Teaching Credential Programs in Carlifonia - Becoming a Teacher

Becoming a Teacher: The most common path to becoming a teacher is to study a 4-year Bachelor's of Education (BEd) program at a college or university. However, teaching credential programs (also called the Post-Graduate Diploma in Education, PDGE) are a pathway for those who have a different first degree and want to train to become teachers.

Types of Teaching Credential Programs

The teaching credential programs are offered in elementary, primary and high school education. It depends on individual choice. The programs allow the students to receive support from the colleges and universities while they are working or pursuing a new career path. 

Those who want to train to be teachers can choose one of the following credential programs:

• Single Subject Credential program
• Multiple Subject Credential program
• Education Specialist Credential program 

Online Teaching Credential Programs

Students have a choice to pursue an online teaching credential program or an on-campus program. The program advisors at the colleges and universities can help.

Most states in the US, and especially California, require at least two years of full-time study and on-campus lectures. The program also requires a supervised internship at a local school for up to 6 weeks. 

If you are going to study online, always make this clear during the interview. Ask the interviewer about the lectures, assessments, and online contact hours that are expected of you as an online student. And importantly, ask about how you will do your internship at the end of your online teaching credential program.

Three Credential Programs in California

Single Subject Credential program: This program prepares the students to teach a specific subject. The student-teachers are trained to become specialist subject teachers. They teach small groups of students such as those in most middle schools and high schools.

Multiple Subject Credential program: This program is for students who want to become kindergarten or elementary school teachers.

Education Specialist Credential program: This program prepares participants to teach young children, youth and adults with disabilities from elementary to primary and high school including those that are age 22 years old. 

Teaching Credential Programs Interview Questions

Here are 6 common questions that interviewers often ask during the Credential Programs Interview. Many of those interviews who shared their experiences say that it is important to 'speak from the heart'. Listens attentively and answer the questions clearly and honestly. 

• What are your strengths? 
• What does social justice mean to you?
• Why do you want to become a teacher?
• How do you approach difficult situations?
• What do you hope to contribute to the teaching profession?
• How do you communicate with students, parents, and staff?

Do not hesitate to ask questions. Especially, at the end of the interview when you are given the chance to ask any question. 

Mention that you are passionate about teaching and helping children and disadvantaged adults. Also, ask what kind of help you will need to complete the program. 

Hope these quick tips help. Please, do leave a comment and let us know what you think about the Teaching Credential Programs 

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Provincial Education Advisers and Administrative Officers Are Misusing Teachers' Leave Fares

By M Steven Reoghberths 

(former Education Officer in charge of teachers' leave fares in Morobe)

Pic courtesy: Post Courier Newspaper Jan 2015

The teachers leave fares issue has been ongoing matter mostly due to misappropriation by Division of Education heads in all provinces. Funds allocated purposely for leave fares were usually tampered with and diverted to cover up for shortfalls in other votes or items.

I am speaking from experience especially in Morobe where the highest allocation is given. Yet this is forever an issue year in year out. As the person formally in charge of teachers leave fares in Morobe, I can attest that the fault entirely lies with the provincial authorities and financial delegates in form of provincial education advisers and provincial administrative officers.

Every year funds have always allocated with delivery mechanism designed and in place to have all teachers receive their entitlements, but this all seemed on paper only as half of the funds has always been diverted to cover up for excessive travels, hire cars, hotel bills and travel allowances especially by senior officers.

The Department of Education and Teaching Services Commission should also shoulder blame as this is an overdue issue that should have been resolved a long time ago. Policies and TSC Act Section 130 that manages the teachers leave fares is outdated and should be updated with proper delivery mechanism in place that allows paying of leave fare without obstacles. The current delivery mechanism is effective, but needs tighter stringent measures on this funds so there is no diversion and misuse by provincial authorities, means the Finance Management Act also comes into play so this also has to be updated with stringent control on its use.

Morobe Province being the largest with highest number of teachers is a classic example of how funds meant for teachers leave fare has always had funds diverted by the education adviser and his administrative officer. Every year problems faced by teachers in regards to this has always been ignored and repeated the next year without anything being done by higher authorities.

Papua New Guinea Teachers' Association Must Stand Up For Teachers Without Media Bashing

There is no need to go on strike yet. Teachers from Elementary to Secondary schools in each province have reps. They form the PNGTA. There needs to be a collaborative effort from them to fight for teachers' remuneration and benefits. 

Papua New Guinea Teachers' Association

Unlike before, Facebook (and access to it) has changed the way Papua New Guineans communicate. PNGTA (Papua New Guinea Teachers' Association) Chairman and reps from 22 provinces should, first, create an avenue for discussion. FB would be a good place to start. 

