courses (24 credits) + 3 mth of clinical practice + Praxis tests. I'm baffled because they accept Teach-Now courses that have nothing to do with special ed (but they disregard any of my science graduate courses). Initially, I was under the impression that I only had to take two reading courses and Praxis tests to get certified (I was clearly wrong). Anyone else have a similar experience?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP who wrote this: "Not worth it if OP already has a Master's. Get a cert via MCPS by taking the Praxis tests. Contact the certification office at MCPS for certification steps. They can help, but they also are super swamped." ... Where did you get that information?

I have a doctoral degree in science and was recently hired as a special ed teacher on a conditional contract. I was told that NONE of my graduate courses counts towards the course requirements to get a special ed teaching certification (because they're science courses, not related to special ed). Thus, they recommended me to take Moreland's Teach-Now: 6 months of courses (24 credits) + 3 mth of clinical practice + Praxis tests. I'm baffled because they accept Teach-Now courses that have nothing to do with special ed (but they disregard any of my science graduate courses). Initially, I was under the impression that I only had to take two reading courses and Praxis tests to get certified (I was clearly wrong). Anyone else have a similar experience?

Why are you teaching special ed? Why don’t you switch to science - especially your specific area of science? That will help with your certification.
It is still a huge pain but should be a little easier for you

[Anonymous]

"Why are you teaching special ed? Why don’t you switch to science - especially your specific area of science? That will help with your certification.
It is still a huge pain but should be a little easier for you"

Because that's what I'm interested in (and hired for) right now: teaching math and science to special ed students (self-contained classes).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:PP who wrote this: "Not worth it if OP already has a Master's. Get a cert via MCPS by taking the Praxis tests. Contact the certification office at MCPS for certification steps. They can help, but they also are super swamped." ... Where did you get that information?

I have a doctoral degree in science and was recently hired as a special ed teacher on a conditional contract. I was told that NONE of my graduate courses counts towards the course requirements to get a special ed teaching certification (because they're science courses, not related to special ed). Thus, they recommended me to take Moreland's Teach-Now: 6 months of courses (24 credits) + 3 mth of clinical practice + Praxis tests. I'm baffled because they accept Teach-Now courses that have nothing to do with special ed (but they disregard any of my science graduate courses). Initially, I was under the impression that I only had to take two reading courses and Praxis tests to get certified (I was clearly wrong). Anyone else have a similar experience?

This only works if your educational background is in the certification area you are seeking. Since you are seeking special education, then yes, you need to complete an entire teaching program compared to teaching in general education. Are you sure you want to have your initial cert in Special Education? You can get an initial cert in Science, then add an endorsement in special education. That way you are not locked into SPED forever if you change your mind. MCPS will put you wherever they want to for special educators. It's more paperwork than actually helping kids. If you get certified in science, you still will help students in special education programs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:PP who wrote this: "Not worth it if OP already has a Master's. Get a cert via MCPS by taking the Praxis tests. Contact the certification office at MCPS for certification steps. They can help, but they also are super swamped." ... Where did you get that information?

I have a doctoral degree in science and was recently hired as a special ed teacher on a conditional contract. I was told that NONE of my graduate courses counts towards the course requirements to get a special ed teaching certification (because they're science courses, not related to special ed). Thus, they recommended me to take Moreland's Teach-Now: 6 months of courses (24 credits) + 3 mth of clinical practice + Praxis tests. I'm baffled because they accept Teach-Now courses that have nothing to do with special ed (but they disregard any of my science graduate courses). Initially, I was under the impression that I only had to take two reading courses and Praxis tests to get certified (I was clearly wrong). Anyone else have a similar experience?

This only works if your educational background is in the certification area you are seeking. Since you are seeking special education, then yes, you need to complete an entire teaching program compared to teaching in general education. Are you sure you want to have your initial cert in Special Education? You can get an initial cert in Science, then add an endorsement in special education. That way you are not locked into SPED forever if you change your mind. MCPS will put you wherever they want to for special educators. It's more paperwork than actually helping kids. If you get certified in science, you still will help students in special education programs.

This is good advice. Are you looking to teach high school or lower grades?
What area is your PhD in? Bio, Chemistry or Physics?

