As the academic year winds down, the teaching profession and school districts are facing a number of daunting challenges. The pandemic led to the largest drop in  US school employment ever recorded. Even as the job market stabilizes, educator well-being is at an all-time low, and 30% of educators plan to leave the profession within three years. 

What’s more, the perception of teacher prestige is at an all-time low, dropping 47% in the last decade alone. Not surprisingly, the number of new teachers entering the classroom has declined by roughly 30% over that time. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona recently said that the “teacher shortage issue is a symptom of a teacher respect issue, really.”

We at iteach believe that great teachers profoundly impact their students’ lives and deserve the deepest respect from districts, parents, and society at large. Our role in combating the negative public perception of teachers is to do everything in our power to deliver our 1,500+ district and LEA partners a diverse group of educators who are ready to teach, feel empowered to excel in the classroom, and stay in the profession. Many of these people have succeeded in specialized careers but want the personal joy that comes from teaching. They may also be existing school district employees who have a bachelor’s degree and need a more accessible pathway to get accreditation. We are proud to have provided education and guidance to more than 20,000 fully certified teachers, who have proven a high level of effectiveness in the classroom. 

Restoring trust and respect in the teaching profession means holding teacher training programs like ours to a high standard. States and districts have turned to unconventional strategies, including allowing individuals with no training into the classroom. These types of stopgap solutions to teacher shortages around the country could have negative long-term impacts on student outcomes. While there is an urgent need for states to offer efficient, high-quality pathways into the education profession, there are proven, highly rated programs available that help teacher candidates receive the training they need to earn their certification and be successful in schools. 

Unfortunately, there are also bad actors in our industry, and the quality among teacher preparation programs varies widely. Teacher candidates have no protections to ensure the efficacy of the programs they enroll in. For example, if they start a program and the provider gets their certification service revoked, those teachers have no recourse.  

Fortunately, there are a number of steps that aspiring teachers can take to evaluate preparation programs: 

1. Research: Facebook, Google, and Trustpilot, can be helpful, and looking up if the program is in good standing with your state Department of Education’s database can help you choose among programs. 
2. Accreditation: Learn about which programs have third-party accreditation. For example, iteach is the only program not based in an institution of higher learning to earn accreditation from the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
3. Quality over speed: As you read news articles and reviews, be suspicious of programs that tout themselves as “easy” or emphasize how quickly you can finish. Instead, look for a program that emphasizes teacher quality, preferably one that is run by accredited teachers. 
4. Getting credit: It may seem self-evident, but it is extremely important to make sure the program you choose is accepted in the state you live in. Also, If you’re interested in pursuing a master’s degree post-certification, confirm that the program you’re considering offers credit hours to a college.
5. Coursework: Before beginning a program, ask yourself if the coursework truly looks applicable to the classroom. For example, iteach offers a course that orients every new teacher to what will happen during the first week of school. One of our graduates who won Teacher of the Year during her first year in the classroom said that this orientation “saved her life.” Also, look for content that goes beyond structured classes, such as the curated video collection from Teaching Channel that all iteach teachers have access to.
6. Support: What sort of classroom support does the program offer? At iteach, every student who completes coursework has a classroom supervisor for their first year. Our student to classroom supervisor ratio is 11:1 (by contrast, a competitive teacher training program’s ratio is 63:1). Texas, one of the states we serve, requires three classroom visits per year, but our classroom supervisors make five visits per year. We believe all new teachers deserve this level of support.  
7. Getting hired: You start a teacher accreditation program with the goal of getting a job as a teacher, so it makes sense to look for one that has strong relationships with the type of schools at which you’d like to teach. One more stat to consider from Texas: iteach’s placement rate is 87% statewide, which is 600% higher than our closest competitor, according to the TEA.

Of course, it comes down to a personal choice, but I believe that the best programs are the ones that ultimately want what is best for teacher development and students. Teaching should be a highly respected profession. Quality teacher training leads to students performing better, so it benefits everyone to hold those training teachers to a high standard. Everyone at iteach is committed to serving new teachers to the best of our ability for the sake of students and parents—and for the longevity of this great profession.

Andrew Rozell is the President of Certification at iteach and can be reached via LinkedIn.

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iteach Certified Teacher Named Teacher of the Year

Like many, Megan Hall didn’t know what she wanted to do professionally right out of college. She worked as an electrician, processing tech, car salesperson, and banking professional before the pandemic hit in 2020. During Covid-19, she decided she wanted to make a change in where she was headed and turned to a career in education.

Today, she has been honored as Teacher of the Year at Arlington Preparatory Academy and District-level Teacher of the Year. She currently serves as the Department Head of Science on her campus at Arlington Preparatory Academy. 

Ms. Hall knows the journey is a prominent part of the process, and she thanks iteach for being part of her story.

The Research Process to Becoming a Certified Teacher

When the pandemic hit, Ms. Hall enrolled in courses to become a bioelectrical engineer but quickly realized that was not the right path for her. She started to think about the options available to her with a 4-year biology degree and decided to look into teaching. She wanted to be more hands-on and make an impact daily.

She took her search to the internet and quickly found iteach. 

“When you google search, iteach is right there, and I thought, does this work? Through research, iteach seemed to be my most viable option.”

The iteach Experience

For Ms. Hall, the iteach process was smooth, and being able to work through the program at her own pace fit her needs seamlessly. 

“I had the ability to handle the personal stuff, but I didn’t know the ins and outs of the methodology of teaching, and iteach provided me with that.”

Even with a mentor program on campus, Ms. Hall found the most support from her iteach mentor, Molly Williams. 

