Alternative Teacher Certification Programs in Illinois
Higher Education Articles March 24, 2013Located in downtown Chicago, the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) offers an alternative route to teacher certification. Students can enroll in an alternative teacher certification program at the University of Illinois in Urbana – Champaign (UIU), which is a public research university in downstate Illinois. The Illinois State Board of Education approved the programs at both of these schools.
Alternative Teacher Certification Program at the University of Illinois – Chicago
This is a public four-year institution that has over 25,800 students enrolled in their bachelor and master degree programs. University of Illinois – Chicago offers an alternative route to teacher certification program for working professionals.
Teacher Certification Program
An alternative teacher certification program is offered at the university that has been devised to motivate working professionals to get into the teaching profession. The Illinois State Board of Education approved this program and operates through a partnership between the Golden Apple Teacher Education alternative certification program (GATE) and the university. UIC works hand-in-hand with GATE to provide those with an existing undergraduate degree an alternate path to obtain qualifications needed to become a licensed teacher.
Students enrolled in the alternative teacher certification program offered by GATE, and the University of Illinois at Chicago are required to commit themselves to a year’s training delivered in three phases. Students are introduced to the program through a summer course that spans eight weeks. Students will spend the majority of their summer at a Chicago public school where they will act as interns for the Golden Apple Teacher Education alternative certification program, and given the opportunity to work alongside experienced teachers in the classroom and observe lessons and methods.
During the second phase of the alternative teacher certification program, students take part in a one-year internship program. Benefits and salary are paid, and interns will have a support system of one mentor from the Chicago public school system and another from the GATE program. Interns who do an exceptional job will be recommended to the state for teacher certification by University of Illinois – Chicago. A second summer internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago comprises the program’s third and final phase. Final classroom instruction is accompanied by advanced training specialty areas that span two weeks.
Contact Information
•Address: 1200 West Harrison Street, Chicago, Illinois 60607
•Phone Number: (312) 996-4350
Alternative Teacher Certification Program at University of Illinois at Urbana – Champaign
RECRUIT Alternative Teacher Certification Program
RECRUIT program at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign offers an education sequence that prepares students possessing degrees in technology, engineering, science, or mathematics alternative teacher certification. The program sequence spans for three years that includes a variety of student teaching experience along with a year of study on the University of Illinois –Urbana-Champaign campus.
Students have to take the required academic courses mandatory to obtain a provisional alternative teacher certification during the first year, which is valid for one year. Teaching assistantships in science or mathematics are included in the practical experiences gained during the first year. During the second year, candidates are offered a full-time teacher internship, consists of teaching students in science or math through the partnership with Illinois school district. Students can participate in seminars led by members of the education and teaching community along with mentor teachers. Students will earn their initial alternative teacher certification once they have completed the second year, which will be valid for four years.
In the third year, candidates will take advanced teaching classes to pursue a Master of Education degree, as well as continue to teach full-time. Once candidates have taught for four years and completed the program, they will be able to transition from alternative teacher certification to general teacher certification.
Contact Information
•Address: 601 East John Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820
•Phone Number: (217) 333-1000