TEACHER CERTIFICATION
The demand for secondary mathematics teachers is always strong. There are four paths a student may choose from to obtain secondary (8-12) math certification:
I. MASS program certification
This is the program outlined in the BA MATH (Certification) plan. Students must complete 22 hours of education courses: TEFB 201, 322, 324, INST 210, TEED 649 (which can be used for undergraduate credit), and student teaching (TEFB 429). In addition, students must complete COMM 203, RDNG 465, 9 hours of English, and 3 hours of multicultural studies (SOCI 317 or equivalent). ENGL 336, 338, 339, or 362 can be taken to simultaneously satisfy 3 hours of the English requirement and the 3 hour multicultural requirement. Students interested in becoming certified through the MASS (Math and Science Scholars) program should contact Dr. Tim Scott or Jennifer Parrott in Blocker 514, then obtain a Teaching Field Plan from Dr. Vince Schielack (979-845-2831) before completing a Certification Plan from the College of Education in Harrington Tower, Room 107. Students completing this plan will be certified upon graduating and passing the TExES exams for certification.
II. Post-baccalaureate certification
Students who choose this option need to complete 9 hours of education courses: INST 210, EPSY 301, and TEFB 324. After graduating with at least a 2.75 GPA, students enter graduate school at Texas A&M in the college of education and take 9 hours of courses in the summer, then 12 hours of courses during a one-year internship. Students completing this plan will be certified upon completing the 21 hours of graduate courses, the internship, and passing the TExES exams for certification. If a student wishes to complete a Masters Degree in Education, they only need 15 additional hours after certification.
III. Alternative (Accelerated) Certification
Many institutions offer one-year alternative certification programs after graduation. The requirements for these programs vary by institution. Students interested in alternative certification should contact the institution they wish to attend to pursue this for specific requirements. Typically, students who choose this option will be certified upon completing their degree, one year of teaching, and passing the TExES exams for certification.
IV. Temporary Teacher Certificate
This year, the State
Board for Educator Certification approved the creation of the Temporary Teacher
Certificate. Under this rule, students
who complete a degree in MATH or APMS must pass the TExES exams for
certification, then work for a school district for two years and receive
sufficient training by that district.
After two years, the teacher requests certification from the State Board
and the district provides a review of the teacher based
"predominately...on the increase in the achievement of the students over
which the person has had charge."
Students who choose this option will be certified upon completing their
degree, passing the TExES exams for certification, and two years of teaching.
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Contact Dr. Vince Schielack at vinces@math.tamu.edu or (979) 845-2831 for More Information |