Becoming a high school teacher

Not in California.

My wife has a Masters in history. Apparently, in my fair state, this means bupkus. If she wanted to teach at a public school here, she'd have to go back to school for a two-year credential program that includes student teaching.

Yes, student teaching for someone who's been teaching at the community college level for 15 years and for much longer than that overall.

 

She's probably taught most of those teachers.

 

You're absolutely correct, Mikey.

 

I've mulled the "Alternative Route" in both Mississippi and Texas.
Both places have 2 or 3 tests to take, then pay no more than $5,000 for all the licensing, study guides, test fees, etc.
But BOTH had a requirement of 2 semesters of teaching before you actually got your certificate.

I don't know if I believe you when you say simply take a test and pass, then you get certified.
I'd look into that.

 

Some states offer alternative pathways to teaching that don't require an education degree. I had a friend in California who got laid off in the dot com bust several years back. He's been teaching HS chemistry in the LA school district. He has an MBA, but no ed degree and was hired on an "emergency" basis at an inner-city school. "Emegency" became more or less permanent. Here in Virginia, some universities offer "career switcher" programs created by state dept. of Ed. to deal with a teacher shortage. I think it takes about 9 months to complete. I don't know how much, if any, credit career switchers get for professional experience in another field. I would hate to start at the bottom of a teacher pay scale but it beats not working.

 

Don't believe me.

http://www.abcte.org/teach

The organization is legit. School recruiters gave me their pamphlet today. Some of the rules probably differ by state.


$850, pass the test and I'm certified in my state. The recruiters obviously frowned on it a bit, compared to my state's three-year program which is a bit more practical.

Other states are different. I looked at California and there you can only get a certificate for private school.

 

My brother is a teacher and after hearing some of the shit he has to put up with from the students and parents, and reading some of the excuses for not completing tests or homework, there's no way in hell I would be a teacher.

One girl wrote on the test: "I didn't finish because this sucks and I don't want to." Brother told her he respected and appreciated her honesty but she still got a zero. He keeps all the tests and homework so if a parent or the admin complains, he can show them who's doing what and who's not.

It takes a special person. If you're it, God bless and pass the gravy.

 

Here in Texas, if you've taken at least 24 hours of college credit in a given subject, you can teach it.

All you need to do is take some sort of alternative certification course.

An editor at our paper had his last day here two weeks ago. He'll be teaching high school history beginning at the end of August.

So it can't be that hard.

 

Yeah, but that's Texas ...

 

I'd tell you to move here to teach, but then we'd just have to teach y'all how to speak English correctly ...

 

You're right. And it's amazing how many completely incompetent people are teachers here.

My mom has taught in public schools for more than two decades here, so I was raised hearing the "You're not gonna believe what Mrs. So-and-So said/is teaching with her students/etc." as soon as I got home from school.

People wanna know why kids are illiterate in the sixth grade in states such as Texas and Louisiana? Check the education funding, and the lineup of educational studs teaching these kids how to read and write.

On a positive note, I'd have my choice of journalism or history if I was teaching. Yay!

 

I'm starting my Master's in January when I move back to Vegas. I am going to get my certification as a primary teacher and hopefully teach like 5th grade. In secondary certification is 9-12 and all else in K-8 and I have no desire to teach HS.
I like working with younger kids. I worked as a tutor when I was an undergrad and loved it. Las Vegas is always looking for teachers and I guess they pay fairly well.