After 25 years as a secretary for the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), Cheryl Sharpe decided to pursue her dream and become a teacher. Currently, she is working on her Master of Education in Special Education degree with a concentration in Early Intervention / Early Childhood Special Education at Penn State.
Mrs. Shape said that she had wanted to be an elementary education teacher since the third grade. Even after raising her children and a full career in secretarial work, she never gave up her dream. After retirement, she went to work as a substitute teacher’s aide and worked toward obtaining her teacher’s license.
Because she had a Bachelor of Arts in General Arts and Sciences from Penn State, she entered in the Curriculum and Instruction program at Penn State, which included taking classes and student teaching. To obtain her teaching license, she also had to pass three Praxis tests. The Praxis Series tests are tests required by prospective educations professionals, such as teachers and school psychologists, as part of the certification process required by many states.
Once she obtained her teaching license, she began working in local school districts as a substitute teacher. In Pennsylvania, substitute teachers are required to have a teaching license.
After attaining her lifetime dream of obtaining her teaching license she decided to continue her education and pursue her master’s degree. She entered an accelerated master’s degree program; she will earn 44 graduate-level credits over 15 months.
Mrs. Shape’s has a full schedule. Graduate students in semester-based programs are considered full-time students if they are taking nine credits during a semester. Mrs. Shape’s program requires her to take 15-18 credits during both the fall and spring semesters and 5-6 credits during the summer sessions. In addition to taking classes, she continues to substitute teach.
After completing her master’s degree and other requirements, she will be certified to teach special education to students from preschool through the twelfth grade. Because of her previous student teaching, she is not required to complete additional student teaching. However, she must complete several shorter field experiences. She must pass the Praxis in special education.
Education, especially graduate degrees, can be very expensive. Financial aid other than loans for graduate programs can be difficult to find. As a retired Penn State employee, Mrs. Sharpe receives a 75% tuition discount. She also received a federal grant that pays the remaining 25% of her tuition and books. The grant requires her to work in Early Intervention or Early Childhood Special Education for three years following her program completion.
Mrs. Sharpe’s advice for future teachers:
- Make sure you really enjoy spending time with children
- Be prepared to do a lot of paperwork as a teacher
- Use creativity
- Get lots of sleep and take your vitamins; you will need all of the energy you can get
- Only become a teacher if you want to make a difference in the lives of children
Mrs. Sharpe’s advice for prospective graduate students:
- Select a program that suits your needs
- Be prepared to work hard
- Stay organized and stick to a schedule
- Keep up with your writing skills
- Look into all possible funding possibilities
Image provided by Cheryl Sharpe. All rights to the image are retained by her.
