This article details an alternative to teacher certification programs, one that’s apparently based upon student teachers spending lots of time in the classroom.

Sounds like a great program.

My only question — why is it that most alternative routes to certification claim to be moving outside of the university setting but don’t actually eliminate university coursework? In other words, intern candidates may BEGIN teaching but they still have to complete university courses to get certified.

As a graduate of a teacher education program, and as a teacher educator, I do believe that there is great worth in a university based certification. But if we’re going to create alternative routes, let’s make sure they’re actually something different.

This sort of staff development school, where teachers certify new teachers, now that’d be something.