What is Transitional B

This chapter describes an alternative teacher certification program to achieve two objectives. The first is to highlight the connection to experiential learning. This connection to experiential learning that underscores the strength of a program in which “work” is essential to gaining true knowledge. The second objective is to refute the negative perception that alternative teacher certification programs may carry due to the negative connotations associated with such programs. These objectives will be accomplished by describing the State University of New York (SUNY) Empire State College's Master of Arts in Teaching Program and demonstrating that it meets the high standards expected from any teacher preparation program. It is the author's hope that stakeholders with an investment in education and in teacher preparation, in particular, will not make unfounded assumptions about alternative preparations and instead understand that there are high quality alternative teacher certification programs that support the profession of teaching.