Does this smell to you? ID issue?

[Duppers]

Do you have a passion for math or science? Have you always wanted to be a teacher?

You may have a future with Norfolk Public Schools. Because of a critical shortage of math and science teachers for grades 6-12, Norfolk Public Schools has formed an exclusive partnership with Regent University to create the Teach Now program, in conjunction with the School of Education's traditional Career Switcher program. Teach Now offers financial incentives and bonuses to individuals entering the teaching profession. You’ll train at Regent’s beautiful Virginia Beach Campus, and, in a matter of months, leave as a licensed public school math or science teacher. Candidates for the program should possess:

Four-year undergraduate degree from an accredited institution (in any field)

Five (5) years work or life experience

A passion for teaching children

Those who successfully complete Regent University’s Teach Now program can become licensed teachers after completing just 15 credit hours. It’s a fast-track program to a life-long career. The program is designed for initial licensure in the Commonwealth of Virginia.


http://www.regent.edu/acad/schedu/teachnow2/


This is a math and "Science" program to teach future science teachers!

I firmly believe their agenda is to teach creationism in our public school system! Don't you smell "ID" too?

This institution cannot be trusted to teach science correctly and especially not to teach future science teachers.


(This came to my attention from seeing a tv ad for the program on my local station.)



For those who do not know Regents University is Pat Robertson's post high school indoctrination institution that Bushco was so fond of hiring attorneys from - remember this alumnus?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monica_Goodling

[drm604]

1. It smells very bad to me. n/t

[TreasonousBastard]

2. Even though this is for elementary schools...

I'm not sure how you get accredited in math and science AND required education courses for certification in just fifteen credit hours if you have no background in math or science-- I didn't see any courses listed on the site.

Any actual teachers out there who can weigh in on this?

Besides that, though, they talk cagily about Christian education on the site, so methinks ID would be a few of those credits.

[proud2BlibKansan]

9. It's for grades 6 thru 12

That's not elementary school.

[Duppers]

12. I did not state that it was for "elementary school"

It is for the Norfolk PUBLIC school system, and that means 6 - 12 too.

[proud2BlibKansan]

17. I wasn't replying to you

:shrug:

I was replying to this: " Even though this is for elementary schools..."

[Duppers]

19. whoops, sorry.

Me bad. :blush:

[TreasonousBastard]

14. DOH! And I was looking right at it. But, that makes it...

worse, so I am still curious if fifteen credits can make someone with an English degree a middle or high school science or math teacher. Aren't there state standards for teacher accreditation? Tests?

How do traditional teacher's colleges or curricula do it? After the basics, how many credits needed for studying teaching and the subject one will be teaching?

I've heard of fast track accreditation for engineers who wanted to teach math, but they already had the math skills and just needed to learn how to teach. (Many found that harder than learning the math)

[proud2BlibKansan]

18. No 15 hours isn't nearly enough

[Hekate]

3. Why would the public school system need an "exclusive" relationship with Regent?

The whole philosophy of Regent University is completely antithetical to the spirit of public education. It's o ne thing to hire a few teachers from Regent as part of an open recruitment; it's quite another to run all your new math and science teachers through Regent's indoctrination program.

Bad idea.

Hekate

[proud2BlibKansan]

10. My district has several relationships like this with universities

This strategy is being utilized all over the US to recruit teachers.

[Duppers]

13. yes, I know. There are several other universities in this area not advertising this.

There are many good, accredited universities in this area who are not advertising this program.

That's why it is all the more suspicious to me.

[Hekate]

21. That's not what bothers me. It's the "exclusivity" with a wingnut college--of, by, and for wingnuts

The recruitment tool is a fine idea, in and of itself.

Hekate

[Richard Steele]

4. Considering the "University" involved, I don't see how it could be anything else. K&R

[Greyhound]

5. Of course it stinks, turds do that. It does point out a major problem we

now have thanks to reich-wing propaganda and our misguided acceptance of "privatization". Accreditation of our institutes of higher learning has been fragmented and standards abandoned solely to legitimize corporate student loan processing mills disguised as private universities?

"Is college too hard? Don't worry, just come to (Regents (I wonder how many apply there thinking it is Regis?), Phoenix, DeVry, ITT, etc.) University where for a mere $400 p/hour we'll give you a piece of paper just as nice as the one you would get from those 'other' schools".

[tjwash]

7. Hey...there's nothing wrong with Phoenix, DeVry, and ITT

As a matter of fact I know some people at Intel that are Devry grads pulling in 6 figures, and my kid just got a bachelors from ITT and just started at job making over 50k in web and graphics design, in THIS economy.

So put your broad brush away.

[Greyhound]

11. Speaking of broad brushes...

The anecdote of your kid is not typical nor indicative nor is the fact that there are some really talented people that have degrees from these diploma mills, I know some myself.

What matters is that there are no standards, or rather the standards have been lowered to accommodate, these place and, due to a very high percentage of incompetent teachers churning out unqualified graduates, many resumes with degrees from these places go straight to the bottom of the pile. Spending $60K and years of your life to get a second rate education makes no sense, except in very specific circumstances.

They are not institutes of higher learning, they are, at best, rudimentary job training schools masquerading as universities and bribing, or creating their own, accreditation agencies to appear legitimate.

[Celebration]

8. Regent is bad

Phoenix and some of the others have a pretty good reputation. They are a good option for people without the resources for college, without running up a big student loan!! How many kids have huge student loans and now can't find jobs? It's college without the football games and fraternity parties.

[kiva]

16. The problem is that they are not cheap.

Phoenix, DeVrys, and others are more expensive than most state colleges. Their main draw is that their on-line classes offer more flexible schedules, which has traditionally been appealing to working students.

[Duppers]

15. And the LARGER point here is that >>>Regent U. is PAT ROBERTSON's school.<<<

Creationism, creationism, creationism -- ID, ID, ID -- more loonies, more loonies, more loonies.

(GOP un- or under-educated Sarah Palin types.)


I understand your point too and thanks for mentioning it.

:hi:

[SalmonChantedEvening]

6. "I'll have the teacher's degree, a double cheeseburger, and a diet coke."

Please pull up to the second window.

[deepthought42]

20. ew ew ew ew

:puke: Just as bad as liberty....:scared:

[progressoid]

22. 15 credit hours. 14 of which are Bible study.

Good grief.