Requirements for Kindergarten Teachers in Illinois
To work as a kindergarten teacher in Illinois, certification from the Illinois State Board of Education is necessary. Prospective kindergarten teachers have the option to pursue certification in early childhood education, allowing them to teach children from birth through third grade, or elementary education, which is for kindergarten through ninth grade. The two certifications have similar requirements.
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Education
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For both types of certifications for kindergarten teachers, candidates must hold a bachelor's degree and complete a state-approved certification program. As of September 2011, 28 colleges in Illinois offered an early childhood certification program, while 51 Illinois colleges had elementary education programs. The programs often culminate in a bachelor's degree for those who have not yet received a college degree. Some teacher preparation programs also offer postbaccalaureate certificates and master's degrees for those who hold degrees in other fields and wish to become kindergarten teachers.
Testing
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Both types of certification for kindergarten teachers in Illinois require passing a series of exams through the Illinois Certification Testing System. The two types of certificates both require the Basic Skills exam, which has sections on language arts, writing, mathematics and reading comprehension. Candidates for both types of certificate must also take a 120-question test that measures their knowledge of instructional methods in pedagogy, but the exams focus upon skills for either early childhood or elementary instruction. Prospective early childhood certificants then take an examination with questions concerning language and literacy development, learning across the curriculum and diversity, collaboration and professionalism in early childhood education. The final test for prospective elementary teachers deals with language arts, literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, the arts, health and physical education.
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Application
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Both types of certifications for kindergarten teachers in Illinois require candidates to fill out an application, which they can obtain from the Illinois State Department of Education's website. The application has a section that must be signed by the candidate's college, verifying that the applicant completed a certification program and is recommended for certification. In addition, the form asks questions about any previous criminal convictions that prospective teachers may have; a history of certain crimes can prevent candidates from receiving a kindergarten teaching license. All applicants must pay a fee when returning the form. As of September 2011, the cost of the fee was $30.
Standard Certificate
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The first certification that a kindergarten teacher in Illinois in early childhood or elementary education is known as the initial certificate. This certification is not renewable, meaning that teachers must complete additional requirements to move to the standard license. The standard license requires four years of teaching experience as well as the completion of an additional qualifying activity. The Illinois State Board of Education has identified several qualifying activities, including earning an advanced degree, participating in mentoring programs and obtaining national certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards.
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