Secondary Teacher Education Program (6-12)

Leaning on an educator can facilitate engaging and thoughtful coordination between student and mentor during the most transformative years of learning. If you have a desire to teach grades 6-12, the Teacher Education Program at Bridgewater College is here to provide a hands-on approach to education. With cross-disciplinary mastery, clinical experiences, and innovation, we transform classrooms into thriving communities.

No workday will ever be the same in a secondary classroom. Earn your stripes as a mentor, advocate, and role model by becoming a secondary educator through the Bridgewater Teacher Education program. We make it simple with our state-approved program for secondary education so that you can be licensed to teach in Virginia, and many other states, through reciprocal certification contracts upon completion of the program.

We share a common goal with parents, educators, and policymakers nationwide 
Connection in the classroom that encourages students to aim for their greatest potentials

Once you are accepted to the program, you major in your chosen content field, complete the general education requirements and complete the required Teacher Education Program courses.

Candidates may also seek add-on endorsements to their teaching license by taking a Praxis subject area exam.

If you are a transfer candidate, you should meet with a member of the education department as soon as you arrive at Bridgewater to plan your education course sequence.

In addition to completing the core courses of your chosen major, students must also complete the required education courses to obtain licensure certification:

Dr. Martin is a devoted educator who provides students support and insight as an Associate Professor of Education and the Coordinator of Secondary Education at Bridgewater College.

As a licensed English teacher for grades 9-12, and the Teacher Education Program’s Admissions and Testing Support Coordinator, Dr. Martin finds joy in getting to know each of her students as she prepares them for testing on their journey to becoming a teacher. She strongly believes that assessments alone should not keep teachers from leading in schools. Rather, it is because, she states, that often the best teachers find that learning and assessment have not come easy for them.

Dr. Martin’s research interests include digital internships in teacher education, voice in teaching writing, and new literacies.

When she’s not teaching, Dr. Martin enjoys spending time with her husband and three children, swimming, hiking and cycling, reading, and working in her flower beds. 

“Teachers have to take good care of themselves so that they can take good care of their students.”

– Dr. Martin

Dr. Martin’s advice to students interested in becoming a teacher is to understand that teaching means meeting students where they are and educating them to become a better version of themselves. 

Students interested in the Teacher Education Program must complete a set of clinical experiences in their licensure and endorsement area.

All students will have completed more than 150 hours of clinical experience in 6-12 classrooms prior to their semester of student teaching.

Tests Required

Praxis Secondary Content Knowledge
There are many kinds of Praxis Exams which assess the qualifications of educators depending on the subject and grade level they teach.

For more information regarding required assessments for VA licensure in Secondary Education, access our Assessments Required page. Our comprehensive list of the exams you will need specifies passing scores, costs, preparation, and all the information you need to learn about becoming a certified educator.