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Now that I've turned 34, I have a (somewhat flexible) goal for the next year: figure out whether I want to switch careers and what I would need to do to do so.
Specifically the career I'm thinking of switching to is a public high school math teacher.
The main advantages of my current job are: I'm good at it and generally don't find it to be too difficult, it pays pretty well, and since I work from home I have a lot of flexibility as to where I can live (basically anywhere with an Internet connection). The main disadvantages are that it's not very exciting and there aren't any obvious ways to change the job so that it will be more interesting. It is basically a job that puts food on the table, which is not to be sniffed at, but in terms of any sort of deep fulfillment I generally have to look elsewhere in my life.
While I was taking time of from college I did some substitute teaching at the high school I graduated from and I really enjoyed it. I hope that I would be good at it and I think I would be making more of a contribution to society.
In some ways this is a good time to be going into teaching. According to my father, the last big wave of teacher-hiring went on in the seventies; when he started working as a teacher almost all of the other teachers were people in their twenties. Now all those teachers are starting to reach retirement age, and in ten years almost all of them will no longer be working. (My dad says that it is exciting and fun to work with a lot of new, young teachers.)
On the downside, with the rise of testing and 'no child left behind' it isn't one of the more pleasant times to be a teacher. Statewide standardized testing generally also requires a statewide standardized curriculum, itself generally a bad thing. In fact, for these reasons right now I really don't think I would want to teach in Massachusetts, as their educational policy is particularly bad. (I would like to stay in New England, though, mainly so I can stay close to the rest of my family, but also because I just like it here.)
So this week I'd like to look at the policies of the New England states to see which ones are least intrusive. Then I'll see what the requirements are to become a teacher and will try to set up a timetable of some kind.
Some of y'all have more knowledge about this stuff than I; any pointers or suggestions are welcomed!
Specifically the career I'm thinking of switching to is a public high school math teacher.
The main advantages of my current job are: I'm good at it and generally don't find it to be too difficult, it pays pretty well, and since I work from home I have a lot of flexibility as to where I can live (basically anywhere with an Internet connection). The main disadvantages are that it's not very exciting and there aren't any obvious ways to change the job so that it will be more interesting. It is basically a job that puts food on the table, which is not to be sniffed at, but in terms of any sort of deep fulfillment I generally have to look elsewhere in my life.
While I was taking time of from college I did some substitute teaching at the high school I graduated from and I really enjoyed it. I hope that I would be good at it and I think I would be making more of a contribution to society.
In some ways this is a good time to be going into teaching. According to my father, the last big wave of teacher-hiring went on in the seventies; when he started working as a teacher almost all of the other teachers were people in their twenties. Now all those teachers are starting to reach retirement age, and in ten years almost all of them will no longer be working. (My dad says that it is exciting and fun to work with a lot of new, young teachers.)
On the downside, with the rise of testing and 'no child left behind' it isn't one of the more pleasant times to be a teacher. Statewide standardized testing generally also requires a statewide standardized curriculum, itself generally a bad thing. In fact, for these reasons right now I really don't think I would want to teach in Massachusetts, as their educational policy is particularly bad. (I would like to stay in New England, though, mainly so I can stay close to the rest of my family, but also because I just like it here.)
So this week I'd like to look at the policies of the New England states to see which ones are least intrusive. Then I'll see what the requirements are to become a teacher and will try to set up a timetable of some kind.
Some of y'all have more knowledge about this stuff than I; any pointers or suggestions are welcomed!
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 04:14 pm (UTC)both rhode island and providence colleges have really great teacher programs (though i'd recommend PC's program over RIC's). i've worked at both colleges, and have really seen a lot of people go through PC's continuing ed program and have loved it. the hours are more flexible. downside - it's a catholic school.
but i think you'd be a great teacher (and i've said this before) - so i'm glad you're thinking about finally taking the steps to get there.
also also - if you're looking to get away from the NCLB bullshit - there's always public/charter school teaching.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 04:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 04:19 pm (UTC)But good, dedicated teachers are so needed. A great math teacher changed my life.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 05:09 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 06:15 pm (UTC)How is your own Plan going?
no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 06:31 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 06:51 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-19 06:56 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-20 12:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-06-20 12:22 am (UTC)Anyway, she isn't certified, so she's officially still a substitute teacher. The normal route to being a teacher is:
PRAXIS I test -> Teacher School -> PRAXIS II test -> Certification ->Real live teacher!
However, she is going through the process backwards and inside out. Right now she is a real live teacher (just marked as 'substitute' in the pay scale), and aced her PRAXIS II exams. She submitted paperwork to try to get certified, which pretty much has to be a formality since she's teaching with or without it.
Incidentally, she passed PRAXIS I math with a near-perfect score, but was 1 point below passing for reading, and about 4 points below passing for the written portion. She wanted to take it again and at least pass reading, but I figured it wasn't worth the trouble if she didn't need to go to teacher school.
So the experience can be puzzling and frustrating if you're otherwise qualified in terms of education and experience, but don't go through the process the 'normal' way.
If you're looking for openings, there are at least three math teacher openings here in Stamford, CT. They've been unfilled since last year. Get them while they're hot!
-Derrick
math teacher
Date: 2006-06-20 01:47 am (UTC)If you know how to use the technology, you are in luck.
Go to www.HighSchoolMath.Blogspot.com and see the future.
Good Luck.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 01:03 am (UTC)Theresa's dad here.
The more difficult it is to get the certification, the better the pay is.
Massachusetts and Connecticut are bears to get certified in, but you'll start at $35,000-plus.
There will be a decent amount of hiring in Massachusetts for another year or two as the Prop 2 1-2 veterans retire.
no subject
Date: 2006-06-23 04:10 am (UTC)Anyway,
Math teachers are in demand everywhere.
You will not escape standardized testing in the immediate Republican future at least if you are teaching at a public school anywhere in the United States. That doesn't mean that you can't be creative and cool as a teacher, but it will be a headache for a while, and some schools are more wrapped up in it than others. Private schools are not bound by NCLB (No Child Left Behind, which tells us to test our kids until their ears fall off and their eyes melt, but doesn't actually give us any money or resources to do so) and generally have less stringent requirements for hiring.
I am most familiar with the Massachusetts requirements: if you do not have a Bachelor's degree you can complete a program in Education and receive Provisional Certification. You will need to get your Master's within five years after that to receive Standard Certification, and then a slew of PDPs (Professional Development Points) every five years after that to maintain your certification. Not all private schools require certfication. Public schools do if they want to remain accredited. There are many Mass schools that offer a 5-6 year program to receive both degrees sequentially. There are also many that offer part-time Master's programs that are tailored to the working individual, which is nice.
If you already have a Bachelor's in a related concentration to Math, you can go straight for your Master's and certification, which is generally a 1-3 year program depending on whether you go full or part time.
If you have a Bachelor's in an unrelated concentration, you will probably need to take some background subject area courses in addition to the Master's program.
There are many good programs in Eastern Mass: BC, BU (2 degrees for me), UMass, Simmons (2+ degrees for me), Leslie (not high school level, though), and others....
There are also a number of "career-change" programs. Check out Mass Teachers' Residency program - a certification/master's program cheap in exchange for a commitment to work in the Boston Public Schools several years. And if you have any interest in/tolerance for Special Education, there are many private schools that will let you work while paying for your Master's.