I passed!

[Shea]

Hi all! I just stopped by to say that I passed part of my teaching exams! :banana: :banana: :banana: I was able to get the results of the multiple choice sections right away, but I have to wait 4 weeks to know what I got on the essays (grrr...).

So now I can relax and cruise around here as before and explore the new teaching section. I've also started some side reading that I've been wanting to attack but couldn't because it was not on that 'sacred list'. I'm currently enjoying Roots by Alex Haley.

See ya round!

[grace86]

Congratulations!!! How wonderful it is to get something out of the way that you worked so hard to accomplish. You definitely deserve a bit of a rest before gearing up for the rest. Relax...you earned it.

[Logos]

Congratulations Shea! :)

[Petrarch's Love]

Well done, Shea! Congratulations.

[Admin]

Congratulations, it'll be nice seeing your face around here more again.

[Asa Adams]

Oh yes, I remember these times. Congrats to you!

[Virgil]

Congratulations and nice to have you back.

[Madhuri]

Congrats! Shea. I have always felt so stressed during my exam days, I can understand how it feels after they are over, so easy and relaxing.....

[Shea]

Thanks everyone! And hey, keep me in your prayers (or wish me luck, whichever you prefer) for tomorrow. I've got an interview with a good school.

[Madhuri]

Good Luck! Shea, I wish you get through with your interview.

[Scheherazade]

Congratulations and good luck, Shea! :)

[Shannanigan]

oooohhh...the interview is today! Good luck Shea!!! :)

[mono]

Congratulations, Shea, and I apologize I had not noticed this earlier, but what an accomplishment! No doubt, the essays went well, but we will all keep our fingers crossed for you. ;)

[Shea]

Thanks all! The interview went well (but I've felt that almost all of them have gone well). However, this is the first time I've interveiwed with this county (I live right on the county boarders so I applied to both). It was very different from the other one. This interview was more about what my assets were and about what kind of school this was (an ideal one!), rather than what I wanted to accomplish as a teacher. We actually wound up talking more about the school than anything else, so that I walked away feeling like I had been the one conducting the interview!

The only problem is that this is a temporary position. I knew that going in, but I figured that it would be for a year which would have been ideal as Leo and I want to start our family soon. But it's only for half a year, not quite long enough. This is the last local school that's hiring for English. While everyone keeps telling me that more positions open up just before or even after the first day of school, I'm afraid of turning this one down and then getting stuck. Around here, English teachers aren't in quite as high demand as other subjects. Anyway, I talked to a good friend who is respected in the district, and he said that if it's offered to me, I should accept but explain that if a better offer is given to me, that I'll take that instead. I hope that works.

I'm going on and on worrying about this, but it really makes no difference at all if they don't call tomorrow anyway!

[adilyoussef]

I'm just a passer by
Dropping here to say hi
And congratulate one of those
People that make things easier
Those to whom we all owe
What we've become and who show
Us the way to light
And make our life bright
Teachers my teachers I say thank you
And here I congratulate one of you

[Shea]

Thank's for the poem Adil! That lifts my spirits since I once again came home to no message on my machine requesting me to fill a position. I'm starting to feel like nobody wants me!

[miss tenderness]

bigest congrats are dedicated to you dear Shea. I can tell how happy you are because I've just graduated. Best of luck to you in the futuer ,teacher Shea. happy to have you back:)

[adilyoussef]

Thank's for the poem Adil! That lifts my spirits since I once again came home to no message on my machine requesting me to fill a position. I'm starting to feel like nobody wants me!

I know the feeling. It's bad. But keep hoping. One day, you will be rewarded for all your efforts. Good luck!

[literaturerocks]

wow awesome shea! good job! congratulations :D

[Pensive]

Congratulations Shea!

[jon1jt]

Do you seriously, truly, deeply want to be a teacher?

[miss tenderness]

why jon? you do not like teaching??

you sound like me somehow :lol:

[Shea]

Do you seriously, truly, deeply want to be a teacher?
:lol: If I could get paid to study literature all the time that would be ideal. The next best thing is to teach it. I want to inspire and get rusty brain gears to start working.

[jon1jt]

I met a girl once in a bar and she asked me what I did for a living. So I told her I was a teacher. She seemed impressed and said that teaching is a "noble profession." After talking to her some, I asked her why she didn't teach. She had a dynamic personality, was well read, and indicated she loved kids. She answered matter-of-factly, "I'm an attorney, I make real money."

Of course, teachers don't teach for money alone, but what irks me is how teaching IS a third rate profession. Teachers are EXPECTED to work for free. Case in point: Many schools "strongly encourage" first-year teachers to "volunteer" for an after-school club. My first year the principal recommended I coach the mock trial team which required staying till 6-7 pm, 3-4 times a week and Saturdays for competitions. My second year they felt I could take on one more---the Poetry Club, free of charge, of course. Teachers seem to readily accept this concept of working for free. Add up all the time spent prepping, grading papers, phoning parents, filling out special education reports, and so on. Ask a mechanic to work on your car "after hours" free of charge and watch him curse you out. That's because they get paid $60-70 an hour. Sure, I would also rather be working with literature than working on a car. Well, maybe not.

