Introduction to Teaching
Introduction to Teaching: 50 Hour Preservice Course for the Alternate Route to Teaching-Community College Program (ART-CC)
PT101 - 50 hours
COURSE FEE: $350
Instructor: Kathryn Suk
Date: February 24 - May 12 (no class on 3/10 and 4/7)
Day: Tuesday
Time: 4:30-7:30pm
Location: Clinton Township Middle School
Click here to register
Last day to register is February 20, 2026
PT102: 50 hours
Course Fee: $350
Instructor: Dr. Kathryn Suk
Date: February 26-May 14 (no class 3/12 and 4/2)
Day: Thursday
Time: 4:30-7:30 pm
Location: Hillsborough Township Board of Education
Click here to register
Last day to register is February 20, 2026
Classroom teachers are in high demand! There is a teacher shortage happening in states across the nation; New Jersey is no exception. The Alternate Route to Teaching-Community College Program is your opportunity to explore the notion of becoming a teacher, even if you did not attend a Teacher Education program as an undergraduate student.
To be eligible for employment as an Alternate Route teacher, candidates must hold a bachelor’s degree with a minimum GPA from an accredited college or university, pass the Praxis II exam for their intended certification area, complete a 50 Hour Preservice course, and apply to the NJ Department of Education for a Certificate of Eligibility.
For more information, visit the NJ Department of Education’s Alternate Route website
Please note: The Basic Skills test requirement has been removed as of January 1, 2025.
Introduction to Teaching: 50 Hour Preservice course is the prerequisite course for the Alternate Route to Teaching-Community College (ART-CC) program at Brookdale Community College. Candidates may complete this course through Raritan Valley Community College and then complete the remaining 350 hours of hybrid course work at Brookdale Community College.
For more information, visit Brookdale’s Alternate Route website
Introduction to Teaching at RVCC includes 30 hours of classroom instruction. In addition, candidates must secure observational and experiential learning settings to complete eight hours of classroom observation (four in a general education setting and four in a special education setting) and 12 hours of clinical experiences. Assistance is provided should candidates be unable to secure their own placements for the 20 hours of observational and experiential learning.
About Your Instructor
Dr. Kathryn Suk (sook like book) has been teaching for 27 years, and she is a proud product of the Alternate Route program. Kathryn started her career in Education as a substitute teacher and later became a paraprofessional. After she earned her teaching certificate, Kathy taught middle school Math and Spanish for one year and Fourth Grade for nine years. Later, she moved into Higher Education where she has taught aspiring educators at the community college level for 17 years. Kathryn holds an Elementary Classroom Teacher license and a Supervisor of Instruction endorsement from the New Jersey Department of Education. Additionally, she completed the Learning Forward (formerly National Staff Development Council) Academy XVI program. Kathryn earned her BS in Business Administration from Rider University, her M. Ed. in Instruction from The College of New Jersey, and her Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership from Stockton University.
Teaching Assistant Paraprofessional Training: Level 1-Essential Foundations
PT001: 15 hours
Course Fee: $199*
Instructor: Dr. Sandra Lynch
Date: March 18 and 25, April 15, 22, and 29
Day: Wednesday
Time: 4:00-7:00 pm
Location: Manville High School Media Center
Register: Call 908-526-1200 x8983 or email kathryn.suk@raritanval.edu
Last day to register is March 16, 2026
*The first 20 students to enroll will pay a discounted tuition of only $50.
Qualified classroom assistants are in high demand! Take the first step to explore the exciting role of becoming a paraprofessional-a teacher’s assistant or teacher’s aide-through this three-tiered professional development offering from Raritan Valley Community College.
Level 1-Essential Foundations will include fifteen hours of instruction across five modules:
• Understanding the Role of the Paraprofessional
• Classroom Management and Interpersonal Skills
• Behaviors: What are they, and what do they mean?
• De-escalating Behaviors
• Supporting Students with Diverse Needs
Level 2: Advanced Professional Learning (12 hours) and Level 3: Content-Specific Expertise (9 hours) will be offered in May and June 2026 at the Manville High School Media Center. Registration information to follow.
This program is appropriate for current or prospective paraprofessionals, current substitute teachers, or anyone interested in enhancing their capacity to support students and teachers to make a positive impact on teaching and learning in a classroom setting.
This program is presented in partnership with the NJ Pathways to Career Opportunities initiative which brings together employers, industry associations, labor unions, education institutions, and workforce development partners to provide students and workers with the career pathways they need to find new careers and opportunities, and to ensure that employers have access to a highly skilled workforce to meet critical labor market needs. The discounted tuition is made possible through generous donors to the Raritan Valley Community College Foundation.
About your instructor:
Dr. Sandra Lynch has dedicated over 28 years to the field of special education and is a proud advocate for inclusive, student-centered practice. She began her career working directly with students and families, supporting learners with diverse needs across community and classroom-based settings. Through these early roles, she developed a strong foundation in collaboration, advocacy, and results-oriented programming.
After earning her teaching certification, Dr. Lynch focused her work at the secondary level with a strong lens on successful transitions into the adult world. She supported students across a range of settings, emphasizing postsecondary planning, functional skill development, and coordinated team-based supports. Her passion for preparing future educators later led her to higher education, where she has spent three years teaching and mentoring aspiring professionals at the college level.
Dr. Lynch holds a Teacher of the Handicapped (TOH) and Supervisory license, as well as a Principal Certificate of Eligibility from the New Jersey Department of Education and has extensive experience providing professional development, consultation, and programmatic support to schools, districts, and families. She earned her bachelor’s degree from Bloomsburg University, her master’s degree from Seton Hall University, and her Doctorate in Education from Rutgers University.
