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spiral78
Joined: 05 Apr 2004
Posts: 11534
Location: On a Short Leash
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 Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 7:46 pm Post subject: |
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MA in Linguistics can go a long way, but I'm not in the scene so far as US certification and what that can get you 
All the unis I know (am in contact with lots in Canada and across Europe - thru partnership schemes with the one where I work) are cutting back hugely. However, I keep reading that education is a 'safe' field to be in in a tough economy.
My Uni. Lang. Centre is considering some trendy rebranding: something like 'professional international communications...." Works for me - if it helps keep my job secure and me happily perking along with curriculum and teacher developent and the odd international project thrown in for spice. All of which appears to be in jeopardy currently, with the exception of the curriculum development aspect... |
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fladude
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Tue May 19, 2009 9:59 pm Post subject: |
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| MikeySaid wrote: |
| actually, if i can work as a spanish and history/social studies teacher at the high school level and maybe do some coaching, that would be fantastic. |
Ok here is what I've learned about high school, if you are really interested in it. A Masters degree means little, especially one in a field of expertise. It's helpful, sure, but absolutely not necessary. Most teachers do not have a masters degree. It won't do a lot to increase your chance of finding a job and it won't do much to help your income. It really just goes to your own self esteem and self confidence (which can be helpful).
At your age though, I would go ahead and get the masters degree in your field. It may open up more teaching options down the road. After you have taught high school for a few years, you can start applying at community colleges. Which may well hire you with just a MA (and not a PHD). So it's worth having both for the self esteem and the doors it "may" open for you.
If you want a masters degree that will help your income teaching high school, get one in Education. That seems to provide a nice income boost. Whereas a masters degree in a specific field doesn't seem to count for as much.
That said do not get a Masters in Eduction until AFTER you have a job. Some schools won't hire you because they have to pay you a few thousand more. So get a job, and then get the Masters in Education for the pay raise.
The only thing that really matters in the teaching world is your certification. You can usually take the classes that you need for certification at a local community college. And I strongly suggest you take that route because the classes are a lot cheaper than anywhere else.
Don't get your certification through a for profit school. Those schools won't have the connections that the state schools will have. The state school will be able to help you find a job a lot better than anyone else. |
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MikeySaid
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 509
Location: Torreon, Mexico
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 1:36 am Post subject: |
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a teaching certificate through a community college? that's a new one. most of the credentialing programs that I've seen are are at least a year long and through state and private institutions.
all the disagreement is why I still haven't just bitten the bullet and enrolled somewhere... I never know what program to do and for the last two years it hasn't really seemed to matter being down here in Mexico. |
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Marcoregano
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 872
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 1:47 am Post subject: |
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| If you want steady, well-paid teaching work it is QTS (teacher certification) you need, not a Masters. Generally speaking a Masters is icing on the cake; QTS gets you the job. Unless it's university work you're looking for, in which case it's the other way around! |
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natsume
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 409
Location: Chongqing, China
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 2:45 am Post subject: |
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While the situation as fladude describes it might very well be true in many places in the country, I have to disagree with him a bit, and also mention that I get much of my information from perusing the atozteacherstuff and other North American teacher forums.
How an MA is perceived and valued varies tremendously by state and individual school districts. Some districts actively seek out teachers with MAs. I know from two friends who teach at the same high school in California that about half the teachers they curently work with have MAs, and they are definitely not all in Education. (Of course, many of them are getting pink-slipped at the moment, in their district it is coldly calculated strictly by seniority.)
That said, I do agree with fladude on the value of getting an MA in Education, but not necesarily on waiting for it. I plan (if the sky does not continue to fall) to enter an MA/Credential program at a UC, and earn both at once. A good friend is an academic at one of these programs, and I trust him enough when he tells me that this will give me the most valuable education I can get, and he knows me well enough to know that that is most likely what I will want at the end of the day.
It may be true, as is often stated, that one need only be certified, but I don't think the bare minimum is going to suffice as the ground shifts after the current economic situation (hopefully) resolves itself. Mikey, I think you have a very solid background to be a valued secondary teacher, if that is what you decide to do. Bilingualism on top of versitility will definitely be useful commodities.
My 2 cents. |
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Marcoregano
Joined: 19 May 2003
Posts: 872
Location: Hong Kong
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:41 am Post subject: |
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| Natsume, are you saying that an MEd (or similar) can get you a regular teaching job in a secondary school in the US, even if you don't have QTS? If that is the case, the US system is different than the UK. In the UK (as in HK, Australia and most places) you could have a dozen PhDs in education, but if you don't have teacher certification you can't get a regular teaching gig at a high school (or primary school). |
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natsume
Joined: 24 Apr 2006
Posts: 409
Location: Chongqing, China
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:54 am Post subject: |
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Sorry, no, that is not what I meant. Yes, it is the same, in the US you must have a credential to teach in public schools, or be working towards it in some kind of alternative certification program, regardless of any other degree you may have.
In the kinds of MA/Credential programs I have been looking at, they are designed in such a way that the candidate earns their credential and MA concurrently, or in succesion as part of the same program. |
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MikeySaid
Joined: 10 Nov 2004
Posts: 509
Location: Torreon, Mexico
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 3:58 am Post subject: |
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I'm hoping that districts/principals will see it that way.
