If you’re an aspiring educator at the start of your journey, you have two options: traditional vs alternative teaching certification. 

The following guide explores both the classic and alternative routes to teaching. By the end of this article, you’ll have a much clearer idea of which path is right for you.

What is the traditional route?

The conventional way to start teaching is to complete a bachelor’s degree in Education at an accredited college or university. These 4-year courses often cover topics such as pedagogy, professional teaching and specific subject areas.

Admission into a bachelor’s degree program for education requires a high school diploma or GED, and many times, a specific GPA in lower-level college courses.

All teachers are required to have at least a bachelor degree to get their educator certificate.

As part of your Bachelor’s degree, you will take college coursework to prepare you for the experiences in the classroom and your certification exams. The college or university will determine your “test readiness” and grant you test permission for certification exams once specific courses are complete.

For student teaching, most degree plans require that you enroll and pay for 6-12 hours of college coursework while you are job shadowing a certified teacher for the full day. All this occurs during the last semester of the degree plan and may be partnered with other courses for reflection and supervision.

What is the alternative teaching route?

Alternative teacher certification programs are becoming an increasingly popular route to teaching. These alternative route programs still require a bachelor’s degree, but candidates can apply in their final semester of college.

Getting your alternative teaching license with Teachworthy consists of three steps:

  1. Apply to the program and schedule a one-on-one appointment with an advisor (this usually takes 15-20 minutes)
  2. Demonstrate test readiness and pass your certification area exam(s).
  3. With passing test scores and pre-service training complete, complete a supervised one-year internship, earning a full teacher salary and benefits.

Teachworthy is one of the most popular alternative teacher preparation programs, and offers:

  • 50+ subject areas to master
  • Continuous support from experienced educators
  • Resources to help you pass your TExES exams

In Texas, alternative teacher certification, with Teachworthy as your partner, costs $4,155. Our pricing structure has no application fee, and our enrollment and program fees are among the most affordable.

How long does each route take?

Becoming a teacher in Texas via the traditional route requires four years to complete a bachelor’s degree, plus any additional semesters to complete certification requirements. 

Online programs such as Teachworthy are self-paced. If you are working on this process while working full-time and juggling life events, we suggest allotting 4-5 months to completing all the prerequisites before entering the classroom.

Advantages of the alternative way to become a teacher

Thousands of educators have relied on Teachworthy to kick-start their careers in the classroom.

Teachworthy’s online alternative teacher certification ensures you stand out from the crowd by:

  • Providing professional guidance from a personal advisor that has actual classroom experience.  This saves you time and money!
  • Providing practical, hands-on experience and training modules to help you be successful
  • Accessibility to an experienced program advisor and field supervisor to support you through the entire process and advocate for your success.

How do I get an alternative teaching certificate?

The first step in starting your alternative pathway to teaching is to apply for Teachworthy. For more information – whether it’s public school, special education or any other form of teaching – check out our guides below…