A great program!!
I just wanted to post here for those of you who may be thinking about participating in this program, but are worried about the cost, the length of the program, or your ability to pass the tests. I have been out of college for nearly 10 years, with a degree in Business. For the last 4 years, I stayed home with my 2 children. When I started looking at going back to work, I first started by substitute teaching at my son's school, and I loved it! I wasn't so sure about the high school level, though. I fell into a long-term sub position teaching science starting on September 15, 2008. It just so happened that ABCTE had an info session that next weekend near my home. I went and registered that day, I believe it was 9/22/08. I took the PTK first so that I could get my essay scores back while I was studying for the General Science exam. I passed both of my tests on the first attempt. So, just a little over 3 months since I started this program, I am just a few steps away from being certified in the state of SC to teach Science. It can be done! It can be done with little expense! (much less than going back to school, for sure!) It can be done in a short amount of time! I highly recommend this program to anyone interested in teaching! Good luck!!
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Responses to this topic below, starting with the most recent response:
Congratulations on your achievements so far and your new position. I really hope you continue to join us on the forums once you begin teaching to talk about your experiences in the classroom.
I thank you for your comments about the program. ABCTE certainly needs voices like yours out there. The more people that understand what we do and who we serve, the more students we can provide with high quality educators.
Jessica, ABCTE
I assure you that I am not a made up person. My family and students can attest to that. I also had always wanted to be a teacher, but I decided in college to study Business in order to go into the family business after school. I did that, but I just wasn't fulfilling the desire that I had to teach. Since getting my teaching certificate--thanks to ABCTE--I have been in the classroom this year, and am looking forward to next year (after a relaxing summer, of course!). Good luck to all in the program now. I hope that you all get to experience the feeling of making a difference in a classroom soon!!
Deanna
I called an ABCTE representative and he said the pass rate is 30%. YIKES! I currently have my masters in special education but not my certification. School would take 2 more years (part-time) to complete. I'd like to be able to take the ABCTE test now and be done, but am fearful of not passing, wasted time and money are not an option, but school really is a lot more expensive and time consuming... Has anyone taken the special education test?
I don't know who you spoke to, but that figure is incorrect. Our completion rate is closer to 40%, and it is significantly higher (greater than 50%) for people who remain active in the program. Success also greatly depends on how much work people put into the program. I would suggest that you check out our exam pass rates here: http://www.abcte.org/node/6644#comment-2196.
ABCTE is a great program for people who can be independent learners and push themselves to complete their goal. You can find information from other special education candidates here: http://www.abcte.org/forum/2928.
Please feel free to contact our enrollment staff (1-877-669-2228) or continue joining us here on the forums for any further questions about how this program can work for you!
Jessica, ABCTE
I forgot to add that I have 10 years in the classroom, and multiple years working with ED kids. Again, the point to sitting through education courses at my local state university?
No degree mill here! I agree! Take this on for size. I have two degrees in child development, a Masters in Educational Psychology and Counseling, am certified to teach in two states (expired), with endorsements in early childhood ed, and K-12 ed. I love math (started out in engineering and was good at it) but decided I had a greater love for teaching. Since my current state won't accept my past experience, and I have tons of it, for their other tracks to a teaching certificate, here I am. My choice was the ABCTE, or re-taking college courses and student teaching to prove that I have the skills that I already possess!
I am seeking a math endorsement, which I did not previously hold, so I understand their position regarding a math endorsement. But as for taking the education courses over again. Well . . . I think you see my point.
So, is the ABCTE a degree mill? I should say not!
Punky
How utterly profound... We all know sitting in a classroom ad naseum between the ages of 18 to 22, trying to focus on pedagogy lessons through the left-over haze of that morning's hangover certainly gives one the distinct qualities necessary to be an effective educator. You may want to dig a little deeper next time before posting a surface-level comment like that.
I look at the ABCTE experience as validation for those who already possess what is necessary to become a great teacher, and a wake-up call for those who do not. For me, this is just the avenue by which the state and school districts will recognize the knowledge, abilities, experiences, and qualities that I feel I posses already. No degree mill here... no degrees at all, actually - already got that. The ABCTE community is simply people who did not decide to become teachers right out of high school, realize now they have a passion for students and their chosen subject, and wish to use what they have learned and been given to make a positive impact on those students.
