I am a certified teacher currently staying home with my daughter. I plan to stay home with her for several years and am worried about how I am going to get the 150 hours every 5 years needed to keep from losing my certification. ( I don't want to just let it expire and have to take the tests again when I decide to go back to work.) I know I can take free classes online or do other self-study, but I THINK those can only account for 20% of the total hours. I know I can also look for workshops or conferences around the area, but those can be hard to attend due to the cost and finding childcare for my daughter so that I can actually go.
Anyone out there in the same situation? What ideas do you have?
By the way, a few of you have asked, and, unfortunately, I graduated a few months after they stopped giving lifetime certificates. So I do have to renew every 5 years-yuck!
For those interested, here's the site with the renewal requirements:
http://www.sbec.state.tx.us/SBECOnline/certinfo/classteac...
Thanks so much!
I really don't think subbing falls under the acceptable things you can do for credit. Does anyone know yes or no for sure? It does not look like it fits under any of the categories on sbec renewal requirements.
I am in the same situation!! Mine has to be renewed by Jan 2010, I am going to do the free online stuff, but I didnt know you could only do 20%, where did you find that out??
Here's one site I found http://www.paec.org
C.
What kind of cert do you have? My certification is a lifetime certification.
Hi Stacy,
I've been told that a 3 hour college course counts for about 1/2 of the needed hours. It might be less expensive to find an evening course at a community college. I don't know what region X charges for their classes though. I know there are some that you can take on-line. Good luck!
Tiff
I'm not a teacher but I am a sub and was wondering if you sub teach would this apply toward it? it wouldn't hurt and I know schools are always in need of subs. You make more by have your degree too. It would be worth looking into to be able to keep it and I know that when my daughter in law was out she did sub and I want to say it helped her but not 100 percent sure not. It been awhile back.
Best of wishes as you stay home with your child for awhile before returning back to school... Teachers are very special and I know your kids will miss you.
See if your local school district has some classes you can attend and than find a mother days out. Usually the cost is low. Debbie
And yet another one...except mine expires in December! I called Region XI last year for advice, but they were not much help. I guess I wasn't as inspired to stick to teaching or I would of been more deligent with keeping my hours. I mainly wanted to keep it so I could get my Library School certification.
I am in the same boat, but mine expire within the next year and a half. I have 2 girlfriends that have the same problem. Maybe we could all brainstorm and figure something out.
J.
I don't think that teachers who are still actively teaching have to produce any documentation about their 150 hours. They can come back after the fact and ask for it, but I have never heard of them doing that. They just want their $77. I think it is just a matter of paying them and renewing it.
I just renewed my certification so I have five more years to get the 150 hours and I have a friend who is in the same situtation. We talked about this just the other day. We decided just to go ahead and pay for the hours through Region XI. It will only be 30 hours a year which sounds like a lot, but most classes are 3-6 hours so it will be at the most 10 a year. We figured we would go to one a month and I did not know about the online classes so that will take care of 6 hours so we will only need 24. My certification is 1-8 grade which they do not give anymore so I cannot let my laps I don't really mind retesting, but I don't want a 1-4 or 5-8 grade certification. I guess if you have a certification they are still giving it would be easier to retest when you decided to go back. If you get any suggestions on other ways to get hours please let me know good luck.
i'm not a teacher, but had an idea... to help your daughter with group activities with other kids... find a mothers day out... and on those days be a substitute... that way you still get your days with her, but also get to teach a few times each year.
