Help!! I really want to be a teacher. I already have my bachelors in PR?

You will have to contact the Dept. of Ed. Minnesota to see if they have reciprocity with Illinois. I received my credential in MT but teach in CA. Those two states have reciprocity.

I’m doing the same exact thing you are. I already hold a bachelors in journalism and have been working for a newspaper for the past two years. I am now becoming a teacher.

Obviously, the problem is that you can’t teach at a public school without being certified. Certification classes could take up to two whole years, depending on how many credits you take each semester. If you really want to teach right away, I would suggest doing what I’m doing. I took a teaching job at a Catholic high school and will be taking certification classes until I am completely certified. While private schools don’t pay as well as public schools, you are able to teach without certification, as long as you prove you are taking classes to be certified. After you get certified, look for a higher paying job at a public school!

You don’t need to get a completely different degree, only certification. If you are near the Chicago area, look up fast-track teaching certification programs at UIC, Calumet College of St. Joseph’s in Whiting, or Purdue Calumet in Hammond. They all offer programs for people in the same position as yourself.

As for teaching in Minnesota, I would suggest taking the certification test for Minnesota, not Illinois.

Sorry, but if you want to be a teacher, you have to put in the work. I live in Canada and had to attend University full time for 5 years to get my bachelor of education. In the USA it may be different, but if you graduate here in Canada with your bachelor of education, you do get your teaching certificate at the same time. I think I would just go to school for two years and get your bachelors degree. But make sure you check all your options out. You would also have to check with the Illinois department of ed. to see if you could transfer your certificate over. I graduated from a manitoban university and I know that it costs money to get your certificate approved for teaching in a couple of different provinces.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

I know in Houston we have schools that are geared just towards receiving your teaching certificate, and it doesn’t take 2 years. Teaching certificates are also state-specific, so if you’re planning on moving, you should move, THEN get certified, because more than likely the state you are moving to will prefer you be certified under their curriculum. Though, they may let you teach or at least work in the school while you’re earning the certificate from Minnesota. I would contact the school district(s) you are planning to work for and ask them specifically what their policies are regarding this issue.

Good luck!

I don’t know what PR is? But anyway, I do know that in FL and NC, it is possible to get a job teaching with a bachelor’s degree and they give you X amount of time to complete the teaching credits needed to be certified. A univ. or college want you to enroll and give them money. You need to get your information form the public school system OR I hear that it’s even easier to accomplish this in a private or catholic school. Pay is less, but they have less stringent requirements.

I am going for my teachers certification in NJ. They told me if I don’t plan on staying in NJ, then I should get certified where I want to teach…

Look around for night schools, there are places where you can get certified and not have to go through two more years of school.