HEAR! HEAR! Patrick!
Thanx for the encouraging perspective!
It's starting to sound like one of those degree mills. For a certain sum you can take a test and become a teacher in a short time. It takes time and experience to become an effective teacher. Because you can pass a test doesn't mean that you can teach.
This is NOT a degree mill. I think that there are faults in the program but being easy is not one of them. They way I look at it is this.. after studying three weeks and never having had an education class in my life (MA in Physics) I took the Praxis version of the PTK. A few weeks later I got my scores and a certificate that said I had scored in the top 5% of all test takers in that cycle! It took me 3 tries to pass the essay portion of the PTK. I know of many people who take the PRAXIS multiple times before they can just pass it and they have completed the traditional teaching courses. Just because you went through a college program you are not automatically going to be a better teacher than one who decided to become a teacher later in life. College coursed do not equal a good teacher just as passing a test does not mean you will become a good teacher. The proof is in the pudding for all routes.
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Congrats on your success! What is the minimum score for distinguished on the PTK? I wasn't aware you could earn a distinguished score on that exam. I thought that designation was for subject area exams only.
I am sorry that you failed, but I don't think that you should blame the program. I took the PTK and the Elementary Education exams a few months ago, and I received distinguished scores on both. I only used the refresher courses to prepare myself for the exams and found them to be extremely helpful. I am registered for four other exams: Biology, General Science, Math, and English. I plan to take these within the next three months.
The key to passing any exam is careful studying. The refresher courses make this very easy by providing notes on the topics which we need to focus on. I don't think you should give up.
That's nice to hear that someone passed, however i don't believe that she actually exists and is someone made up. I took the ptk exam and failed the first time and probably failed the writing component as well, now i have to take the biology exam and will probably fail it. I don't see the reason to even take the exam since it will cost me an additional 150.00 to retake the exam which i cannot afford. I am upset because everything i read claims to purchase the practice exams for they will help, well they didn't help, nor did any of the material on the website, and on top of that my advisor lives 3000 miles away how can she help living that far. I would've been better off to try and go back to college where my money would've been better spent and i would also have full access to available material that is more aligned with the exams and not designed to make people fail, plus i also would've had a professor on a daily basis to answer any questions. Don't take this program unless you have lots of money and lots of time on your hands. Signed frustrated and discouraged.
I will echo Jessica's thoughts - my sincere appreciation for your hard work in mastering the program so that you can begin helping students. Thank you for your efforts and we look forward to hearing about your success in the classroom.
Dave Saba, President, ABCTE
Thank you very much for your encouraging words here. I think a lot of people do worry about whether they can do this program and you are a fantastic example of how it can be done!
Congratulations and I hope you will continue to use the forums to share resources and strategies with your fellow alumni! Please keep in touch with ABCTE and share your classroom successes with us.
Best of luck to you!
Jessica Morris, ABCTE
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Several people have posted views from different extremes about the ABCTE. Person 1 says "this program is way to hard and I feel like they ripped me off". To that person...you are going to be a teacher? Are you seriously complaining about having to actually know the material? Wow... Person 2 says "I can't get a job with this certification". It may be true that some districts won't accept this cert. There are certain districts in my area that can pick the cream of the crop, so no I won't be applying there. There are other districts in my area that are in dire need of teachers, I would probably stand a better chance there. In the end, if you don't have experience working with teens, don't have a good looking transcript from college, don't have good interviewing skills, don't have a passion for education then you will have a hard time finding a job... Person 3 is the NEA local rep. Of course it would be better to have followed a traditional route to teaching, but a degree doesn't equal a great teacher. The proof is in the pudding with ABCTE people...the initial cert is only an opportunity to go in a prove oneself a great teacher. If you're no good, you'll probably get fired. The NEA will always yell "scab" at the alternative cert, but more than likely folks with the alt. cert will be teaching in a rural or urban school (places that have a hard time finding credentialed teachers who'll actually work there)
I've passed the PTK objective portion (waiting on the written results, but feel hopeful). Taking my subject test in 2 weeks. I've secured a teaching job for the fall at a private school (a job that I competed against 12 other interview candidates, and 2 other final candidates). The market is tight in our area, but like anything passion will win the day!