Jan. 18, 2008
Q: There are programs that encourage military personnel and their spouses to become teachers, namely, Troops to Teachers and Spouses to Teachers. Why is there no Bachelor’s level education classes offered on such a large base as Yokosuka? I know of a few people who are interested in becoming teachers but end up having to take classes such as basic English and Math either through Central Texas College or online. There are many people on this base who are qualified to be instructors in Bachelors level classes and the DoDDs schools are available for student teaching. The only education classes offered are at the Master’s level at Yokota.

A: There are several schools that offer Baccalaureate level coursework that can be applied to an Education Degree. What courses a student enrolls in depends on a few things: What is the student’s major, (English, Math, Sociology, etc.)? What school does the student wish to receive a degree from? Is online learning an option? Please keep in mind that almost any nontechnical degree is achievable via using web-based courses and/or classroom based courses. If a student is interested in becoming a teacher, they have the option of achieving a degree in a specific subject and becoming certified to teach that subject. If the student is looking specifically for a Bachelor’s Degree in Education they may inquire directly with the Navy College Office at 243-8131 about completion via an online program. Central Texas College offers an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and the University of Phoenix offers a Master’s Degree in Education. Please keep in mind that the Troops to Teachers programs are designed to allow you to teach while simultaneously earning your Teacher Certification. If you receive certification from a state other than the state in which you wish to teach, the certification might not have reciprocity in other states. http:// www.act2teach.org/ is an excellent resource for statewide teacher certification requirements. As always, we welcome all of your educational questions/inquiries at the Navy College Office Mon.-Thurs. 7 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Fri. 7 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.