A conversation w/ daryn re: being a teacher

[MikeNaked]

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Here is what i could never stand to be a teacher: all these strict rules and general bs. An education degree? That sounds like a complete waste of time. The procedure for being a teacher is too mechanical. I think that all of this nonsense weeds out all of the creative people.

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i think i agree with you in general about this

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Ok, maybe you can tell us what is this 'nonsense' he's talking about....


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the way i took it was there are so many hoops you have to jump through to become a teacher, and some really qualified people might just say F it

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Gotcha...and I agree.

Not sure about Mass, but the way to do it is to get your teaching license (paperwork, recommendations, fingerprints, take a test or two, then wait 3 months - really not so bad) and then when you get hired by a district, they will often pay for your M.Ed.

Another thing about the education profession that is frustrating is that it does attract some schlubs that don't pull their weight and other morons who couldn't make it in the private sector due to sloth or incompetence. Oh man, I could tell you stories...

[KDawgCometh]

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I don't think this career is for daryn. Of course, I've never met him, so I'm only going with my read from the tone of his posts. I think he would quickly tire of the dimwitted and their neverending bs excuses. I could see him liking it if he got some good classes (honors/AP physics), but that isn't likely to happen initially.

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good point. i always picture myself in a class full of smart kids who want to learn about physics. i also know that this situation is completely ideal and not customary

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this is probably why you would want to be a college prof. Another thing to consider is actually teaching jr high science. You can still have a life being a jr high teacher, and the requirements for teaching may not be as stringent. I have a friend back in IL who is a teacher at my old jr high, and he just has a education degree, it may be different in mass though. Of course, IIRC, you are about my age, so you still have plenty of time to do more schooling to get a masters and a phd if you want to go the college route

[MikeNaked]

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i think an education degree is good if you are teaching dumb kids. if you are teaching smart kids it seems like a waste of time. all you need to do is rent 4 or 5 teacher movies and follow the inspirational techniques they use. seriously, do you go to school for 4 years to learn 'teaching format'??

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First of all, M.Ed. programs are two years. Really intensive ones can be a year.

Second of all, "teaching format"??? Please... you don't know what you are talking about so

[Jack of Arcades]

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I'm pretty sure you'd need to get certified, though. I'm not quite sure of the certification process for people without education degrees.

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here is what i could never stand to be a teacher: all these strict rules and general bs. An education degree? That sounds like a complete waste of time. The procedure for being a teacher is too mechanical. I think that all of this nonsense weeds out all of the creative people.

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i think i agree with you in general about this

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Ok, maybe you can tell us what is this 'nonsense' he's talking about....

Usually people think "good teaching" is the way they learned best in high school. There's lots to it - from curriculum to instruction to assessment to learning theory.

There's nothing stultifying about an education degree from a quality program IMO.

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His post makes some sense if you are willing to take it with a grain of salt. There are definitely some teachers who don't know their subject matter, but are there anyway because they have an education degree. And there are definitely some incredibly intelligent people who would like to become teachers, but cannot because they don't have an education degree. That's a shame, because many of these people know their subject inside and out, have experience using the subject in the real world, and have original ideas for conveying the subject to students. It's a shame that the fact that they don't have an education degree is holding them back from entering the profession. Luckily, a lot of states have alternate route programs now, so it's a little easier for career changers. All that being said, having an education degree is certainly not worthless, and I don't think that's what KingKungFuMaster was saying.

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Of course, I think everybody's also experience the hugely intelligent teachers that couldn't communicate their ideas to students as well.

The education program isn't just about learning how to teach. You spend tons of hours in the classroom (I spent 30 last semester alone), you learn how to work with kids, learn about common problems, etc. It's a lot about te4aching, but also a lot about everything teachers have to do that ISN'T teaching.

I agree if you're gonna teach an Honors/AP physics class that an education degree doesn't matter, because those are taught just like college courses lots of times. That's not gonna happen though.

[Jack of Arcades]

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I'm pretty sure you'd need to get certified, though. I'm not quite sure of the certification process for people without education degrees.

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here is what i could never stand to be a teacher: all these strict rules and general bs. An education degree? That sounds like a complete waste of time. The procedure for being a teacher is too mechanical. I think that all of this nonsense weeds out all of the creative people.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think i agree with you in general about this

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Ok, maybe you can tell us what is this 'nonsense' he's talking about....


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the way i took it was there are so many hoops you have to jump through to become a teacher, and some really qualified people might just say F it

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To be honest, the different between a history degree and an education degree in soc studies ed is pretty small. Maybe roughly 10 classes. the Education part is like only 20 hours over 4 years.

[RustedCorpse]

I figured this out long ago. I plan to get my PHD in english and instruct some obscure class on William Blake. Hopefully hitting it up with some "deep and insightful" co-ed who enjoy's long walks on the beach and strip beer pong

T -3 years

[raisins]

I thought this was a good plan as well. However the competition for the top flight graduate programs that you need for a job is stiff and the publishing requirements are demanding and tedious. There's also a real shortage of jobs in the area.

But yeah, the young tenured single humanities or arts professor at a small liberal arts college has got to be one of the best combinations of job and working environment out there.

Best of luck.

raisins

[rusty JEDI]

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To be honest, the different between a history degree and an education degree in soc studies ed is pretty small. Maybe roughly 10 classes. the Education part is like only 20 hours over 4 years.

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Here in BC you must get a degree in a regular area. I have a phys.ed degree and a math minor. Once you have a degree in a teachable area (cant be some cheese ass women studies degree) you must go and get your education degree. It takes 2 more years. You can also do it in an 11 month excellerated program. This may be why BC teachers are recruited by basically everywher. Alberta which is one province over is much more like yours sounds.

You must also complete a 3 month practicum where the class is yours. Its half yours at the start and shared with your sponsor teacher, and then you get full control. This is virtually where all your useful learning is done.

rJ

[NateDog]

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To be honest, the different between a history degree and an education degree in soc studies ed is pretty small. Maybe roughly 10 classes. the Education part is like only 20 hours over 4 years.

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Here in BC you must get a degree in a regular area. I have a phys.ed degree and a math minor. Once you have a degree in a teachable area (cant be some cheese ass women studies degree) you must go and get your education degree. It takes 2 more years. You can also do it in an 11 month excellerated program. This may be why BC teachers are recruited by basically everywher. Alberta which is one province over is much more like yours sounds.

You must also complete a 3 month practicum where the class is yours. Its half yours at the start and shared with your sponsor teacher, and then you get full control. This is virtually where all your useful learning is done.

rJ

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You are a teacher? That's just scary.

Oh, Canada. I got it now, keep up the good work.

[nothumb]

I think it would be better to get a master's and be a part-time college professor and teach / play poker. For so many reasons.

NT