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Enrolled Candidates

Frequently Asked Questions

 

Congratulations! You’re now enrolled and well on your way toward becoming a teacher! As you work toward fulfilling your dream, it’s not uncommon for a few questions to arise. Read our Enrolled Candidates FAQ to find the answers you’re looking for! We value transparency, so if you have another question not answered on this page, feel free to submit a new question using the form at the bottom of the page.

WHAT IS MY PRE-SERVICE TRAINING?

Your Pre-Service Training is composed of your online courses known as your Classroom Readiness Training and your 30 hours of Field-Based Experience (FBE) hours, also known as Classroom Observation hours.

WHAT DOES THE TRAINING COVER?

The curriculum is organized around six main constructs for learning: The Teacher, The Learner, Lesson Planning, Instructional Strategies, Assessing Learning, and The Learning Environment. There are multiple courses within each construct that help the prospective teacher understand the pedagogy behind their role as an educator in the classroom. Please visit our Training page for samples of the coursework you will engage within each construct.

IS MY TRAINING 100% ONLINE?

The Classroom Readiness Training and Test Preparation modules are always available online. You are also required to complete 30 hours of Field-Based Experience hours before entering the classroom. Due to COVID-19, all 30 hours may currently be completed online, making the entire program 100% online!

DO I HAVE TO COMPLETE TRAINING BEFORE TAKING AN EXAM?

No, the testing, training, and Field-Based Experience hours can be completed in any order. The optional test preparation courses can help prepare you for the exams.

WHAT ARE FIELD-BASED EXPERIENCE HOURS?

Classroom observations, also known as Field-Based Experience (FBE) hour are introductory experiences for a certification candidate involving reflective observation of EC-12 students, teachers, and faculty/staff members engaging in educational activities in a school setting.

HOW MANY FBE HOURS DO I NEED TO COMPLETE?

12 in person FBE hours are required; 1 of which must be completed at a low performing school.

WHEN CAN I COMPLETE MY FBE HOURS?

FBE hours can be completed on our after your paid admission date and must be submitted and verified within one year of completing the visit to the school.

HOW DO I SCHEDULE IN-PERSON FBE HOURS?

While most schools normally provide plenty of classroom observation opportunities for aspiring teachers, in-person options may be limited due to current circumstances. We recommend you first check the district website and search online for observation approval information. If you do not find more information online, call the district Human Resources department. Make sure you have first searched the district website and contacted the HR department before you call a campus directly.

HOW DO I LOG MY FBE HOURS?

You can submit your completed hours in your Intern Portal. If you navigated to the “Pre-Service” tab, you will find an FBE Submission From. Once your hours have been verified, they will appear in your Intern Portal.

HOW DO I VERIFY MY FBE HOURS?

We’ll help you take care of this step! Your FBE hours must be verified by the person who you observed, the principal of the campus, or the HR department of the school district. The FBE hours will not show as completed in your Intern Portal until they have been verified by email from the supervising individual. After submitting your FBE hours, our system will generate an automated email to the supervising individual. Please ask them to check their spam folder.

WHAT IS THE TURNAROUND TIME FOR GRADED PROJECTS?

Our typical grading time is 3-5 business days, however, there are occasional times when it could take longer.

CAN I RESUBMIT AN ASSIGNMENT IF I DO NOT PASS?

Yes, you have multiple attempts to pass your projects. Our instructors will provide you with guided feedback to ensure you succeed.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT A GRADE I RECEIVED; WHO SHOULD I ASK?

We’re always happy to provide you with more feedback! For any questions or clarification regarding grades or project feedback, please email us at CurriculumSupport@TexasTeachers.org.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT THE CURRICULUM; WHO SHOULD I ASK?

Our online instructors are available to answer any questions you may have regarding the training content and curriculum. You can reach them from any page by clicking on the question mark icon. If you can’t find one on the current page, you can always find the help icon on the left slide of your main dashboard. Also, feel free to email us with a specific question at CurriculumSupport@TexasTeachers.org.

I AM HAVING TECHNICAL ISSUES WITH CANVAS; WHAT SHOULD I DO?

For technical issues with Canvas, please take a screenshot of the page on which you are experiencing an issue. Then, you should contact the Canvas support team by clicking on the question mark icon (available on most pages).  If you cannot locate the question mark icon, there is always a help button on the left-side menu on your main dashboard. You can also email us at CanvasSupport@TexasTeachers.org.

I NEED CLARIFICATION REGARDING MY PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS; WHO SHOULD I ASK?

If you are unsure about what is required of you or have a specific question regarding your personalized training path, please reach out to an Advisor at Teach@NorthCarolinaTeachers.org.

DO I NEED TO COMPLETE MY PRE-SERVICE TRAINING BEFORE TAKING AN EXAM?

No, you do not. You may complete your Classroom Readiness Training, Field-Based Experience hours, and testing in any order. We offer several optional test preparation courses to help prepare you for many different state exams.

WHAT EXAMS AM I REQUIRED TO TAKE?

