The new transition to teaching elementary program will be taught online by the School of Education faculty (L to R): Dr. Kevin Voogt, Julie Thompson, Dr. Mistie Potts, Dr. Rachael Hoffert, Dr. Laurie Owen, Florell Hand, Dr. Cheryl Bremer and Lorinda Kline.
The new transition to teaching elementary program will be taught online by the School of Education faculty (L to R): Dr. Kevin Voogt, Julie Thompson, Dr. Mistie Potts, Dr. Rachael Hoffert, Dr. Laurie Owen, Florell Hand, Dr. Cheryl Bremer and Lorinda Kline.
WINONA LAKE — The Grace College School of Education announced that its new Transition to Teaching Elementary program will launch this June.

The online licensure will allow those who hold a bachelor’s degree to complete the program and obtain an elementary education teaching license over the course of 18 months.  The new program comes in response to a growing number of teaching vacancies across the United States and seeks to provide an innovative pathway for capable individuals to become licensed elementary educators, according to a news release from Grace College.

“I frequently speak with administrators and teachers, and there is no question about it – the need for high-quality teachers is great,” said Dr. Cheryl Bremer, dean of the School of Education at Grace College. “This demand for educators has put pressure on our partnership schools, and Grace College wants to be a part of solving this ongoing problem.”

The Transition to Teaching program will begin with a five-day residency in June to be held on Grace College’s campus in Winona Lake. The residency will give students the opportunity to interact with other teacher candidates in their cohort and get to know the Grace College School of Education faculty, who will be instructing their online coursework.

“While for many online programs, the faculty remain faceless, we are intentionally structuring this online program to have a personal and relational feel,” said Dr. Mistie Potts, director of alternative programming and partnerships. “At Grace, our students will bond with their classmates and build a lasting network of caring and competent educators that will spur them on in their careers.”

The Grace College School of Education, which recently received nationally recognized CAEP (Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation) Accreditation, boasts a 100% principal satisfaction rate and has earned among the highest licensure exam scores for elementary reading in Indiana for several consecutive years.

“Taught by the same top-notch faculty who teach our residential degrees, the Transition to Teaching program will bring the same level of excellence and professionalism, ensuring program graduates are equipped with the tools they need to pass their licensing exams and excel in the classroom,” said Potts.

According to Potts, the program has been intentionally designed for anyone with a bachelor’s degree, including paraprofessionals serving Grace’s local partner corporations. For those currently working outside of the school system, alternative clinical experiences will be offered throughout program coursework.

Ultimately, the program intends to break down barriers keeping those interested in the teaching profession from getting licensed.

“Our program will provide an innovative way for nontraditional teaching candidates to become teachers, giving them the chance to fulfill their dreams and make a lasting impact on generations to come,” said Potts.

To learn more, visit online.grace.edu/programs/transition-to-teaching-licensure-program/ or contact Potts at [email protected].