I'm sort of thinking of looking into enrolling in WGU's education degree program and wonder if they accept what I guess I could call "special circumstances." All of their degree programs that lead to teacher licensure have a student-teaching element, presumably to give the student experience in the classroom, which makes perfect sense. My question is, what if you already teach? I teach now in a private elementary school that does not require a license to teach. I've been doing that for a while now and wonder how they would handle that. I can't find any department to email and ask about this. I hesitate to hit the Get More Info button and be bombarded with sales calls from people who cannot answer my questions. Has anyone gone through the education program at WGU? Is the student-teaching element something that the school sets up for you with a local school? I cannot take time off from my own teaching to go do that at another school and wonder how exactly it all works. Thanks.
I'm guessing that the licensure aspect of teaching is a matter controlled by the state, not the university. Beyond that I would also guess that there would be a way for you to use your current teaching position to satisfy the student teaching internship requirements.
Online Teachers College | Online Teaching Degree | Applying for Demonstration Teaching I also found this: "As you approach your Demonstration Teaching, a WGU Placement Specialist will work with you to set up your placement. The process of scheduling your DT placement may take up to six months. You may be required to assist in the process of setting up your placement. In some cases, you may be required to commute up to two hours (or in rare cases longer than this). Note that students are not permitted to work during their Demonstration Teaching experience. You must be at least 18 years of age before you may begin the application process or participate in preclinical experiences or Demonstration Teaching." Online Teaching Degree | Online Teacher Licensure | Teacher Certification | WGU Teachers College Online
WGU has an unadvertised degree plan called Bachelor of Arts in Educational Studies. This plan does not require student teaching. A bulk of my credits are from there and I was enrolled in this program. http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/prog_guide/BA_ES_PK8.pdf
It will not be an issue. I would be shocked, floored, stunned if it were. What you will need to do when the time comes is get another teacher at your institution to serve as mentor. They will require that teacher to be state licensed. The fact you are already teaching is a bonus, not a handicap. When they say you will not be able to work while student teaching they are thinking 9-5 job at McDonald's, not someone who is already a teacher!