All teacher candidates are required to pass the North Carolina State Board of Education (NCSBE) approved licensure exam(s). Additionally, you must also take the specific content area test in the subject area in which you are seeking licensure. Please note that due to COVID-19 allowances, passing state exams before teaching is not currently required for the 2020-2021 school year.

HOW DO I REGISTER FOR EXAMS?

You may register for exams through the testing vendors, Pearson and Praxis. For more details regarding test preparation, please view this page.

CREATE PRAXIS ACCOUNT       CREATE PEARSON ACCOUNT

WHEN DO I TAKE MY EXAMS?

Typically, your content exam(s) must be passed before seeking employment, however, this is not required for the 2020-2021 school year.

HOW SHOULD I STUDY FOR THE EXAMS?

We have licensure exam preparation modules within our online training to help you pass the exams. We also offer a wide variety of suggested resources, including test preparation discounts, on our North Carolina State Testing page. Finally, we encourage you to join our Official North Carolina Facebook Community to connect with your peers to share study tips and ask/give advice.

ARE THERE ANY OTHER EXAMS I CAN TAKE TO INCREASE MY CHANCES OF GETTING HIRED?

Absolutely! While you are required to pass the specific content area test in the subject area in which you are seeking licensure, you may also take additional content area tests to meet federal “highly qualified” status. Attaining this status will help increase your marketability as a candidate for a teaching position. For more tips on how to increase your marketability, please read our Marketability Guide.

 

WILL NORTH CAROLINA TEACHERS HELP ME GET HIRED?

Absolutely! You ultimately choose which districts to apply with, but North Carolina Teachers has a team of representatives that work closely with schools across the state. We provide thousands of candidate lists, by request, to schools every year, and host both in-person and virtual job fairs. We notify candidates regarding teacher hiring events and list the schools that have recently requested our candidates. We also provide a wealth of resources to help you prepare to get your first teaching job, from online webinars and seminars to resume review services and portfolio guidance.

WHAT DO I NEED TO GET HIRED?

Currently, the only item required to get hired is your Form RL. If you have passed your content exam, your Enrollment Letter will also help!

WHAT IS A Form RL?

Before accepting employment, you must provide your district with a Form Residency License (RL), also known as Certification of Supervision, which is a document that confirms you are eligible for employment. You will need your Form RL to get hired and obtain your Residency License.

WHEN SHOULD I START MY JOB SEARCH?

We recommend starting your job search as soon as you have received your Form RL! Once you have received a job offer, let us know! In conjunction with your new school, we will submit a request through the NC Department of Instruction (NCDPI) to issue your Residency License.

I HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT A JOB APPLICATION; WHO SHOULD I ASK?

You should call the school Human Resources department, as each district application is unique.

WHAT SHOULD I DO AFTER I RECEIVE A JOB OFFER?

Congratulations! After you receive a job, it is extremely important to submit the “I Got a Job” form in your Intern Portal under the “Internship” tab. After we submit a request through the NC Department of Instruction (NCDPI) to issue your Residency License, you may then complete your Residency License application.

WHAT TYPE OF LICENSE DO I NEED TO TEACH DURING MY FIRST YEAR?

You will need to apply for a Residency License for your first-year teaching.

WHEN SHOULD I PAY FOR MY RESIDENCY LICENSE APPLICATION?

We recommend you pay for your Residency License application once you have received a job offer.

HOW DO I START THE PROCESS TO RECEIVE MY RESIDENCY LICENSE?

You must submit the “I Got a Job” form located in your Intern Portal as soon as you accept an offer to teach.

WHEN WILL NORTH CAROLINA TEACHERS REQUEST THE ISSUANCE OF MY RESIDENCY LICENSE?

Once you have accepted a full-time teacher of record and have submitted the “I Got a Job” form in your Intern Portal, we will submit a request through the North Carolina Department of Education to issue your Residency License.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A RESIDENCY LICENSE, AN INITIAL PROFESSIONAL LICENSE, AND A CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL LICENSE?

A Residency License is issued for one year and is renewable twice at the recommendation of an employing North Carolina school system; this is what you will first be issued when you first begin teaching. An Initial Professional License is non-renewable and intended for teachers with 0-2 years of teaching experience, and is valid for 3 years. A Continuing Professional License is intended for teachers with 3 or more years of teaching experience and is valid for 5 years. Once you complete all of your program requirements and successfully complete one year of full-time teaching on a Residency License, you will be recommended for either the Initial or Continuing Professional License depending on how many years of teaching experience you have.

 

WHERE CAN I FIND THE LATEST COVID-19 UPDATES?

All COVID-19 Updates can be found on our webpage, under our Resources tab. Learn more.

WHERE CAN I FIND NEW RESOURCES, TIPS, AND RELEVANT ARTICLES?

We frequently post new, relevant articles, share resources, and keep you informed about all things teaching on our Teaching in North Carolina blog! Learn More.

Do you have another question that you can’t quite seem to find the answer to on this page? Feel free to check out our two other FAQ pages:

PROGRAM EXPLORATION FAQ
RECENT APPLICANTS FAQ

No luck? Submit a new question by filling out the form below!

FAQ Question Submission Form

 

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