u/New_Dragonfly6489

Hi! I am a first year teacher, currently employed as a Universal Pre-K Teacher by a CBO in upstate NY. I understand that in addition to a master’s degree and 3 years of teaching experience, one year of mentored experience is a requirement in order to obtain a professional teaching certification. The OTI website does state that experience as a UPK teacher counts towards the 3 years of experience. However, my employer did not provide me with a mentor in my first year of teaching. Is there any way around this requirement since my employer didn’t offer it, or will I need a year of mentored experience in a public school setting in order to eventually get my professional certification?