Alternative program helps career changers and soldiers go into teaching

By GAIL SCHONTZLER, Chronicle Staff Writer

Cassie Munson had thought about teaching someday when she graduated with a degree in Spanish from Western Washington University.

After a few years of skiing and traveling, Munson began working as an aide and substitute teacher at Ophir School in Big Sky. She decided she really did want to become a teacher.

Thanks to an alternative program that helps mid-career people, soldiers and others switch careers to become classroom teachers, Munson was able to take the classes she needed over the Internet.

Last week she began her first year as a supervised, resident teacher at Ophir School, teaching kindergarten and Spanish.

"I love teaching kindergarten, it's a lot of fun," Munson said. "I love teaching Spanish."

She is one of more than 100 people pursuing teaching careers through Montana State University's program, Northern Plains Transition to Teaching.

"We're having to take the university to where they're working," said Greg Weisenstein, dean of MSU's College of Education, Health & Human Development. "Most people can't stop working and give up their income for a year or two" to earn a teaching certificate.

And, he said, "We have schools with a crying need for teachers."

Weisenstein said MSU's program has been named a national model by the U.S. Department of Education. It awarded MSU a five-year, competitive grant of $4.3 million.

Coverage from CNN, NPR radio and newspapers from New York to Los Angeles prompted 5,000 inquiries nationally - from accountants to zoologists.

The program tries especially hard to place teachers in "high-needs" schools - those with high poverty rates or hard-to-fill openings - in Montana, South Dakota and Wyoming.

Teachers who agree to work in high-needs schools for three years receive $5,000 forgivable loans. For teachers like Munson, who aren't teaching in high-needs schools, the online classes cost about $750 each.

Since the program started a year and a half ago, 300 people have applied, yet only 103 were accepted, according to Robert MacDonald, Transition to Teaching director.

A dozen of the teacher candidates are former members of the military. Many have been helped by a related federal program, Troops to Teachers.

The people they're sending into classrooms are mature, experienced and often leaders, MacDonald said.

One new teacher, a former Los Angeles police officer, moved to tiny Simms, Mont., where he became the volleyball coach and started a rugby league.

Rural school superintendents have asked MSU to "give me as many of those people as you can," Weisenstein said.

Ophir School's Munson said she has already recommended the program to friends. She's glad that she didn't have to go back to college to earn another bachelor's degree, or travel to MSU for classes "and drive the canyon every day."

While teaching this year, she must take more classes online to complete the program. And next summer, she could take just two more classes and earn a master's degree.

"Taking classes at the same time (as teaching) is a lot of work," Munson said. "However, the classes I'm taking now are directly related, helping me be a better teacher."

Sept. 17 is the deadline for the next round of Northern Plains Transition to Teaching candidates. For more information, call 994-5635 or visit www.montana.edu/nptt/.

Gail Schontzler is at gails@dailychronicle.com

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