The authors describe a program, begun at Old Dominion University, that brings into the teaching profession highly qualified people -- many of them able to teach in hard-to-staff disciplines. AN ARMY captain, an Air Force lieutenant colonel, and a Marine lieutenant all enrolled in the Career Switcher Program (CSP) at Old Dominion University with the shared goal of becoming teachers. want to teach because I have a passion for helping children, said the Army captain, who had served eight years. The Air Force lieutenant colonel, who wants to teach English as a second language, explained her reason: Ever since I remember, I have always wanted to teach. The Marine lieutenant said that he thinks he can have a positive influence on children. One unique feature of the CSP makes the program somewhat controversial: career switchers receive licensure after just a brief summer program of instruction and one year of mentoring. The CSP has clear benefits for Virginia school systems in a time of increasing shortages of qualified teachers. First, it brings highly qualified people into the teaching profession. And second, these new teachers often have backgrounds that are appropriate for hard-to-staff disciplines -- mainly math, science, foreign languages, and educational technology. A Collaborative Effort The Virginia Department of Education proposed the idea of the CSP to the staff of Old Dominion University's Virginia Center for Career Transition (VCCT) because of that center's proven record in providing alternative certification for teachers. The CSP began in 2000. As early as 1988, the Military Career Transition Program (MCTP) was started at Old Dominion as a program to provide alternative teacher licensure. Its instructional curriculum meets standards and competencies derived from the various professional associations. The MCTP joined the national to placement program in 1995. Currently, Troops to Teachers and the MCTP operate jointly as the VCCT. The MCTP includes specialized competency-based alternative certification courses; career transition counseling, academic advising, and mentoring; early and frequent in-school experiences with children and adolescents; a minimum of six weeks of student teaching; and placement assistance and career induction services. Career Switchers: The First Class The first Career Switcher Program in 2000 enrolled 61 students at two sites, one at Old Dominion University and one in northern Virginia. Of the 61 students who enrolled, two withdrew during the summer training. Fifty-nine students graduated from the program, and 47 accepted teaching positions. Recruitment. Recruitment of the first class of career switchers focused mainly on various government transition assistance offices and an existing VCCT database of military, defense, and NASA personnel. Announcements were placed on appropriate websites, information was disseminated through military network announcements, posters and fliers were sent to military commands, briefings were conducted at education centers on military bases, and advertisements were placed in military newspapers. Nearly a hundred people applied to the program in its first year. Admission. The first class of career switchers included only military people; however, people from other professions have been included in subsequent classes. Those admitted to the CSP must have verifiable teaching experiences in their former fields; management training experiences; academic credit sufficient to meet subject-area licensure requirements in math, science, or other critical-need areas; and a passing score on two teacher-preparatory exams, PRAXIS I and II. The first group completed a three-week training institute, which focused on such topics as classroom management, differentiated instruction, subject methodology, and the implementation of Virginia's Standards of Learning. …
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Apr 8, 2013
Bruno Crépon + 4
Open Access