For many parents, school is a drop-off center for their kids. I know many people don't want to hear this: the failure of education is POOR PARENTING, period. Learning starts at home. :nod:

I walked away from full-time public school teaching a couple years ago as an act of protest because I realized that good teachers are hard to come by, and society ought respect, not degrade teachers (I acknowledge a handful of parents are very supportive) Incompetence rolls up to the highest levels, from superintendents to administrators who routinely hand out teaching jobs as patronage. Check your local newspaper when a teachers contract expires; the community, administration, and board will be up in arms vying to cut a proposed increase from 4.5 to 3 with the stipulation that the school day be extended, a prep be taken away, or some other nonsensical idea. Another thing: mandatory certification does not guarantee qualified teachers. What does is a dynamic personality, an unwavering devotion to children, a true love for one's subject, and exceptional communication skills---mostly all intangible qualities. Ask a teacher what book he/she is reading and almost expect for them to say under their breathe, "Read? What's that?" There is simply little time left in the day.

University education programs are cash cows for legislative mandates, churning out teachers who can't apply the methodology in the classroom AND would be better suited studying their own subject. Many teachers are motivated to do a masters in education to bump up their pay to a scale they should be earning. Teachers and administrators with Ed.d tagged to their name speaking theoretical babble about "quantifiable classrooms" and "lesson scaffolding" and Saint Thomas Dewey. It's the standardized test, the standardized test, the standardized test... :confused: Teachers readily conform to grade inflation, rarely failing more than one or two students in a given marking period for fear of retribution by parents, administrators, and students themselves. Teachers shudder when students utter the words, "Mean/hard teacher." Universities are equally complicit in this dumbing down.

No Child Left Behind and the scores of other band-aid initiatives fail teachers as well. And until teachers are truly compensated, until teachers are respected and stop turning a blind eye to the extent to which they're disrespected --- until teachers are revered even, by student, parent and administrator -- in the spirit Americans revere Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, :D the system will waddle on paying school maintenance workers the near starting salary of a new teacher with a masters, who has to endure tax payers and parents bemoan a profession they know little to nothing about. (By the way, I have nothing against maintenance workers---all workers deserve a living wage)

By the way, congratulations Shea on passing your teaching exam. :D

[Shea]

By the way, congratulations Shea on passing your teaching exam. :D

:lol: :lol: :lol:

I say a hearty AMEN! to your speech. Especially to the part about poor parenting! :nod: And you don't know how many times I heard when I was subbing that it was a good thing that I majored in Literature rather than education. I even read about it in the material I had to study for my exams!! :eek:

[Shea]

:rage: Here's another stupid thing. Of the two counties I applied for, the one that has the most openings has yet ANOTHER 'freeze'. They can't hire anyone until they figure out their student population vs their thier teacher population. The hiring won't resume until September 4!!! :rage: :rage: :rage: What am I supposed to do for a whole month?!! No wonder that county keeps complaining about a teacher shortage.

I've found this out today so I put in my resume at a private school that's hiring for August 7. It's probably less pay, but from what I understand it should be better conditions. Still too far to drive, but I'm desperate now.

[jon1jt]

There you go Shea---bureaucracy at its finest. I've been there Shea --- do hang in there. A public school offered me a position less than one week before the first day of school and finally got around to give me the books for the classes I would be teaching just three days out! A private school can be a great place to get your experience and move on after a year or so. Just consider that the longer you teach private the tougher it potentially is to land a public school position. Mediocre public schools don't normally like to pay for years of experience or a masters for that matter. Hmm. :)

[Scheherazade]

I am a little confused... Private schools pay less?

[jon1jt]

I am a little confused... Private schools pay less?

I'm not sure about the private schools where Shea lives, but in the NYC/NJ area, they normally pay less, unless it's upscale private or charter and most don't provide benefits/pension. Most Catholic schools pay around 19-22K with benefits, which you're going to need because you're bound to starve to death sooner or later. :D

[andruwjin]

Congratulations!
but u r so lucky . u know wat i just took an exam lasting 2 hours but i have to wait 2 months to get the result ......

[Shea]

Congratulations!
but u r so lucky . u know wat i just took an exam lasting 2 hours but i have to wait 2 months to get the result ......

eeww! 2 months! My first exam was 4 hours and the second was 3. At least I was able to get part of the results right away.

Yeah Scher, you'd think they pay more. Half the reason why parents send their kids to private school is to give them a better education. One would assume that they'd pay the teachers better. But I have been told that it is a better teaching environment.

Here's a bit of hope though, a parent from this particular school came into the store one day. We were talking about it and she said that they are trying to be more competitive in their pay rate. I guess we'll see if I get an interview.


Just consider that the longer you teach private the tougher it potentially is to land a public school position. Mediocre public schools don't normally like to pay for years of experience or a masters for that matter. Hmm.

I'm not too worried about that yet jon. Our plan anyway is for me to teach for a year or two and then we start our family. I won't go back to teaching until our kids are old enough to go to school. We are almost out of debt. With the exception of our mortgage, a year of my teaching will eliminate it.

[miss tenderness]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

it was a good thing that I majored in Literature rather than education. :

I am majored in both Lit. and education, I studied then togther. Both are exausting but one is interesting at least :lol:

[Shea]

I just thought would all would like to know that I found out this week that I passed the essay portions of my exams. I've been so busy that I barely had time to celebrate. I'm off to grade my mountain of papers.

[Morad]

Hi Shea !

Congrats dear and good luck with your exams .. Wish thee all the best :)