“Molly gave me more insightful feedback than I was getting at any other turn. She explained how I could improve the wording of my objectives and lesson plans and helped me recognize many small things to improve the larger scope and picture.”

iteach mentors, like Ms. Williams, support teachers in the iteach program at every step of the way. Whether that is how to improve a lesson plan or a little encouragement to keep moving forward, mentors during this process are vital to the success of new teachers.

“If I ever needed her, all I had to do was email her. She also provided me with her phone number.”

“Molly gave me the space to believe in myself. She was very qualified, saying you aren’t doing it wrong.”

Ms. Hall noticed that in her first year of teaching, she was mostly alone with the students, making it difficult to gain the confidence to ensure she was progressing down the right path. With the support from an iteach mentor to watch lessons and provide feedback, iteach educators have a substantial advantage in ensuring they are equipping their students to be successful.

“It felt good to hear her feedback and get her ratings on me because I wouldn’t have known where I stood without that.”

How iteach Curriculum Prepares for the Classroom: Day One & Beyond

“The knowledge I gained from the first couple of [iteach] chapters was essential to what came next.”

The iteach curriculum has been revised over the 20 years the company has operated to ensure it prepares teachers for the reality of the classroom. 

“The first-day checklist was my bible because I had such anxiety going into that classroom. It helped me get my legs underneath me so I had somewhere to go from the first day. The first day sets the tone for the rest of your time there.”

Ms. Hall is vigilant in ensuring she helps her students know she is there for them to help them develop as whole people.

“The first day I was there, they asked me if I was another sub, but I told them, ‘I am your forever teacher now.'” 

She believes that her connections with her students are a big reason why she was selected as the Teacher of the Year on her campus and why the recognition continued at the district level.

Being Honored as Teacher of the Year

When learning about the honor, Ms. Hall said, “It is validation. It is a huge honor. I never thought I would achieve these things and that my work would be validated and appreciated in such an important and visible way.”

Her fellow teachers nominated her for the school award, and then she advanced to district selections. The process required her to complete written and verbal responses and share a recorded classroom video.

“To be recognized as a positive influence and having a positive impact rather than the negative connotations associated with people who look like me, that was a big deal to me.”

A Beautiful Mentor & Mentee Connection

Her mentor, Ms. Williams, came to Ms. Hall’s Teacher of the Year reception to support and congratulate her. 

“Molly wrote one of the recommendation letters. It was beautiful and made me cry. I didn’t know that is what she thought of me.”

In her letter, Ms. Williams shared how Ms. Hall helps her students feel seen and has established a true learning community in her class to build on each child’s strengths. She said that after observing many good teachers of the last decade, Ms. Hall stands out as an exceptional educator.

What Keeps Her Motivated to Teach

 “When you are able to break through the false stories and see that lightbulb come on. To me, that is the magic.”

She constantly challenges her students to question their preconceptions and encourages them to pause and think to make better life choices. 

“We are creating whole people, and we need to help create whole people who are successful.”

Her advice to people considering becoming future teachers is, “If you have life experience and empathy and you want to make an impact, just do it. The best route is the most direct, and iteach will get you there.”

At iteach, we are so thankful to bring teachers like Ms. Hall into the classroom to impact students’ lives. Congratulations, Ms. Hall! We will root for your Teacher of the Year win at the state level!

If you want to become a teacher, start our program today!

Apply now!

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Our commitment to excellence is reflected in iteachU.S. being the first and only teacher preparation program that is not affiliated with a college or university to be accredited by the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). While all teacher certification programs in a state, including ours, must be approved by the state to offer teacher certification, NCATE is an optional accreditation that reflects a program’s adherence to the highest standards of training and professional mentorship for new teachers. 

Experienced Teaching Mentors

As in any career, the insight and support of a mentor is invaluable. This is why iteachU.S. employs experienced former teachers, principals, and superintendents to provide guidance and support during your first year in the classroom. We also work closely with school districts and charter schools to understand the needs of each community and provide a supportive network for you while you grow as an educator. 

Because we believe that experience matters, iteachU.S. conducts research about our candidate’s success and continuation in the field of teaching after they complete our program. We are proud to report that for teachers employed in Texas public schools, iteachU.S. has a three-year retention rate of 82.8%. This is in addition to numerous iteachU.S. candidates who have earned accolades as teacher of the year and other awards for their professional accomplishments as educators. For information relating to the performance of iteachTEXAS for the past five years, please visit the TEA website, http://tea.texas.gov/. 

 

Exceptional Teachers Make a Lasting Difference

As a teacher, you will face the profound responsibility of helping your students to learn, grow, and prepare for the rest of their lives. Recent research indicates that a teacher has more influence on a child’s learning than any other school-related factor. An exceptional teacher can make a lasting difference in the lives of his or her students. If you are committed to this goal, we will give you the tools and support you need to attain it. 

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn from a great teacher

Every child deserves the opportunity to learn from a great teacher. We at iteachU.S. seek to prepare men and women who will respond to this pressing need with enthusiasm, creativity, and dedication. We hope you will choose iteachU.S. as your guide on this journey. 

The Requirements for Accelerated Teacher Certification

Requirements vary by state, but most states require a bachelor’s degree with a minimum 2.5 GPA. If you have already completed your bachelor’s degree, then there are tests you must take, classroom observation and a few other steps for certification that are required.

For individual requirements check out the states that we are currently approved for teacher certification: Washington D.C., Hawaii, Louisiana, Nevada, & Texas. Choose your state to learn more about the teacher certification process. Our program is affordable and was created for teachers, by teachers.

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