Next step:
Figure out how to get a teacher certificate for Arizona. |
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jgmodlin
Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 120
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 11:40 am Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
a teaching certificate through a community college? that's a new one. most of the credentialing programs that I've seen are are at least a year long and through state and private institutions.
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Last year I went through Virginia's career switcher route to teacher licensure. The VDOE offered their program through a number of the state universities as well as the Virginia Community College system. Naturally, you have to have at least a Bachelor's degree already and some work experience, but the community college definitely offered their classes cheaper than the universities. The course work was still upper level and not 100 200 level. The course work leading up to my provisional license was intense but only took about 5 months.
In this state at least, ESL in the school system is considered a critical need area along with math and science. I was able to get a job right away teaching ESL at a public high school near my home. Relatively good pay, stability, and 2 and a half months off in the summer (something I could only dream of when I was TEFLing in Japan). |
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dirimini
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 74
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 7:57 pm Post subject: |
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| jgmodlin wrote: |
| In this state at least, ESL in the school system is considered a critical need area along with math and science. I was able to get a job right away teaching ESL at a public high school near my home. Relatively good pay, stability, and 2 and a half months off in the summer (something I could only dream of when I was TEFLing in Japan). |
I know this is probably a very personal question - and one you might not be comfortable answering on a public forum - but could you give a general idea of what "relatively good pay" means? Also, are you teaching only ESL, or in other subject areas?
Thanks very much. |
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jgmodlin
Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 120
Location: USA
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| Posted: Wed May 20, 2009 9:55 pm Post subject: |
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No problem at all. In the county where I teach the starting pay for teachers is $40,000 a year. This is for just under 10 months of work.
In my case I teach ESL only. Some teachers who are working for more rural counties sometimes end up teaching ESL and another subject if they have additional endorsements. Most states allow you to take the Praxis II test for additional subjects if you want to gain other endorsements. I added on Social Studies and Business/ Technology endorsements this way.
I guess it is all relative, but to me the money isn't bad when weighed against the holidays, ten month work schedule, and 8:45 to 3:45 teaching day. I have heard what Fladude said before in regards to some school sytems being reluctant to hire those with Master's degrees. I don't know how pervasive that is though since the differential in pay would be just a couple thousand more a year (in the case of my county). |
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dirimini
Joined: 20 Jan 2009
Posts: 74
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| Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 3:17 am Post subject: |
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| jgmodlin wrote: |
| No problem at all. In the county where I teach the starting pay for teachers is $40,000 a year. This is for just under 10 months of work. |
Thanks, and...wow. That's more than many first-year professors make in colleges/universities. And adjuncts make only a fraction of that.
Thanks again for the information. |
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fladude
Joined: 02 Feb 2009
Posts: 432
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| Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 1:55 pm Post subject: |
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| MikeySaid wrote: |
a teaching certificate through a community college? that's a new one. most of the credentialing programs that I've seen are are at least a year long and through state and private institutions.
all the disagreement is why I still haven't just bitten the bullet and enrolled somewhere... I never know what program to do and for the last two years it hasn't really seemed to matter being down here in Mexico. |
Community colleges offer 2 year degrees. Almost every community college in Florida offers a 1 year teaching certification program. It isn't a 4 year degree. It's one year of classes.
I, however, am getting my certification through a 2 month program at a community college in Florida. It is all day every day but I'm done in 2 months instead of a year and it's only 1500 bucks (as opposed to whatever). It is only open to people who have a BA and two years of work experience in a non-related field. Even though it's only 2 months, once I have my cert I can go wherever I want. I'll be just as "certified" as the guys who pay more and take longer programs.
Remember you have a BA. So you don't need to go back and get another one. You just have to take the classes that you need to get certified. You don't have to go back and get a Bachelors in education.
As for getting an MA first, I still stand by my original point that it's really not a good idea. There may be some schools in California that look for MAs. But let's be honest, California is going bust for a reason. Most of the places that are hiring are just trying to get 40k a year teachers. Even in California though, I'm sure it's more about who you know rather than what your degree is.
And I can tell you now that taking a year off and going to school while living off of student loans, which is what I did when I went to law school, will cost you a lot more money than you will ever make back. The best bet is to get certified as cheaply as possible, then get a job and take night classes to work on a graduate degrees. Just pay for each class as you take it. That way you never have to borrow money. |
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jgmodlin
Joined: 01 Mar 2006
Posts: 120
Location: USA
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| Posted: Thu May 21, 2009 3:55 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
| Just pay for each class as you take it. That way you never have to borrow money. |
Amen to that! |
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echidna_of_doom
Joined: 08 Jan 2009
Posts: 12
Location: Florida - the mystical land of swamp and concrete.
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| Posted: Tue May 26, 2009 6:24 pm Post subject: |
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Have you considered teaching in Florida? If you have a bachelor's (in anything) they'll give you a temporary certificate which allows you to teach full time while working on your masters/permanent certification.
http://teachinflorida.com/ |
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