Transition to Teaching program adds online evening option for teachers on emergency license

In response to the current teacher shortage, Goshen College is now offering an online evening track for its Transition to Teaching program. Previously, students enrolled in the college’s Transition to Teaching program would attend classes on campus during the daytime.

“We knew that daytime classes were prohibitive for working adults,” said Suzanne Ehst, professor of education. “Seeing a lot of our partner schools scramble to fill their positions was the motivation we needed to finally pivot online.”

Now, students enrolled in the program have the opportunity to attend classes in the evening via Zoom and work asynchronously in the summer. Ehst said that coursework is intentionally slower during the academic year when teachers on emergency permits are juggling full-time teaching responsibilities, and accelerated during the summer, but without the commitment to log in at specific times.

By taking one course at a time and completing all fieldwork in their own classroom, secondary educators can earn a permanent instructional license in less than two years. Though this program was specially designed for teachers already working in schools, anyone with daytime commitments can participate.

The adult and continuing studies rate for 2023-24 is $495 per credit hour, and scholarships are available to those working in Elkhart County schools. For more information and to apply visit goshen.edu/adult.