A Leap of Faith: From Pharmacy School to Teaching
| by Hannah Sparling
Zorn Wyche tested a few different paths before finding his way to teaching.
First, he was a pre-pharmacy major. That was a tumultuous period, to say the least. The program was so stressful and Wyche was under so much pressure that his heart got enlarged.
“I almost died,” he said.
So, cross pharmacy off the list.
Wyche switched his major to English, which has always been one of his strengths, and he tried a couple different colleges as well. He even dipped his toes into a teaching program but didn’t finish.
He attributes his next move to divine intervention. He was driving one day when he heard a message from God: Go into education. Wyche wasn’t entirely convinced — “I already left the program,” he thought — but he decided to pursue it, anyway.
He got a job as a registrar at a private school, which, frankly, was unfulfilling. But he didn’t give up. And then four years ago, he found a job teaching 9th grade literature and composition for Clayton County Public Schools in Georgia.
“I’m glad I took that leap of faith,” he said. “I’m glad I pivoted in this direction.”
Earning His Professional Certification
Wyche teaches for a virtual academy. His students do most of their work online but choose one day a week to come in-person. Wyche teaches in-person on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and his students get to choose which day to attend.
He started with the virtual school in 2021, and it’s been a true pleasure, he said. He has a great mentor who showed him the ropes, and he’s really starting to find his groove.
“It’s been a joy working with different students,” he said. “I call this year my ‘settle-in year,’ because I actually feel like I’m settling into the profession and learning and growing.”
But he still needed to earn his professional teaching certification. And here’s the thing: He had procrastinated quite a bit. He was running out of time.
Wyche learned about Moreland University through a certification meeting at his school, and he was intrigued. It seemed like a good program, and he was especially attracted to the accelerated timeline: as little as 9 months to a professional certification.
He enrolled in Moreland’s TEACH-NOW Teacher Preparation Certificate Program. He finished the program in April, just two months before his provisional certification was set to expire.
Wyche has loved the flexibility of TEACH-NOW, how he can do the lessons from home, on his schedule. His instructors have been hands-on, supportive, and responsive. And he’s learned a lot about the gradual release of responsibility, how to model a skill for his students and then build them up to the point where they can do it themselves.
“Compared to other Educator Preparation Programs, TEACH-NOW is cost-effective, and you can also obtain a certification in a short period of time,” he said. “I would also point out that Moreland really works with you. When I was behind in certain areas, they didn’t kick me out or drop me. They worked with me through the process of finishing everything.”
An Act of Service
This may be Wyche’s “settle-in year,” but his long-term goal is to continue to build and grow his career in education. He’d like eventually to transition to a counselor role, but in the meantime, he just wants to keep teaching and pouring into his students. He loves spending time with them, learning their lingo, and getting glimpses into their world.
“I honestly just love their spirit and their presence,” he said. “I love learning from them.”
Wyche really had no idea what he was getting into when he pivoted toward education, but he’s grateful he made the move.
“I’m in a much healthier space,” he said. “Educators, we don’t make a lot of money, so we have to be motivated by a different set of principles. For me, my biggest reward is teaching, serving the students. It’s an act of service.”
Earn your professional teaching certification in as little as 9 months with Moreland University. Our TEACH-NOW program is fully accredited and 100% online, with rolling admissions and monthly start dates.
Apply for free (takes about 15 minutes), and you’ll hear back within 2 business days.
