<p>My son wants to become a secondary math teacher. We live in PA and I think it is wise to attend a college and become certified in the state you will be employed. He would like to go to school out of state. He understands the licensing requirements in PA and believes that as long as he meets those requirements it shouldn't matter where he goes to college. Any suggestions?</p>
<p>The best suggestion I can offer is to scrutinize the licensing laws carefully. If there's anything that could be misinterpreted, definitely contact the state board and ask.</p>
<p>I can't imagine it being a problem though, but it's always good to check with the licensing board.</p>
<p>It must be difficult to pass up Penn State.</p>
<p>Vanderbilt is very good for teaching.</p>
<p>It would be best for him to study in the state where he would like to find a teaching job. If he wants to work in PA, he should take a good hard look at the programs there. Some states recognize teacher's licenses from certain other states. He needs to find out what the regulations are for PA.</p>
<p>Here's a link I found that might help.</p>
<p>Teaching</a> in PA</p>
<p>It might be easier for him to attend college in the state he would like to eventually work, but I know several young teachers that were specifically employed because they did NOT attend college in that state. They brought a different perspective to the schools. </p>
<p>Having said that though, teachers don't make a lot of money. From a financial standpoint it might be best to attend a state university.</p>
<p>Qualified high school math teachers are getting harder and harder to find. If he gets certified to teach in one state and a district in another state wants to hire him, it is likely that he will be granted an emergency license and have a certain number of months or years to complete any course work he needs to achieve licensure in that state. He might have to take a few more courses, but he should be OK.</p>
<p>I am a middle school teacher in Pennsylvania. I went to college at the University of Delaware and taught in that state for many years. Later, I moved to Pennsylvania and applied for certification. It is definitely a longer process to get your license when you attend school in another state. However, it should not stop him if he has his heart set on another school.</p>
<p>Most of the teachers l work with went to in-state public universities. They were realistic about the fact that teachers do not make enough money to pay back huge amounts of student loans. This many not be an issue for your son, but it is certainly something worth considering. </p>
<p>He needs to check out the Pennsylvania Department of Education web site and make sure that the schools he is considering meet the requirements for certification.</p>
<p>Best of luck to your son!!</p>
<p>We have a bunch of great education schools in PA. One thing to note, PA is the toughest state in the US to get certified in.</p>
<p>Thank you for your thoughtful responses. I do know that there are many good education schools here in PA. Unfortunately, my son does not want to attend a large university and there are not many students from his private school who attend the smaller state-related universities. He is studious and believes he deserves to attend a "better" school where he will meet other studious students, which is ridiculous as there are brilliant students at every college in the country. Equally ridiculous because of these economic times. He cannot graduate with many loans and is aware his income will be limited as a teacher. He seems to have a passion for teaching and I don't want to discourage him, but there is much to consider when choosing the college. How do I convince him to attend a small education school here in PA?</p>
<p>I agree with your son. If financing an education at a school that he believes is more appropriate and better for him is possible without prohibitive levels of debt, I say go for it.</p>
<p>It may just be me, but I find attending a school because it's the cheapest and easiest option to be quite depressing. Perhaps that's because I did exactly that for the last two years of my life and was miserable for most of that time.</p>
<p>Yes, every school has brilliant students; however, some institutions have a majority of such students, while in others these individuals constitute a smaller minority.</p>
<p>If he truly wants to become a teacher, he will know in time. And to be honest, I'd much rather have any future children of mine taught by a teacher who went to the best possible school for them and got the most out of their experience than the one who went for the easy path and never left the safe zone. This may sound harsh, but I've had far too many teachers like this, and frankly, they did a disservice to themselves and their students by doing so. I'm not talking about people who are economically disadvantaged; no, I'm talking about people who looked at their education as nothing more than a "bargain," even when they could have afforded otherwise.</p>
<p>So please, while I doubt any of what I said is what you want to hear, listen to your son. This is coming from someone who went to a "smaller" state school that trains many teachers. The fact that so many of my classmates at said college will actually come near classrooms as instructors still scares me.</p>
<p>Jahn1012--Thank you for your honest reply. It's helpful to hear a response from one who has some experience in the very area my son will be treading. I will consider your thoughts and will definitely listen to my son as he makes his decision.</p>