View previous topic :: View next topic |
Author |
Message |
Omkara

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Location: USA
|
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:04 pm Post subject: Who taught in a Public School Back Home? |
|
|
Just curious on how you found the profession. Was it worth the job security? Or is that another illusion of mine?
My ultimate goal is not to work in a public school, but to land a job at the community college level; but, that would involve several years of part-time work and feeling very insecure each on-coming semester. My thinking is that it would be a strong foundation from which to make my way into a CC.
Is it worth the while to get a certificate? It is a two year project in California--quite an investment. I've already put in a lot of time into my post-graduate education. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Young FRANKenstein

Joined: 02 Oct 2006 Location: Castle Frankenstein (that's FRONKensteen)
|
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 11:27 pm Post subject: Re: Who taught in a Public School Back Home? |
|
|
Omkara wrote: |
Was it worth the job security? Or is that another illusion of mine? |
It's an illusion, and not worth having my balls cut off by admin, the parents, and the school board. Teachers have zero power and zero say and have to eat shit sandwiches on a daily basis. It is SO not worth the high blood pressure. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Atavistic
Joined: 22 May 2006 Location: How totally stupid that Korean doesn't show in this area.
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:15 am Post subject: |
|
|
I have my M. Ed. in Early Childhood Education. Honestly, I got it because I had a philosophy degree and Fulton Co, GA would paid for the certification (year one) if I taught in a poor, mostly black school for two years. I went on for the second year (Masters) because the pay raise that went with it would pay for itself in two years.
When I go back to the States, I intend to get certified ESL to get out of the general classroom.
Last edited by Atavistic on Mon Oct 22, 2007 2:00 am; edited 1 time in total |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
newton kabiddles
Joined: 31 Mar 2007
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 12:20 am Post subject: |
|
|
Dom D'Arco taught at Lincoln for a few years before he got a job at Mount. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
applesandshanana

Joined: 09 May 2007 Location: Michigan
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:12 am Post subject: |
|
|
I teach high school right now.
Job security wise, it really depends where you live. In Michigan, I had to take a job that pays much lower than most just so I can work. And if I ever want to complain about that, there are a thousand other unemployed social studies teachers waiting outside the door. However, from what I've heard there is a fairly high demand for teachers in some parts of California, correct? Plus, if they have unions and you work there long enough to be tenured, your job security should be higher than most jobs.
There is a big difference between teaching in a middle/high school and teaching at the college level (even at a community college). If you hate teaching high school, you'd probably love teaching college and vice versa. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Ya-ta Boy
Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:47 am Post subject: |
|
|
I taught high school for 20 years and thoroughly enjoyed it. The students were fun, the parents supportive, the administration excellent. Other people have different experiences, of course, but mine was overwhelmingly positive.
I'm not really sure what you are getting at with the question of job security. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Omkara

Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Location: USA
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 2:53 am Post subject: |
|
|
Thanks all.
About the job security, that stems from my experience in the community college. There, you must adjunct for some time before getting even a full time job. Every semester you have no idea if you'll have classes--literally--until the Friday before classes start.
I really like teaching at the community college level, and I'm trying to get a game plan together to make that happen one day. There are a few ways to go. I could get a graduate certificate in TESOL, and hope that makes me more attractive. I could get the teacher's certification, and work there while I do part time work in a CC. But, that is a huge investment for something I may not enjoy.
I have heard that in the public school, the paper work is overwhelming. True? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
hogwonguy1979

Joined: 22 Dec 2003 Location: the racoon den
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:23 am Post subject: |
|
|
Omkara wrote: |
Thanks all.
About the job security, that stems from my experience in the community college. There, you must adjunct for some time before getting even a full time job. Every semester you have no idea if you'll have classes--literally--until the Friday before classes start.
I really like teaching at the community college level, and I'm trying to get a game plan together to make that happen one day. There are a few ways to go. I could get a graduate certificate in TESOL, and hope that makes me more attractive. I could get the teacher's certification, and work there while I do part time work in a CC. But, that is a huge investment for something I may not enjoy.
I have heard that in the public school, the paper work is overwhelming. True? |
First to teach at the Community College level you need an MA and at least 18 graduate hours in the area which you want to teach in. So without the MA you can forget about teaching at that level. I'd also rec you get the 18 hours in 2 fields (a min 36 hour degree), that will make you more employable at the CC level.
Job wise its very tough to get full-time CC teaching gigs, most are adjunct jobs that vary semester to semester and many CCs have multiple campuses so there will a ton of commuting and you have the problem of health insurance. You will also be competing with PhD's for these jobs a CC would rather have a PhD or an ABD teaching these classes.
I am also certified at the 6-12 level in Social Studies in Texas but over 18 years have only used it full time for 6 months. Problem is in that field all the teachers have the same first name "coach". I do have a number of friends teaching right now in the states and the paperwork, discipline. testing. school board bs is getting worse. You ask about "no child left behind" and you get steam coming from their eyes.
With that said our plan now is to do about 2 more years here and then head back to the states and do 2-3 years there before going the int school route. By then my wife will have her teaching cert. In my travels I've met a ton of Int school teachers, those are the gigs to get, forget about the Korean Univ with the 5 months vacation that I have now, its the int school rte thats the best. best salaries better students, better perks. On my way to Yangon this summer I met a woman who did 2 years teaching in Fla and for the past 25 years been in the int school system. she loves it |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
applesandshanana

