The International Schools Review Forum

So I have just taken the MTEL test today. I still need to take the English subject test so, I'm still working to pass the test.

I'm also in the process of getting the ACSI certification and I have sent the transcript to them to be evaluated. Initially, I have asked them to issue me with a certificate stating "General Studies." However, as I recall from my memory several years back, I was in the teacher education program (although I didn't graduate with a teaching degree) and the courses that I took were mainly related to elementary education. I have asked the ACSI people whether they can give me whatever certification that I could get, to teach in a K-12 school and they said I may be eligible for elementary education K-8 license but they would have to evaluated it.

One question come to my mind is that is there any way that I could get some kind of certification out of my bachelor's degree? I know it has been almost 10 years that I have done my bachelor's degree but I regret the enormous amount of time spent just wasted. I realize it is too late since the PRAXIS exam result lasted for two years (and have passed) and I have done a student teaching for a semester so I hope to get some kind of certification (if possible) from my college degree. I have graduated from a state university in Indiana with a bachelor's degree in General Studies FYI.

I have done some research - and I do realize my research skills are not as good as those of expert teachers, like PsyGuy. But as I'm preparing for MTEL exams and get things ready for my next move, I would want to secure myself with a "real" or "proper" certification/credentials as much as possible. I have looked at NACES - would this be applicable to me? Do you think MA provisional license is enough?

Any help or feedback/advice is much appreciated!

@straycat2019

The ACSI certificate and the MA Provisional credential are the closest option to obtaining those certificates with just a bachelors degree. The ACSI Temporary certificate has but one requirement which is a bachelors degree. The MA provisional credential is a bachelors degree and a couple exams for an effective lifetime credential. HI could potentially be an option if your "teacher education program" was the equivalent of completing an EPP/ITT program as determined by an NACES evaluation (your bachelors degree would also need to have been earned in a subject for which a credential was available, general studies might qualify for elementary, though you may have to take the PRAXIS for elementary and possibly PLT), this would get you a three year non-renewable provisional credential which would avoid you having to take any exams. You would then have to have a job and teach for three years on the provisional credential to become eligible for the HI standard (professional grade) credential. Otherwise the three year credential from Hi is inferior to the effectively lifetime credential youre getting from MA.

The NACES evaluation is a requirement for foreign qualifications, and credentials. Since your bachelors degree was earned from a US institution you do not need to complete it if you use just the bachelors degree for your MA Provisional credential.

The MA provisional credential is as much a valid credential for the edu profession as any other. Of course you got it vie an assessment based route and its not a professional grade credential its still a credential. Given you have an academic background in teaching, unless youre going to do another degree in edu or go to a Uni to complete an academic pathway or complete a skills pathway you dont have better options at this point in time.

straycat2019 wrote:
>
> expert teachers, like PsyGuy.

> Any help or feedback/advice is much appreciated!

My advice is to listen to PsyGuy for matters of certification, but do not consider him an expert teacher.