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guangho
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Posts: 476
Location: in transit
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 Posted: Mon Jan 26, 2009 6:19 pm Post subject: Passed the NYS principals exam: Now what? |
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Howdy fellow Davers,
I have, as I chronicled on this board, obtained a Masters in Educational Supervision. I have also passed the NYS TCE SBL exam this weekend, qualifying me, in theory, to be a principal at a public school in New York State. I live in one of the 5 boroughs and am open to NYC or Nassau. What is your advice? PM's welcome but sharing your knowledge with the board may be better.
Happy 2009. |
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rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 3:02 am Post subject: |
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My advice - as a former public school teacher with exp both in NY and CA - read Gatto's history of public education. You may not like it, but if you realize that practically no one knows the history of public education - only a few fragments here and there - you'll start to see that no one really understands the nature of the beast they are working in. An intelligent person who bends their mind to it can distinguish between historical fact and interpretation.
http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/historytour/history1.htm
(a very quick "history tour)
http://www.johntaylorgatto.com/chapters/
(a free online book)
Also, it's not in a coherent form - it's just some synthesized posts, but I'll invite you to read my own little thread of experience and learning about public schools. (It's aimed at Orthodox Christians, but that shouldn't be a problem for you.)
http://christianforums.com/showthread.php?t=6072877
Make sure to note the "Upton Sinclair" principle -
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| "It is very hard to get a person to understand something if their job depends on their not understanding it." |
(This would also apply to a candidate for principal.)
Anyway, best of luck! |
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guangho
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Posts: 476
Location: in transit
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 4:34 am Post subject: |
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Hi Rusmeister
I read the links and am aware of them, Mr. Sinclairs' words notwithstanding.
However, while philosophizing is fun, I was looking for practical advice. |
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rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 5:43 pm Post subject: |
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| guangho wrote: |
Hi Rusmeister
I read the links and am aware of them, Mr. Sinclairs' words notwithstanding.
However, while philosophizing is fun, I was looking for practical advice. |
The philosophizing can LEAD to practical decisions, so it's not about fun. if you become convinced that a proposition is true, then obviously, you ought to act as if it were true. That might point to avenues that you may not want to consider now - such as not becoming a cog in that machine at all, for example. But if the propositions were true then it would be foolishness to reject them just for the sake of temporary personal convenience. |
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guangho
Joined: 16 Oct 2004
Posts: 476
Location: in transit
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| Posted: Tue Jan 27, 2009 7:31 pm Post subject: |
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I'll take on the challenge.
Assuming I stand tall, thumb my nose at an admittedly rotten establishment and refuse coghood- what alternative do you suggest? |
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rusmeister
Joined: 15 Jun 2006
Posts: 867
Location: Russia
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| Posted: Wed Jan 28, 2009 1:35 am Post subject: |
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| guangho wrote: |
I'll take on the challenge.
Assuming I stand tall, thumb my nose at an admittedly rotten establishment and refuse coghood- what alternative do you suggest? |
What do you REALLY want to do? Teach? Administer a school? Opportunities exist in private schools across the nation - you'd need to find a general type that fits with your philosophy/faith and search for openings - or take a really daring move and start your own school. It's been done before, and often during crisis times.
Simply wanting a job for an income is a poor reason to choose a profession, literally. I admit that I flailed around trying various businesses until I "fell" into teaching, and realized that I had found something I love doing. It's been fourteen years now... |
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Chancellor
Joined: 31 Oct 2005
Posts: 1337
Location: Ji'an, China - if you're willing to send me cigars, I accept donations :)
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| Posted: Wed Feb 18, 2009 4:18 pm Post subject: Re: Passed the NYS principals exam: Now what? |
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| guangho wrote: |
Howdy fellow Davers,
I have, as I chronicled on this board, obtained a Masters in Educational Supervision. I have also passed the NYS TCE SBL exam this weekend, qualifying me, in theory, to be a principal at a public school in New York State. I live in one of the 5 boroughs and am open to NYC or Nassau. What is your advice? PM's welcome but sharing your knowledge with the board may be better. |
I really feel sorry for you. I know a principal and a vice principal here in the Buffalo school system and, after hearing them talk about their schools, all I can do is wonder why anyone would want to get into the administration side of public school education? Given the nature of school district politics, your school district is likely to want to place you in a less desirable school simply because you're a new principal.
My advice: see if your new principal credentials transfer to another state and relocate there. 
Seriously, though, be a bit more open-minded about the where and start putting in your applications. |
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