Thinking about a career in teaching

ahhhhhhhhh - this one

[quote="fishin'"]Ya gots ta watch that static! It can scare the snot outta ya if you aren't paying attention. Get off your arse girl! lol Go see the nice people.[/quote]

I just dropped by the teaching forum and found this thread

FYI I too have been thinking about the very same thing. In fact, I have been doing substitute teaching on and off (in between my design contract work stints) since 2001. Just last week I was asked to go full-time, albeit still as a sub, at the local middle school!

I am making application now to get my certificate in hopes of getting a regular teaching position this fall. There is a college program here in Texas which, if you meet the entry requirements of having a degree and sufficient credit hours in your area, allows you to get your certificate going for 6 weeks- 4 days per week. Perhaps there's something similar in Mass?
What's been going on Littlek? Have you followed up on this at all?

littlek

I've thought about teaching too. . . . I was looking at getting started in a corp like program. . . www.teachforamerica.org. . . . maybe they will have some useful info.

Jesusgirl Come Lately, hoping Little K is already working on that teaching degree. At least you know you won't be the world's Oldest New Teacher!

My daughter and I took the Massachusetts Teacher Licensure Exam ( you can pick up the application in Malden, just a bit off the Medford line) the summer before last. I took the first part, which is basically a writing test and Emily took the same plus the Spanish license test. She scored passing grades (70 is the minimum score) in the general section but a nice high score in the Spanish license part. I scored in the 90 for the two sections of the test.

Since I could take the English, history and social studies tests, I hoped to do so, month by month. I have yet to earn enough money to take any of them!

I was certified in Michigan in the 70s. At that time, one needed a bachelor's degree and about 23 hours of education classes including (for secondary teachers) Ed Psych (with Psych 101 as a prelim), Ed Philosophy, two methods classes and student teaching. This earned one a temporary certification and to be permanently certified, one had to teach three years during a five year period and take 30 hours of college classes. Most people simply got a master's degree.

Massachusetts moved a few years ago to catch up to Michigan, beginning by eliminating the education major for undergrads.

Just as no one wants to hire me in publishing or university administration, no one wants to hire me to teach.

My mother-in-law became a teacher at 59 yrs old.

Wow Husker! That's great. Tell Mom she's inspired me to keep at it! (The road has gotten weary lately. Sigh.)

My brother's 47 and is in a fast-track graduate program to get an MA in teaching - he'll be teaching elementary school in the fall of 2004.

I'm in a traditional program through a major Detroit university. I can't fast track. I still work full time as a respiratory therapist and can only take one or two classes at a time. I'll start student teaching in fall of 2004, if all goes according to plan, then graduate in Spring/Summer of 2005. I'm puzzled about why some people are having trouble finding placement when there is such a purported teacher shortage. I have contacts in three different school districts and have pretty much been assured there will be a job available when I get there. If not, I'll just stick it out in the breathing game a while longer.

LittleK, two words...John Silber, that explains the test.

Interesting site
http://www.teachers.net/

Mass. Dept of Edu.
http://www.doe.mass.edu/

Exam
http://www.doe.mass.edu/mtel/news03/1104.html

I thought you only needed a B.A. in teaching or a B.A. in somthing plus certification to teach elementary school. Is he doing somthing special that requires additional training?

I'm not sure if he'll be doing something special - he is planning to teach in DC where he lives. He does have a BA in Journalism. I guess I should ask! I'll let you know...

I finally got a job offer for a full time teaching position! It's at "Intermediate" School which is 5th & 6th grades doing Math & Science. Now I can take the summer off... Errr, gotta get busy on those lesson plans, contact my internship program, get the classroom ready... whew! I'm gonna be busy- I love it!

BTW, the schools mascot is the porcupine

Good job Jose!

good, good, good.

My sister just left a job teaching 7th and 8th grade history to run some project at a university. Man, is she gonna miss those long breaks. (They were a year-round school, so she got about a month's vacation every three or four months.)

Well boy did I luck out- at a recent "Great Expectations" Teacher workshop this summer, they announced that a 5th Grade teacher was retiring after 30 yrs and was having a garage sale of the contents of her classsroom. I got books, videos, CD's and even cutouts for the bulletin boards!

btw, I'll be teaching English and US History NOT Math & Sci. Already got my room together and school starts Aug 17th. I think it'll be fun!

Jose, my man! Long time no see!

I had no idea you were going into teaching! Congratulations!

God willing, I'll be graduating in Dec. 2005. I'm going Monday to fill out papers for substitute teaching at my son's school.

Lil' K,
Are you working on your teaching degree yet? If not, why not? You would be great in a classroom, and golly, I hate to say this, but you're not getting any younger either.

pffffft!

no I haven't and yes I am

I mean no I'm not.