Bilingual teachers fill rising need
Andrea Cohn of Arlington Heights needed to find a more rewarding profession.
So, the 40-something Cohn decided to end her 15-year career in international marketing and put her Spanish skills to better use.
She's in her first year of a joint federal/state program, known as Bilingual Transition to Teaching, to put her language skills to work at becoming a teacher.
"It finally got to me and I needed to do something where I felt like it was more fulfilling," Cohn said. She attends classes at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and is a bilingual resource teacher at Mark Twain Elementary School in Des Plaines.
The program, launched in 2004 to address the growing need for bilingual educators in the Chicago region, is set to expand to the Lake County area.
The state board of education is looking for 30 bilingual college graduates or professionals from Lake and McHenry counties, who are interested in switching careers. They can get a nearly free ride to earn a Master of Science degree in literacy education from Northern Illinois University.
Classes start in January at the University Center of Lake County in Waukegan. The application deadline is Friday.
The program started with Chicago Public Schools as its primary partner. As the suburbs have diversified, the demand for bilingual teachers has increased in school districts.
Anyone can apply as long as they have a bachelor's degree, are eligible to work in the United States, and are bilingual in a targeted language, such as Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Urdu, Cantonese, Korean and Gujarati.
Those who complete the program earn a teacher certification and are qualified to educate bilingual and English as a Second Language students. Participants can student teach during the course.
Program graduates must work in one of the 12 partner high-need school districts for three years. That includes North Chicago, Waukegan, and Zion in the northwest suburbs.
"When you're done (with the three years), you can go anywhere you want to go," Cohn said.
People from a variety of career fields have enrolled in the program, said Naomi Velazquez Greene, Bilingual Transition to Teaching program project manager.
The course takes a little more than two years to complete. A group of 30 students will attend evening classes together in Waukegan.
"There is a national demand for bilingual teachers," Greene said. "Almost every state has a Transition to Teaching grant in which they try to attract people who are either recent graduates or career switchers."
The primary language of need is Spanish, as 80 percent of English language learners in the Chicago region are Spanish speakers, she said.
By the time the $2 million grant is exhausted over five years, Greene hopes 180 elementary-level bilingual teachers will be qualified in the Chicago area.
"There aren't that many (programs) where they are getting either a large majority or the whole training paid for," she said. "With this program, it's about 85 percent paid for."
Looking for a career switch?
Details on the start of Bilingual Transition to Teaching program classes in Lake County.
Who can apply: Fresh graduates and people looking to switch careers from Lake and McHenry counties.
How many in a class: The Lake County section has room for 30 students.
Location: Classes start Jan. 28 at the University Center of Lake County, 1 N. Genesee St., Waukegan.
Cost: It's 85 percent paid for by a federal grant. Participants must pay for 18 hours of specialty bilingual and ESL courses on their own.
How to qualify? Applicants must be bilingual and have a bachelor's degree in any field except education from an accredited institution; pass the target language proficiency test to enter the program; be able to work legally in the United States.
Visit www.transitiontoteaching.com.
Application deadline is Friday, but can be extended as long as space is available.