Although she initially dismissed that email in 2019 as “spam,” it ended up changing Sheree Aramini’s life. Reading about the non-profit New Jersey Center for Teaching and Learning (NJCTL), she found her “greatest gift” and a pipeline to pursue her career goal as a self-described “science nerd.”

“As a teacher, you get flooded with emails to look at this program or look at that program, but this email I actually opened and read,” Aramini said. “And I’m so happy I did.”

The email highlighted NJCTL’s courses for teachers wanting to become certified to teach STEM classes, as part of the non-profit’s goal to becoming the obvious solution for the state’s ongoing teacher shortage. NJCTL’s tuition is about 25% of what a typical university charges, opening up new opportunities for all teachers. 

With its endorsement and teaching programs – all taught online and asynchronous – NJCTL has become the go-to link for teachers to take their careers to a higher level by becoming certified in higher-level, high-demand subjects, such as mathematics, physics, and chemistry.

NJCTL was the ideal fit for Aramini, who is always embracing new courses of study. With a bachelor’s degree in international studies and master’s degree in international public relations, Aramini first entered the classroom in 2020 as a social studies teacher. She loves history, so that was a good match…at the time.

Yet she had a yearning for science…without the social.

“I didn’t dislike teaching social studies,” Aramini said. “However, I always loved science. Always. And at that time, it became my dream to be able to teach science. I was constantly looking at colleges. Do they have online classes? Do they have night classes? Maybe I could go to school this summer? How can I get these credits so that I can teach science?”

Aramini didn’t know how she could make it work. Being a full-time teacher can be draining. She just could not envision herself as an advanced college student while also holding down a full-time teaching job.

“I’m sure there are people who do it, but it’s got to be very difficult – to be exhausted after a long day of teaching, drive to a college and then have to sit there and then also do the work,” Aramini said. “So when I saw that email about getting an online STEM degree for teaching – it was like the greatest gift I could have asked for.”

As soon as Aramini verified the email – she signed up with NJCTL’s chemistry master’s program.

Having become an educator via the alternate route, Aramini began her teaching career in January 2020 – just before the pandemic closed physical classrooms the world over. She taught social studies for two years. Throughout, Aramini was studying for her NJCTL chemistry master’s degree.

“NJCTL was self-paced and had excellent videos,” she said, noting that each practice question has its own video with step-by-step explanations. That made all the difference for her.

“It was very helpful. This is not something I had in college,” Aramini said. “I did take chemistry at the time, but it was very hard and there was no YouTube, there was no one to help you with homework or explain problems. 

NJCTL offers extra modeling for both the teachers in their programs and for students,” she added. “They really make it so that everyone can learn science. No matter where you are, they meet you where you’re at, and then they build you from there.”

Aramini steadily worked on her chemistry coursework at her pace, logging on during spare weekends and summer break. In the fall of 2021, she began teaching chemistry at Plainfield High School, while still working toward her NJCTL degree, which she proudly completed in August 2022.

After two years in Plainfield, she landed her dream job in Edison, where she graduated from J.P. Stevens High School in 2006.

Aramini now teaches science at the Woodrow Wilson Middle School, thanks to her advanced NJCTL degree. Never one to sit, she is now enrolled in NJCTL’s physics program as part of march toward a third master’s degree.

“Edison was my dream school district and it’s a very competitive district,” she said. “My NJCTL degree allowed me to get in the door. Having both the science and social studies background made me very marketable. NJCTL gave me my dream: to be a science educator. And I feel I’m just beginning…”