Q: If you already have a bachelor’s degree, you can complete additional requirements to obtain a teaching certification.  Check to make sure your degree is recognized by the Texas High Education Coordinating Board. This board requires that the institution you attended is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education. Make sure the programs that appeal to you offer the appropriate training. In particular, decide which grades and types of courses you’d like to teach.  These decisions will likely affect which certificate you need, and which program you should enroll in. If you intend to teach trade courses like welding or computer-aided drafting (CAD), you may not need a college degree. Look into securing specific certification necessary to teach these trade courses. Various institutions – including universities, community colleges, and even school districts – can prepare college graduates to earn their teaching certification.  These alternative certification programs are approved by the state of Texas.  Reach out to the nearest Texas Regional Education Service Center Headquarters for assistance finding a program that will work for you. These service centers even host alternative certification programs themselves! Ensure you meet the eligibility requirements by consulting the program’s administrators before you apply.  Usually, these requirements will include some minimum skills, a minimum GPA from your undergraduate studies, and a demonstration that you are familiar with the content you hope to teach.  Some requirements are state mandated and some are chosen by the programs. Reach out to a program’s administrators if you’re curious about how strict certain requirements may be. Meet with program staff to help you determine the specific course of your training.  This will include some sort of teaching experience in an internship-like context, tests, and other requirements.  Ensure that you’re prepared for a teaching internship by taking the necessary courses and tests to qualify for an internship first.  Usually, you will be trained for about a year before having the opportunity to begin working as a teaching intern with supervision and mentoring. Meet with an advisor even before you begin your coursework, to ensure you’ll be eligible to begin your internship as quickly as the program allows. Once you’ve met the requirements of your program, you’ll receive an eligibility statement to begin working as a teaching intern. Apply online with the Texas Education Agency for a probationary certificate that will allow you to do so. Make a TEA login (TEAL) account, pay around $100 dollars in fees for the application and fingerprinting costs, and submit to a criminal background check. When setting up your TEAL account as a new user, select “Educator” as your “Organization Type.” The website will prompt you how to proceed. Locate and apply for a position at the grade level and in the subject area you hope to become certified in.  Ask program staff about how to look for these sorts of positions. They will likely help you do so.  A school that agrees to host you will assign you a mentor. You’ll also continue to be supervised by staff from your program. You'll work with many of the teachers and the principal of the school where you're teaching. They will report on your suitability for certification. Once you’ve completed all of your program’s requirements, they will be able to recommend you for a standard certificate. Use your TEAL account to apply by clicking the “Educator” link and choosing the standard certificate application. Follow the website’s prompts, including payment of the $78 dollar fee.  For specific guidance navigating the TEA website and Educator Certification Online System, contact a representative of your region’s Education Service Center.  You may be eligible to extend your probationary certificate for another year if you do not complete all of your program’s requirements within one year.
A: Qualify for a certification program with the degree you already have. Determine your areas of interest. Choose an alternative certification program. Apply to the program of your choice. Complete the program according to a specific plan. Secure a one-year probationary contract. Secure a teaching internship. Apply for a standard teaching certificate.

Q: An authoritative style is high in acceptance and freedom, while still having clearly defined rules and expectations. This type of parenting is correlated with high academic achievement.  An authoritative style involves being warm, caring, and flexible with the child. Focus on setting boundaries and rules, but be willing to negotiate or be flexible if necessary. Accept the teen for who he is, and let him know that you accept him. Encourage him to work toward his dreams, whatever they may be.   Authoritative parents are involved. Teens experience involvement when their parents are available to help them with homework and other challenges, as well as when their parents spend quality time with the family.  Avoid authoritarian parenting. Authoritarian parenting is associated with strict and inflexible rules and an, "I'm right and you're wrong" mentality. An example of authoritarian style parenting would be if the teen said, "My father tells me that he is right and I should just obey him and never question his authority." Instead of being authoritarian, allow your teen to be involved in the boundary-setting process. Explain the reason for the rules that are made, and give the teen a chance to voice his opinion. Negotiate and compromise in order to come to a decision. For example, if you think your teen should have straight A's, while the teen believes this is too high an expectation, be willing to adjust this standard to meet the teens needs. Perhaps you could come to an agreement for him to get at least a B in each class. This type of communication is associated with conveying your message in a respectful and appropriate manner. Assertiveness comes from an, "I'm okay. You're okay" thought process.  Use an appropriate tone that is calm and comforting. Say, “no” when necessary. Explain your reasoning for rules and why they are in place. Be honest and open about your thoughts and feelings (while also being respectful and tactful). Use I statements such as, "I feel angry when you stay out past curfew." Avoid aggressive communication. Aggressive communication comes from an, "I'm okay, you're not okay," mentality. Do not threaten or yell at your child, this models inappropriate behaviors for the teen and can make him feel fearful. Limit passive communication. Passivity in communication is not expressing your needs and feelings. Passiveness comes from a, "You're okay. I'm not okay" perspective. A passive parent might be afraid of his teenager and instead of communicating with him, he would avoid him. Teens need structure in order to feel safe and secure and to reduce the likelihood of engagement in risky behaviors.  Set limits that are realistic and fair. Make house rules. Tell your teen what behaviors are acceptable and which ones are not. For example, give your adolescent a curfew, and explain the specific consequences of staying out past the curfew. Assign chores. Having chores can give the youth a sense of responsibility. Explain that everyone in the home needs to contribute. You can make a chore chart and provide rewards when your children complete their chores without being asked. Set specific consequences for undesirable behaviors. Be very specific about what your teenager is not allowed to do (i.e. stay out past curfew, cut school, use drugs, etc.), as well as what will happen if the youth breaks the rule (i.e. grounding, taking away car or other privileges). Make sure your teen knows that he has a choice of whether or not to follow the rules. Rewarding desired behaviors can result in an increase in those behaviors and a reduction in associated negative behaviors. One study showed that youth who were rewarded for wearing their seat belts increased their overall seat belt use.  Reward good behavior. When your child does something positive such as getting a good grade on a test, offer a reward such as a new piece of clothing that he wants. Draw attention to positive qualities. High self-esteem in teenagers is a factor that helps guard against the development of negative feelings and behaviors. Tell your child that you are proud of him. Give specific examples of his accomplishments such as getting a good grade on a test or paper, being honest, or doing his chores. Allow the youth to earn freedom. A youth that believes he is in control is associated with lower levels of aggressive behavior.
A:
Use authoritative parenting. Use assertive communication. Set boundaries. Use positive reinforcement.