Gretchen Riley is an English for Speakers of Other Languages or ESOL teacher at Baldwin. Ms. Riley’s nominator raved about her ability to plan meaningful and coherent instruction for her students. She has created her own curriculum plan that is dynamic and innovative.
Because of her expertise and innovation, the administration has chosen her to pilot a self-contained BASIC first grade program for next year. What a compliment to a new teacher! Ms. Riley’s road to the classroom is a bit different than others’.
After college and graduate school, she entered the business world only to find herself daydreaming of becoming a teacher.
She made the decision to go for it by participating in the Career Switcher Program offered through the Virginia Community College System.
Ms. Riley says it’s hard to put into words what she has learned during her first year of teaching. She has found that she and her students are a reflection of each other.
One of the most important things she has learned is how much of an influence a teacher can be on a student.
It calls her to excellence to know that they are watching her and learning from her example and it forced her to push for 100% at all times.
After all, she says, if you don’t strive for 100%, you will not achieve it. This award proves she is giving it her all!
The Daily News Record On-Line Want To Teach? Go To The Head Of The Class: Wannabe Teachers "Fast-Tracked" Karen Zirk got her teaching license through the career switcher program and is going from being a bank teller to teaching biology and earth science at Strasburg High School.
The Hampton Roads Daily Press TNCC in Pilot Teacher Training Class A state grant will enable Thomas Nelson Community College to train more teachers for ESL classes.
VCCS News Release Virginia's Community Colleges to Create career switcher program for ESL Teachers
The Chronicle of Higher Education Teach in Many Locations at Once: 5 Professors Connect Using Internet Video (You must be a subscriber to the Chronicle to view the entire article on the website.)
Marketing Consultant and Veterinarian Bitten by Teaching Bug, by Clayton Trout.
The VCCS Career Switcher Program was named a 2005 Finalist for the Bellwether Award. The Virginia Community College System partnered with the Virginia Department of Education to offer a fast-track, online, teacher licensure program in math and science for bachelor’s degree holders. This alternative route to licensure is helping individuals to fulfill their dreams and Virginia to fill its critical shortage of teachers.
Rappenings: News for Faculty and Staff at Rappahannock Community College: "RCC Career Switchers Update", with photo of VCCS Career Switchers students, Sandra Halter, Richard Ogle, and Biagio Sancetta.