GPA is one of those indicators. The teachers of the 21st century must not only be prepared with a solid foundation in teaching theory, they also must have a firm understanding of the discipline in which they intend to teach. Prospective math teachers, for example, should learn alongside math majors and from professors of math. Prospective teachers will be required to fulfill the same advanced research course work and challenging requirements as their peers majoring in these disciplines. These panels will review the exams and establish the basis for higher minimum passing scores.
Alternative certification provides a non-traditional route to teacher certification in Pennsylvania.
The program provides an opportunity for training and classroom experience for qualified individuals who may not meet the course requirements in educational methodology but have the academic preparation in the work place, in industry or in specialized areas to be capable of imparting knowledge they have acquired to students in the classroom. Candidates who successfully pass the appropriate certification exams achieve certification following an intensive, fifteen-month apprenticeship under the collaborative supervision of an experienced teacher, a school principal and an Education Department faculty member from a teacher preparation institution. Based on current enrollment projections, Pennsylvania will not face a teacher shortage resulting from high standards for prospective teachers. Last year, the Education Department certified more than 12,000 new teachers, while there were less than 4,000 new teachers hired. Our Commonwealth is blessed with thousands of teachers, dedicated to our children.