Joined: 09 May 2007 Location: Michigan
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:24 am Post subject: |
|
|
Do you mean paper work as in grading or paper work as in red tape-type stuff? |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
jg
Joined: 27 May 2003
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:49 am Post subject: |
|
|
last school term I taught in a public school district near LA. I wouldn't mind teaching in a public school again provided I had the support of the administration and I was able to exercise some control over my class content. Lots of teachers seem to burn out because they cannot manage classroom behavior or they get into it with a parent or two. For me, other Teachers who couldn't/wouldn't control their kids were as big a problem as the kids themselves, it fostered a culture of "inmates running the asylum" and after running wild for two or three periods the kids show up in your room ready for more mischief.
Preparing for the yearly grade-level exams takes away from the job, tis true. However some school districts are trying to streamline the amount of paperwork and meetings, finally it has dawned on a few higher-ups that the rank and file dislike endless meetings. I wasn't happy with the text we used but I realize it's a big system and I couldn't have say over everything .
Charter schools can be really experimental and progressive, but you have to do your homework first. Also, there are still lots of adult schools around for those who like ESL. Nearly all the school districts around Los Angeles have adult schools, the problem is you don't get nearly the benefits, though the salary itself is a lot better than teaching in one of the Hagwons that litter LA.
Getting a certificate in California takes time but you can teach while your doing it, and there are alternative routes to certification. Lots of people don't like the inner-city/poor districts but if I taught kids again I'd head in that direction, it doesn't have to be so horrid.
PM me for more info on certification for teaching adult ed in the LA area, if thats the part of California you are interested in. UCLA has some flexible certification programs. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
kermo

Joined: 01 Sep 2004 Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:54 am Post subject: |
|
|
I taught at a public school as an elementary school teacher in Canada.
It was really intense, and I felt I wasn't cut out for it-- I'm not inclined toward careful preparation and have little patience for staff politics. I was very disappointed in how thin and outdated the curriculum material was for some subjects, and decided to abandon classroom teaching for one-on-one behavioural modification. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
butlerian

Joined: 04 Sep 2006 Location: Korea
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 3:58 am Post subject: |
|
|
I briefly taught Geography at a high school in the UK. It wasn't too bad, but I much prefer being over here. Less work, better students, and more for me to learn due to living in a different culture. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
Alyallen

Joined: 29 Mar 2004 Location: The 4th Greatest Place on Earth = Jeonju!!!
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 4:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
kermo wrote: |
I taught at a public school as an elementary school teacher in Canada.
It was really intense, and I felt I wasn't cut out for it-- I'm not inclined toward careful preparation and have little patience for staff politics. I was very disappointed in how thin and outdated the curriculum material was for some subjects, and decided to abandon classroom teaching for one-on-one behavioural modification. |
I'm leaving in four months to start my masters in Behavioral Analysis and Therapy. I'm guessing you enjoyed working in behavioral modification? I worked with Autistic children and young adults for 3 summers. It was rough but at least I knew where the campers were coming from...at least in my mind. Did you have to go back to school to work in behavioral modification?
Sorry op for being off topic but I've rarely run into anyone involved in this particular field.... |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
kermo

Joined: 01 Sep 2004 Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:27 am Post subject: |
|
|
Alyallen wrote: |
kermo wrote: |
I taught at a public school as an elementary school teacher in Canada.
It was really intense, and I felt I wasn't cut out for it-- I'm not inclined toward careful preparation and have little patience for staff politics. I was very disappointed in how thin and outdated the curriculum material was for some subjects, and decided to abandon classroom teaching for one-on-one behavioural modification. |
I'm leaving in four months to start my masters in Behavioral Analysis and Therapy. I'm guessing you enjoyed working in behavioral modification? I worked with Autistic children and young adults for 3 summers. It was rough but at least I knew where the campers were coming from...at least in my mind. Did you have to go back to school to work in behavioral modification?
Sorry op for being off topic but I've rarely run into anyone involved in this particular field.... |
I worked with autistic kids in a program where they trained us. I'd need a Master's in psych to go further in the field, which is what I'd like to do when I'm done in Korea. Behaviour Mod and working with autistic kids was easily the most rewarding and challenging job I've ever had. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
crusher_of_heads
Joined: 23 Feb 2007 Location: kimbop and kimchi for kimberly!!!!
|
Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 5:36 am Post subject: |
|
|
Having the credential is worth it.
Teacdhing in a public shool in Ontario, Canada-not so much. |
|
Back to top |
|
 |
|