Papua New Guinea Teachers' Association to communicate with teachers' reps

They must stay in touch with teachers - communicate: find out if they have received their pay increase, Boarding and Duty allowances...etc. They have to have facts and figures at their fingertips. 

That information must be presented to the National Department of Education, Teachers' Service Commission and Education Minister on regular basis - this is their job. They MUST do that as well as 'media-bashing'. 

PNGTA must fight for teachers

The PNGTA must pursue legal challenges to ascertain irregularities in teachers' entitlements if they have to. They must ensure that the govt remains true to its PROMISES of pay increases. 

As I posted some time ago, by 2016 every public servant will have realised a 30% increase in their salaries - this includes the teachers. 

Recently, there is another increase in PNG Public Servants' pay (2022-2024) but the poor teachers will have to find out exactly what they are getting.

PNGTA has to ensure that the government does what it says

That implies that the PNG government has made a promise to pay the increase. So, PNGTA has to ensure that the government does what it says. If teachers are not receiving the increase or other entitlements over a year, they have to determine why. 

Finally, the onus is on PNGTA and teachers' reps in each province. If the association feels that there is a need to call for strike action,  by all means, they must do. 

But, going on strike (or pretending to go on strike by going to the media like the PNGTA chairman did) is not the best way forward.

Ganim Report: National Department of Education and Teachers' Service Commission Need Proactive Leaders To Effect GR Recommendations

Commentary 

TSC Chairman, Mr Baran Sori, and NDoE secretary, Dr Michael Tapo, must be suspended for incompetency. Why a report - the Ganim Report - sanctioned by the Parliamentary Referral Committee on Education and conducted between March and April last year failed  on its 'Initial Findings'? 

As reported (in Post Courier) Ganim report was a working progress, but given that these leaders in Education are committee members, you would have thought last year should have ended well for teachers. They have seen the findings, they made submissions to PRCE, yet why have teachers not given 2014 leave entitlements?

The heads of education in the country are as dumb as any provincial education authorities and past and current education ministers. A bad combination!

PNGTA is planning court action. If a nationwide strike by teachers stops 2015 academic year, heads must roll. 

Get someone new to effect the recommendation of Ganim report. 

~~~~~~~

PC report

________

TEACHER woes in the country is no "overnight" problem which all 48,000 teachers in the country must first understand and bear with before help and long term solutions can be sought, Chairman of Parliamentary Referral Committee on Education (PRCE) and Wabag Open MP, Robert Ganim has said.

As such, he urged all teachers to refrain from any sort of industrial actions that could jeopardize the start of 2015 school year which millions of school children could be affected unfairly.

Mr. Ganim who led a PRCE nationwide investigation into the issues of teachers in the country between March and April last year said details of his findings (Ganim Report or GR) were presented to Parliament in its August 26 session.

Parliament adopted the GR and resolved that the Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and the Department of Education (DoE) undertake the recommendations and report back to Parliament within three (3) months.

Pic courtesy: Post Courier - Cyril Gare file pic 

TSC Chairman, Mr. Baran Sori flanked by his Commissioners was addressing the PRCE Committee at the Parliament B2 Conference room on April 10, 2014 during the nationwide investigation into teachers’ issues. Cyril Gare file pic.

Upon which, a combined approach was taken by the TSC and DoE between September and November last year through the establishment of a Working Committee (WC) comprising TSC Chairman, Baran Sori as Chairman, Dr. Uke Kombra, Mr. Titus Romano Hatagen, PNG Teachers’ Association General Secretary, Mr. Ugwalabu Mowana, and Fr. Paul Jennings.

The WC undertook the recommendations of Parliament which resulted in a detail Report that is ready to be presented to PRCE Chairman Ganim who then will present to Parliament for adaptation when it resumes on February 10, 2015 at 2:30 pm.

The WC Report provides specific policy directions, identifies strategic outcomes, provides general guidelines in implementing these policy directions, set out the monitoring and evaluation framework, and provides costing – about K26 million - for its implementation over a five (5) year period (2015-2019).

According to the WC, the Government has work to do - in the long term - in addressing the teachers’ problems in these key areas:

 Review functions of Teaching Service Commission (TSC) and Department of Education (DoE);

 Review and define teachers’ salaries and allowances;

 Review the teacher appointment process;

 Review the tenure appointment process;

 Review salaries and entitlements of teachers;

 Decentralize ALESCO pay system to provincial education authorities;

 Adopt an effective and efficient teacher leave fare management;

 Create a leave fare data base;

 Make TSC assumes financial autonomy as a separate entity of State;

 Review process of retrenchment, retirement and resignation of teachers;

 Establish a centralised teachers’ information database; and

Provide manpower and capacity development for teachers.