Testimonials from graduates of the Post-Baccalaureate Teacher Certification

"I enjoyed the hands on experience of being in the classroom from the first day of school until the last day of school. I liked the fact that it only took 10 months to complete instead of 18 months. I met wonderfully talented people who are mentors and friends and are people who truly care about your success as a new teacher."

-Candace Bloch

"With the 'inside' advice and teaching us specifically what we need to know, I feel more prepared than other first year teachers. I don't seem to have the same struggles."

-Jennifer Holiday

"The courses are extremely important for teachers to understand and learn how to teach and utilize strategies for effective learning. The classes at SCC gave me this, but I feel more importantly, the field experience in many schools and grade levels made all the coursework come to life. The hands-on approach in classrooms and relationships built with the children really allowed me to not only learn, but develop an even more enthusiastic approach to an amazing profession. I have enjoyed an incredible first year teaching although everyone was right about the first year being a tough one. Mistakes will be made, but I felt very prepared to handle them and learn from them. This, I think, is the essence to being an effective teacher."

-Scott Cartan

"The program was both intense and challenging. I enjoyed it immensely, especially the direct experience through the year working directly in several classrooms and grade levels. This would be nearly impossible to duplicate in a traditional teacher prep program. Our group of prospective teachers bonded closely together during the year in the program. I truly miss seeing them as we learned a lot from one another. I would highly recommend the STEP program to anyone seeking the skills to become a great teacher!"

-Steve Kelly

"The program allows you to work in a variety of classrooms and grade levels. In so doing, you have the opportunity to see first hand what a particular grade level will be like, and additionally you are able to work and observe many teachers and teaching styles. I was able to discover methods of teaching that I appreciated and I felt would work well with my own particular way of interacting with students. I enjoyed the program and I would highly recommend it. Working in a classroom setting for ten months allowed me to immerse myself in the teaching experience, and in so doing gave me the chance to feel a part of the teaching community. I was able to glean a great deal of information on how to instruct students. I am now teaching and I feel very well prepared based on my time in the STEP program."

-Laura Goodrich