OCC offers alternate route for teachers

Jersey, an alternate route teacher education program, is offering people with bachelor’s degrees a way to become teachers. In order to address the statewide teacher shortage, OCC has partnered with New Jersey City University (NJCU) to offer New Pathways to Teaching in New Jersey. The program allows students to begin a Master of Arts in Teaching while meeting the alternate route certification requirements while attending classes at Ocean County College. A free information session will be held Dec. 2 from 7-9 p.m. at the OCC Fine Arts Center in Toms River.

Students may choose to take the program as either a teacher certification requirement or for graduate-level credit toward a Master of Arts in Teaching degree from NJCU. The program will run in two phases: Stage I is a 45-hour pre-service program of in-class instruction with additional hours of guided classroom observations. Stage II is a 165-hour program with content specific instruction and a capstone experience.

In order to qualify for Stage I, program candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution with either a major in an arts and sciences field for elementary education or hold a major in the appropriate field for subject area license. Candidates must have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher for the last degree earned. Candidates for Stage II must hold a Certificate of Eligibility to continue in the program and have substantial access to a classroom as a teacher.

To register for the Information Session, call (732) 255-0477.