In my work with Troops to Teachers students, I make contact with many different recruiters of programs across the nation. TeacherReady® provides the greatest value for our students and offers a flexible structure so that most any soldier can complete the program while serving our country.
– Joe Morgan, Regional Director, Mountain West Troops to Teachers
More than 200 military service members and their families are either currently enrolled in TeacherReady or have earned their professional teaching certification through TeacherReady! We think service members who want to teach can be great teachers and educational leaders. Our military survey asked them why they chose education as a second career” and their responses include (selected):
Teaching has been a significant component of my work throughout my life. Moving into a more formal classroom setting seemed a logical step. In addition, colleagues and friends consistently, and independently of each other, affirmed teaching as one of my strengths. Though academically qualified to teach at the collegiate level, my life circumstances make pursuing a high school teaching position the right choice for me.
I found that as an Air Force instructor, I found great satisfaction in watching students grow and I enjoyed being able to help someone achieve objectives. This continued into the elementary education arena because I felt I could use my military background/experiences to help children succeed in their studies.
I was very excited to become a teacher as a second career. After spending many years as a volunteer in my children’s classrooms and I then several years as a substitute teacher I was confident that this was a good career choice for me and a great choice because I was a military spouse.
Service members also shared their experiences with TeacherReady:
I just started the program (2012) and I really like it. I absolutely love how supportive and friendly the staff are. I’ve called quite a few times and sent several emails collecting information so I could get the approval from my commander to participate in the program. I was never treated like I was bothering them or being difficult. I’m really sad about the decision I’ve made to not reenlist into the Army. But if I can be a teacher, I know that I will have a job just as professional and rewarding.
TeacherReady folks know service. Nothing fazes them: not last minute applications; not unexpected military mobilizations that impact student’s program completion schedule; and not transfers thousands of miles away. TeacherReady stays student-focused and flexible, all while it solidly prepares students to teach and to pass the certification exams… I left the program with professional certification and the informed confidence needed to begin teaching.
I was deployed nearly 5 months of my 9 month enrollment, and during that time-frame the professors bent over backward to ensure I received timely feedback and adequate instruction. There was never a time when my professors turned down a request for extension or re-arrangement of lesson material in order to accommodate my deployed schedule.
Though I called after the application deadline, TeacherReady provided me the opportunity to quickly submit an application for consideration. From the very beginning, TeacherReady focused on customer service and meeting the unique situations created by my military status. After four months in the program, I moved (PCSd) 3,200 miles across the country. Teacher Ready permitted me to work at an accelerated pace. That enabled me to complete the student teaching requirement before I moved. At the new location TeacheReady seamlessly continued to work with me until I completed the program. The on-post education center provided the means for taking my state’s certification exams. It all worked smoothly and Teacher Ready guided the process.
I’m an active duty Soldier stationed at Fort Campbell, KY. I started the TeacherReady program in July. I complete all my coursework online, and I conduct my student teaching at a school in my area. Although the benchmarks differ some from state to state, a lot of the principals are the same. I did pick up some study guides for my State of Florida Subject Area exam, but I would recommend that for all students, even those student teaching in Florida. Between TeacherReady course work, student teaching and studying the study guides, I feel very confident to take my state exams in just a few weeks!
I am a 30 year retired AF troop who always planned to teach. Teacher Ready is helping me reach that goal. I just completed the program and I’m currently trying to pass my local state requirements so I can transfer the FL license here once I’m fully licensed in FL. The program is great and fits into the busy lives of military troops. The teachers are very helpful and flexible so be sure to give Teacher Ready a thorough look if you really want to teach. Good luck everyone.