Dear Neighbors:
When I was in high school, I knew that I would need four years of college in order to be taken seriously in any profession. Other friends had the kind of skills that could be used in a trade, but my talents are in my head, not in my hands. I've always wished I could fix things the way my brothers do, or have the guts to ride the real estate waves, as many of my friends have done successfully. When I was ready to pursue college seriously, I earned a degree in Business Administration with a concentration on marketing. Later, I earned a teaching credential. I love to teach and fortunately, I'm pretty good at it.
Learning to be a good teacher wasn't an easy process. My first two years were extremely rough. Some teachers opt for the student teaching program, where they work under a master teacher and spend six months, unpaid, in a classroom. There are also internship opportunities, and this was the option I chose. I couldn't afford to work for free, and I was fortunate to find a school district that was willing to hire (and pay!) interns. I was supervised by a professor from my university, who would visit me and observe me in the classroom once every few weeks. I also had a mentor, who was condescending and reported my struggles and failures to anyone who would listen. I always knew that if she was in my classroom, the principal was sure to follow.
This, of course, is the hard way to learn to teach. The education provided in my credentialing classes was insufficient for the environment in which I found myself. The classroom was full of rowdy, uninterested kids and there was no one to turn to on a daily basis for help. The principal made it clear that if I was struggling, that meant I was a bad teacher. He offered plenty of criticism, but few suggestions. As it turned out, he was as qualified to be an administrator as I was an unsupervised teacher. I lost my job at the end of two years.
I even have a nickname for him, but only Laura knows what it is. :)
My next job was in South Central Los Angeles at a well-established charter school. Since my former principal essentially blackballed me, I couldn't find a job in a public school. So I had to start over. The administrators at this school were extremely enthusiastic and willing to help in tough situations. They drew teachers in by bragging about the school's superior reputation, its commitment to helping inner-city students, and its no-tolerance policy towards disruptive students. I was one of the few new hires with an actual credential. Most of the teachers had been recruited from Teach For America, an organization dedicated to bringing committed teachers into low-income areas. The following link will show you what they're looking for: Teach For America
Did you notice that a teaching credential and experience were not mentioned at all? The teachers who came from this program were just starting the credential program and had no idea how to teach, much less how to control a classroom. While the program's intentions are good, enthusiasm isn't enough to be an effective teacher. There is a reason for the credentialing program, and California's is one of the toughest. At the end of one year, the school fired every single teacher that had been hired that year. Every. Single. One.
The idea that anyone can do any profession with a minimum of training is becoming more and more common. I can't help but see ads everywhere offering jobs in medical and dental fields in less than a year. My friends who are nurses are RN's (registered nurses) and have a minimum of a bachelor's degree. An LVN (licensed vocational nurse) only needs one year of education and training and can perform the following tasks: Be An LVN! After one year, an LVN can start an IV, do a basic medical assessment and take blood. One year. No college required. Given that I have blood drawn and iron infused intravenously every four weeks, the idea of allowing a nurse with a year of training to stick me is appalling. I'm not an easy stick and it takes an experienced nurse to start an IV without leaving me with a huge bruise. My last iron infusion was July 5, and the bruise still hasn't disappeared entirely.
An Associate's degree takes approximately two years. When I was younger, it was considered a joke. These days, individuals who spent less than half the time in school than I did are making much more than I am and are responsible for dealing with patients, taking x-rays, flying planes and handling evidence of a crime. Two Years to Financial Success
Maybe I should go back to school. It would only take two years to earn almost twice what I'm earning now. Afterwards, will you trust me to fly your plane or start your IV? I'm not saying every career should require a bachelor's degree; only those in which I must put my life in someone else's hands. After all, if you're good with computers, cooking, or fashion design, the education just complements what you already know.
After my experience in South Central, I moved back to Moreno Valley and taught Adult Education for a year. I honed my teaching style and learned how to meet individual needs. My students were eager to learn and we had such a good relationship. Most of them had come from the ESL program (English as a Second Language) and were eager to be able to speak and write English as well as the rest of us. They encouraged me and I supported them right back. It was the motivation I needed to pursue another full-time job. Had they offered full-time with benefits, I would have stayed indefinitely.
I've been teaching 5th grade for two years now and have found my niche. Learning a profession takes a combination of education and experience. Who would you prefer to teach your children -- a twenty-two year old who might be a teacher this year and a fashion designer next year, or an educated, dedicated professional?
I can only hope that like teachers, individuals who graduate from career colleges will pursue ongoing education and training.
Reviewing my options,
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