Program helps future teachers

By GINGER MIKKELSEN

VIEW STAFF WRITER

Basic High School employees Donni Rincon and Joan Townsend have been working on their elementary education degrees for what seems to them like an eternity.

Rincon is a teacher's aide who works with mentally challenged students. Townsend provides clerical support in the school library. Both women have dreamed of being teachers for as long as they can remember.

There are many local programs available to train teachers, but Rincon and Townsend had no luck finding a program to fit them. The women either had too many or not enough college credits to qualify for some programs. Other programs required them to quit their day jobs.

Rincon, a widow raising her children alone, was the sole family breadwinner. Leaving her job to go to school full-time was not a choice she could accept.

In September, the two friends found a new program which they say fits just right. Nova Southeastern University, known locally for offering graduate school courses, just started an elementary education degree program. Rincon and Townsend are among a handful of students to sign up.

The Las Vegas branch of Nova Southeastern University is one of several distance education campuses sponsored by the Fort Lauderdale, Fla., university. Nova has offered classes to students in Las Vegas for more than 20 years.

The Nevada branch is located at 5740 S. Eastern Ave., Suite 160.

Townsend said traditional college schedules and coursework made her sacrifice time, both at work and with her family.

"Do I (take time to) be a mom or do I (take time to) be a student?" Townsend asked.

At Nova, classes meet during weekend or evening hours to accommodate working adults. The program also offers a few courses online to increase flexibility for students. Teacher candidates are still required to complete 14 weeks of full-time student teaching to receive their degree.

The Nova program focuses specifically on requirements for teacher education. Students are required to have their general education requirements completed before entering the program, although there are no entrance examinations to take.

Rincon said the administrators at Nova have tried hard to make life easier for students. She said they understand and work around family and job-related requirements.

"They give you one-on-one attention," Rincon said. "They have bent over backwards to work with me."

Rincon and Townsend said they like the classes, which are focused and smaller. They also like not having to fight for parking spaces on a large university campus.

The women said they hope to finally receive their degrees and teach.

"We've been going to school so long. It's nice to actually be seeing a light at the end," Townsend said.

For information on Nova's bachelor's degree in education, call 365-6682.