NC Residency Pathway: Becoming a Teacher is Easier Than You Think

Date: August 2, 2023

Becoming a teacher is a rewarding profession that shapes future generations. There are several different paths that a future teach can take. One of the most promising options is the Residency Pathway in North Carolina. This program offers an opportunity for people from diverse backgrounds to pursue their passion for teaching.

In this blog, we will explore the journey of becoming a North Carolina teacher through the Residency Pathway.

What is the Residency Pathway?

The Residency Pathway program recognizes that there are many people that have valuable skills and experiences but do not have a degree in education. The Residency Pathway program is designed to allow these otherwise qualified people to become highly skilled teachers.

From my experience, there are many teachers and administrators that entered education through the Residential Pathway Program. They tend to start with a higher level of maturity. Additionally, their past experience in the field that they are teaching lends them a high level of credibility with their students.

They tend to start their teaching career with a high level of maturity and are more relatable to the students because of their experiences.

The Journey Begins: Choosing the Residency Pathway

For many individuals, the idea of becoming a teacher may seem unattainable or a leap of faith. This is especially true if they come from different professional backgrounds. However, if you have a true desire to educate and motivate the next generation then you can succeed. The Residency Pathway is one way that can help you reach that goal.

Why I Chose to Teach

I had been a law enforcement officer for 25 years. In that time, I meet nearly every professional goal that I had set for myself. For a large portion of my career, I was both an In-service and Firearms instructor. This is where I discovered my love of teaching. It was so rewarding to see someone do something that they did not think was possible.

However, my department was starting to change. Also, I was starting to lose my passion for the job. It was my wife that first suggested that I consider teaching children. She is an Elementary School Art teacher and is familiar with the Residency Pathway.

Like many people, I instantly loved the idea of teaching young people. However, I did not think that I had the experience necessary to become a teacher. Additionally, I could not understand why a school would hire me over a person with a degree in education. Even still, I decided to pursue this new and scary career change. I learned a lot along the way.

Eligibility

To qualify for the Residency Pathway, applicants must meet certain criteria. Some of those criteria include:

• Have a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field,
  • Don’t let this scare you because “a relevant field” is very broad and leaves a lot to interpretation.
• And have 24 hours of coursework in the area that you want to teach
• Or complete a Praxis quiz for your chosen area of teaching.
  • If you know exactly what you want to teach and can afford it (it cost me about $150) then you can get a head start and take the test.
  • I have seen where taking and passing this before being hired will help you. I did not do this.
• You must also pass a criminal background check.

That’s pretty much it. You can now apply to a local school

Permit To Teach

For me, the school district determined that my college education did not meet the 24 hour requirement. But that was not the end. I was given a Permit To Teach. This Permit to Teach spells out the various routes that need to be taken to become a fully licensed teacher.

This simply meant that while teaching, I had to pass the PRAXIS exam for my chosen field before the end of the school year. In my case, the PRAXIS exam was for Middle School Social Studies. Once I passed the PRAXIS I had to enroll in an NC Educator Prep Program (EPP). My school district refunded me the cost of the test.

I have 2 years to take and pass these college-level courses while teaching. The only difference between Permit to Teach and the actual Residency License route is when you take the PRAXIS. I had to take the Praxis BEFORE enrolling in EPP. In contrast, Residency Licensed teachers must pass the Praxis AFTER they finish the EPP.

Educator Prep Programs

Once I passed my PRAXIS, I was given a form called a Residency License Verification Form. The school district then gave me a list of approved Educator Prep Programs to choose from. I then contacted the school that offered the EPP program that I chose (East Carolina University).

Next, I enrolled in their EPP Program. I then submitted my Residency License Verification Form to the school. Currently, this program has one class per semester. This costs me about $613 per semester. I was able to set it up for payments of $122 per month.

Professional Development and Support

These mentors are a great source of support and knowledge. You are also given various short professional development classes. These classes help teach various skills such as technology integration, classroom management techniques, and cultural competency.

Culminating Success: Earning Full Licensure

After completing the Residency Pathway, candidates may earn their full teaching license, becoming fully qualified educators in North Carolina. The process includes an evaluation of their teaching performance, demonstration of instructional skills, and a comprehensive assessment of their impact on student learning.

Conclusion

Becoming a North Carolina teacher through the Residency Pathway is an amazing opportunity. This program results in mature and highly qualified teachers that have real-world experience in their chosen fields. Having these experienced teachers in the classroom, helps students better understand how the class relates to the real world.

For some more tips please check out some of my other posts HERE.

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