[Anonymous]

You need to sit down with the Certification Department either in person or via Zoom. Thats what I did when I entered the county in 2016 from another jurisdiction. The Cert Dept. is the one that will grant you a temporary license to teach so that you can work toward full certification. My close family friend is working in HR and she says MCPS is speed tracking those that want to teach. The problem is the state of MD, which passed a law in 2017 which states that every employer that you listed on your resume has to be verified & contacted to ensure that you do not have a child abuse background. The state processing this can take anywhere from 30-90 days before MCPS an offer a contract.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You need to sit down with the Certification Department either in person or via Zoom. Thats what I did when I entered the county in 2016 from another jurisdiction. The Cert Dept. is the one that will grant you a temporary license to teach so that you can work toward full certification. My close family friend is working in HR and she says MCPS is speed tracking those that want to teach. The problem is the state of MD, which passed a law in 2017 which states that every employer that you listed on your resume has to be verified & contacted to ensure that you do not have a child abuse background. The state processing this can take anywhere from 30-90 days before MCPS an offer a contract.

What if you've been out of the corporate world for many years? How do they verify employers who no longer exist?

[Anonymous]

Re: "This only works if your educational background is in the certification area you are seeking. Since you are seeking special education, then yes, you need to complete an entire teaching program compared to teaching in general education. Are you sure you want to have your initial cert in Special Education? You can get an initial cert in Science, then add an endorsement in special education. That way you are not locked into SPED forever if you change your mind. MCPS will put you wherever they want to for special educators. It's more paperwork than actually helping kids. If you get certified in science, you still will help students in special education programs."

The option for me is to get into a teaching cert program (like Teach-Now Moreland, 24 credits), or have a course-by-course evaluation to fulfill the required 33 semester credits.
I took 12 graduate courses to get my PhD in science. I was told that none of my "research-based courses" counts because they're not real classes. Even if I want to get certified in science (secondary), instead of special ed, I still need to take 21 semester credits. I feel that the information I received were conflicting and didn't make sense.

[Anonymous]

Check out the Teach for America program and see if it might work for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: "This only works if your educational background is in the certification area you are seeking. Since you are seeking special education, then yes, you need to complete an entire teaching program compared to teaching in general education. Are you sure you want to have your initial cert in Special Education? You can get an initial cert in Science, then add an endorsement in special education. That way you are not locked into SPED forever if you change your mind. MCPS will put you wherever they want to for special educators. It's more paperwork than actually helping kids. If you get certified in science, you still will help students in special education programs."

The option for me is to get into a teaching cert program (like Teach-Now Moreland, 24 credits), or have a course-by-course evaluation to fulfill the required 33 semester credits.
I took 12 graduate courses to get my PhD in science. I was told that none of my "research-based courses" counts because they're not real classes. Even if I want to get certified in science (secondary), instead of special ed, I still need to take 21 semester credits. I feel that the information I received were conflicting and didn't make sense.

NP. Where can you get detailed information about a transcript evaluation and what is required to teach different subjects?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Re: "This only works if your educational background is in the certification area you are seeking. Since you are seeking special education, then yes, you need to complete an entire teaching program compared to teaching in general education. Are you sure you want to have your initial cert in Special Education? You can get an initial cert in Science, then add an endorsement in special education. That way you are not locked into SPED forever if you change your mind. MCPS will put you wherever they want to for special educators. It's more paperwork than actually helping kids. If you get certified in science, you still will help students in special education programs."

The option for me is to get into a teaching cert program (like Teach-Now Moreland, 24 credits), or have a course-by-course evaluation to fulfill the required 33 semester credits.
I took 12 graduate courses to get my PhD in science. I was told that none of my "research-based courses" counts because they're not real classes. Even if I want to get certified in science (secondary), instead of special ed, I still need to take 21 semester credits. I feel that the information I received were conflicting and didn't make sense.

NP. Where can you get detailed information about a transcript evaluation and what is required to teach different subjects?

Contact MSDE directly. They are overwhelmed and understaffed like many places so it will take months whether you call or email

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Re: "This only works if your educational background is in the certification area you are seeking. Since you are seeking special education, then yes, you need to complete an entire teaching program compared to teaching in general education. Are you sure you want to have your initial cert in Special Education? You can get an initial cert in Science, then add an endorsement in special education. That way you are not locked into SPED forever if you change your mind. MCPS will put you wherever they want to for special educators. It's more paperwork than actually helping kids. If you get certified in science, you still will help students in special education programs."

The option for me is to get into a teaching cert program (like Teach-Now Moreland, 24 credits), or have a course-by-course evaluation to fulfill the required 33 semester credits.
I took 12 graduate courses to get my PhD in science. I was told that none of my "research-based courses" counts because they're not real classes. Even if I want to get certified in science (secondary), instead of special ed, I still need to take 21 semester credits. I feel that the information I received were conflicting and didn't make sense.

I think you will have to take 21 semester credits. MD and MCPS have convoluted requirements that you need to fulfill.
I came from a similar background as you and have been taking the education courses. So far I have taken 6 graduate education classes and they have all been worse than useless. They are not graduate level at all at least compared to real graduate level science and math classes. But they do take time because they all have a lot of busy work.