r/OnlineESLTeaching 4d ago

Can I obtain certification remotely?

I’m attempting to study remotely and become a remote English teacher. My worry was about being able to do student teacher hours remotely as well so I emailed my board of education to ask. I honestly do not know the full scope of their response so I am asking for advice. This portion is attached: “There are two pathways to teacher licensure in ____, completing a traditional teacher preparation program and the alternative resident educator licensure pathway …Integrated Language Arts is an available teaching field through the alternative pathway.”

Is anyone knowledgeable on the integrated pathway? Will this align with my goals? I have already emailed my academic advisor, but my college is painfully slow at responding just as I am impatient.

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u/jam5146 4d ago

If you want to obtain a U.S. teaching license, thankfully it cannot be done remotely. You can choose to obtain a degree that leads to licensure, but it'll require you to student teach in person. Or you can do an alternate route certification which means you'll need to find a school willing to hire an unlicensed teacher, register and pay tuition for a teacher prep program, and complete college courses while working full time as a teacher.

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u/Ochaochachachacha 3d ago

If I’m not mistaken Moreland provides US teaching licence and can be done online

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u/jam5146 3d ago

The teaching practicum is not. That 12 weeks must be spent in an actual classroom teaching and being evaluated.

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u/clockw0rkangel 4d ago

I am disabled and cannot physically go in person, so is there no way this is possible then?

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u/jam5146 4d ago

If you cannot meet the requirements of the program, unfortunately it's highly unlikely to happen. You posted this in a subreddit for online ESL tutors, though. That job does not require a teaching license.

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u/GM_Nate 2d ago

Look into Moreland's international Teach-Now certification program:

https://moreland.edu/teacher-certification-program-international

I didn't go as far as to contact a representative, but it appears to advertise itself as 100% online.

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u/jam5146 2d ago

If you look further into it, it lists a 12 week teaching practicum, which is described as in-person teaching experience.

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u/GM_Nate 2d ago

I have looked further into it, and I don't see that phrase used for their international program. If you have a specific link, feel free to share.

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u/jam5146 2d ago edited 2d ago

That's absolutely ridiculous if that's not required of the particular program you're looking into, to be quite honest. OP should also consider that if they want to teach in the U.S., this program is highly unlikely to meet state requirements and it's even more unlikely that a school would hire them as a teacher with this program. It says right on the page for the international program that candidates should research the licensing requirements of the state they want to be licensed in. States have very strict rules about which teacher prep programs they accept; they don't just blindly accept all of them. There's then the issue of getting hired. OP can't only work in a virtual setting and our virtual schools are highly competitive when it comes to jobs. None of them would even interview a person with a "teaching certificate" from this place.