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Getting a teaching job just got a lot easier! Did you know nearly 2,000 teacher jobs are vacant in Arizona? But now, Scottsdale Community College (SCC) has a new solution that goes beyond the Valley: a new, live online one-year teacher education certification model – the only one in the state and the only one approved by the Arizona Department of Education – perfect for any Arizona resident.
The Scottsdale Teacher Education Partnership (STEP) Post-Baccalaureate teacher certification program is designed for students that have a minimum of a bachelor's degree in any discipline and would like to become a certified teacher in grades K through 8.
It’s that easy. Use your degree to teach students and start your new career giving back to the community and educating a new generation.
“As the State of Arizona constantly looks for ways to attract and train more teachers, community colleges can play a major role in narrowing the teacher shortage gap,” says Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman. “I applaud Scottsdale Community College for continuously innovating their Scottsdale Teacher Education Partnership (STEP) Post-Baccalaureate teacher certification program. Delivering instruction in a live online format will help produce more and better trained professionals who will be successful in Arizona classrooms.”
The number one reason teachers are leaving the classroom? According to the Learning Policy Institute, it is “Inadequate Preparation.” That’s where SCC steps into the gap: The college’s intense field-based preparation program leaves no stone unturned or unexplored.
For 12 months, students meet two days a week. They are taught by experienced classroom teachers and college professors who integrate college coursework alongside actual classroom experience. STEP students work as a cohort, moving through the program together, too, so you’re never alone.
Because the teacher shortage is at critical levels, and the need for successful candidates is high throughout the state, SCC’s curriculum requires three separate internships. The internships are completed in the Teacher in Residence classroom. That means, when students graduate, they are well prepared for the classroom and know what to expect.
SCC’s STEP program provides high marketability for its graduates with reduced community college tuition cost. Arizona Teacher Academy Scholarships are also available on a first come first serve basis. This scholarship pays all tuition and course fees to complete the program!
Knowing students need flexibility, SCC offers a Teacher in Residence Pathway with class held twice a week from 4:00-6:30 p.m. The Pathway is geared toward the student who has been substitute teaching or working as a paraprofessional and is ready to teach. Also a one-year cohort, it allows candidates to be employed full time in a classroom while completing required education courses for certification.
The Live Online STEP program allows for real-time sessions between students and instructors. Students are able to ask questions and receive answers right away vs. traditional online instruction lag time and non-seamless communication. The cohort is able to interact with each other and learn from one another, too. STEP Live Online brings the physical classroom to the virtual environment – something every future teacher should experience.
SCC has been offering teacher education classes since 2002. Such a longstanding reputation helps ensure their students receive the benefit of being a well-prepared graduate who will be successful in the classroom. That sort of one-of-a-kind college programming benefits the community, the state and future generations.
For more information, email Mary Ellertson, Education Director, at step@scottsdalecc.edu or visit the STEP Program page.