Anyways, it's all a work in progress.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Following up
Thanks guys for your comments on the last entry. I was second guessing myself after posting that but decided it was how I felt, so it needed to be said. It's pretty crazy how one's mindset can change. Some days I am almost to the point of declaring myself gay, other days (like the last couple) the doubts come back and paralyze me. It doesn't make it easier that I'm going back and forth between dealing with this and my career issue. The difference there: that issue I can actually openly talk to people about. I spoke to some coworkers today about my high school teaching idea, and the lingering doubts about whether turning away from academia was the right move. They agreed with my assessment: it's more important to do what you WANT than what you think you "should" do when it comes to choosing your career. The time pressure on that one is more intense though. I've signed up to take the CBEST in December. I'll need to ask for letters of rec very soon. So it looks like time might just make that decision for me, haha.
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4 comments:
Good luck with pursuing your career options!!
What would you like to teach high school kids? Personally, I'd prefer to teach undergrads - you can get more interesting discussions that way.
Life is a work in progress. I guess that's what makes it exciting and infuriating at the same time.
God but it is hard to sign in with a google account. Anyway, I got it to work, - I am a retired high school teacher. Check to see what kind of degree you must have to teach whatever high school subject you want to touch. GET THIS STRAIGHT; IN CALIFORNIA, AT LEAST, YOU MUST MAJOR IN A SUBJECT YOU TEACH. I forget if they want a M.A. OR NOT. But find this out for your state. Don't fail. The college should be able to tell you or not. I will give you in detail all the ropes about high school teaching if you contact me at sagedropin@gmail.com. AFTER YOU HAVE CHECKED WHAT YOUR STATE DEPT. OF ED. EXPECTS OF YOUR MAJOR. Write me AFTER YOU HAVE THIS INFORMATION, or it's a waste of time. Norm
@miamigay:
Thanks for the info. Yeah, I do have a major in biology, which is what I would teach. I'll have to send you an email, thanks for offering to share your experience!
ADVICE TO BECOME A SECONDARY TEADHER
Glad you answered and I will try to keep in touch. I was also a principal in a very large high school in L.A.(3000 students and a 150 staff). Your lucky: YOU TEACH SCIENCE. Science teachers are the most needed and get the best students. Getting the best students is enormously important. Teaching biology or related subjects is a lot better than teaching remedial arithmetic to 10th graders! You need an MA. You might even have it? Finally, in California, you need a Secondary Teaching Credential. I started with a Ph.D. in math and no Secondary Teaching Credential, but they welcomed me with open arms. I did have to take classes leading to the credential at night, but no big deal. Nevertheless, consider some Ph.D's that you might have had in college who were possibly the poorest instructors and knew nothing about what teaching is. Teaching is a skill - almost an art. You must know the difference between what you are teaching and what the students are understanding.
There are promotions. To get any major promotion out of the classroom you will need an "Administration Credential". You want to start working on this as soon as spossible while you are teaching because it is so very important in promotions. The first promotion is usually some sort of Vice Principle, or Counselor. First VP is guidance. Second VP is curriculum. Third VP is usually Student Activities. The “highest” VP as far as promotions is usually guidance, but not necessarily in every case. The supreme God of the High School is Principal. He becomes important in the society outside of the school, the neighborhood, and is directly responsible to the Superintendent who leads the board of education. Being Superintendent is nearly impossible because of the finance, board politics, neighborhood politics, and all major conflicts of values with the media, etc. All hiring is done on the Principal level. There are more levels of promotion, such as special education projects.
A primary rule is if you inquire about education at any college or employment agency, or speak about education to any Principal or higher, ALWAYS BE OPTOMISTIC, EAGER TO LEARN. You must love it more than sex itself lol.
I will write more. Read over what I have said here and think about it. If you reply, as you did, I will answer. I will give you any detailed advice you need for California, which is the U.S. If you can’t do anything now, get an MA, or start taking education courses for your general Secondary. One last thing, you can teach through grade 14 on a general secondary Credential, which is Junior College. Don’t worry about Junior College, it’s the best place in the world. The students are ambitious and know where they are and the subjects are wonderful to teach to that age. One last point, under no circumstance come out to any faculty, student or administrator. You’re dealing with children to age 18. MIAMIGAY.
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