The other day while I was looking through the bookcases for our Earth Day Books I found my old Teacher Portfolio. I started thumbing through, a wonderful trip down memory lane. I knew that my Teaching Certificate was in this portfolio and decided to check the date in which I needed to recertify by. I knew I had over a year to get all my ducks in a row but wanted the specific date. The date printed on the certificate was a bit of a shock to me, September 15, 2013. Yes just 5 months away!!!
photo from Ames Historical Society
Panic set in as I thought about how much more I needed to do before I would be eligible to recertify. I have one 3 credit graduate class and a workshop complete but I am still shy a workshop and another class! I hopped on the internet and tried to make heads or tails of the Department of Education’s Website. In a very high stress moment for me, I was a bit surprised by the overwhelming feeling of gratitude that was filling my body. I was so grateful that I had thought to look at the date on my certificate, so grateful that I still had 5 months to make it all happen and grateful that there are many online options for me to finish out my requirements.
With two online classes through PBS, I should be able to finish up my requirements by August. It appears to be the cheapest and easiest method from a logistical standpoint (no childcare needed). The classes I am signing up for should also help us in our homeschooling journey, this was important for me.
I am not sure for how much longer I will keep my certification up, but for now it seems like the right thing to do. It will require us to find some extra funds to do so, but I hope the safety net of having it will make those funds worth it. I am off to call the Department of Education to make sure that my plan for recertification is okay by them.
