SJRCC PRESS RELEASE February 2008 EPI program prepares professionals for teaching careers As a single parent, law school graduate and former marathon runner, Robert Baker can appreciate a challenge, and at the age of 57, the St. Augustine resident is undertaking his latest challenge - a new career made possible through the teacher certification program at St. Johns River Community College. Baker, who often draws inspiration from his personal philosophy "it's the journey getting there," is well into his first year as an intensive reading teacher at St. Augustine High School and often finds himself relaying that same philosophy to his students. "The past has shown me where I want to work - where a small gain is a huge gain," he said. Baker recently turned his law degree into a teaching certificate through SJRCC's Educator Preparation Institute (EPI), a program designed to streamline the process for those with bachelor's degrees or higher to obtain a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate. As a single parent raising three children, Baker decided to postpone a demanding law career and work nights in the restaurant business in order to be more accessible to his family. He eventually began substitute teaching, and after moving from Boston to St. Augustine in 2004, he applied for a temporary teaching certificate and soon realized his calling. "I love kids and the everyday interaction teaching provides," he said. Although Baker taught at various schools in St. Johns County, he was often assigned to the exceptional education classes; however, Baker saw this as another positive challenge. "I like to help kids to have challenges," he said. "I try to show kids that continual practice can translate into a mastery of anything in life, whether it's reading, writing or even running a marathon." Baker enrolled in the EPI program last year and completed it eight months later. Although Baker said the EPI program provided a class schedule that was a good fit for his life, he was a little hesitant of the online courses. "It was the flexibility of the program that made it possible for me," Baker said. "Although I was a little apprehensive about the computer usage at first because I was not computer literate, the instructors were very instrumental in helping me through the computer part. The instructors went beyond the call of duty to help me adjust to the technical aspects." St. Augustine High School principal Tyrone Ramsey said Baker is a positive and strong addition to the department and a natural in the field of education. "Robert Baker has made a seemingly effortless transition to teaching in a public school setting. The rapport he has built with his ESE students continues to be a strong and positive one," Ramsey said. "Learning occurs on a daily basis and reading test scores in this classroom have increased since his appointment. Discipline issues in his classroom are non-existent." SJRCC's Alternative Teacher Certification Program, which is part of the EPI program, entails completing seven courses, passing the three parts of the Florida Teacher Certification Exam and submitting the required paperwork to the Florida Department of Education. Participants will be awarded a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate upon completion of the program. No other coursework is required, and the program can be completed in less than a year. SJRCC offers EPI courses online or at SJRCC's Palatka, Orange Park and St. Augustine campuses. In order to participate in the EPI program, applicants must have earned a bachelor's degree from a regionally accredited college or university and possess the disposition suitable for becoming a teacher. The program also satisfies the competency two requirement of the Florida reading endorsement. SJRCC will hold an EPI informational orientation on February 13 from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on the St. Augustine Campus. The session is free and open to the public. For more information, please call (386) 312-4242. PHOTO CAPTION: Robert Baker holds the latest book being read by his intensive reading class at St. Augustine High School. Baker recently completed the Educator Preparation Institute program at St. Johns River Community College. The program is designed to streamline the process for those with bachelor's degrees or higher to obtain a Florida Professional Teaching Certificate. Return to SJRCC home page.