<p>My D got into Columbia Teachers College and Hunter. She will pursue the dual childhood education and special education degree.</p>
<p>I'm wondering if either have an advantage over the other as far as excellence in preparation or when it comes time to get a job.</p>
<p>Taking the price out of the equation, Is there an advantage to go to either school? </p>
<p>I heard that principals and other teachers sometimes feel threatened by new teachers who have a degree from Columbia because they think that they will be "know-it-all snobs." They may hire a new teacher from a lesser school because of this. Is this true?</p>
<p>Also my D is planning on living in Murray Hill. How is the commute to either?</p>
<p>The commute’s not bad to either.</p>
<p>All of my kids’ NYC public schools have hired teachers from Columbia at various times. My son’s elementary school had several young (and may say gorgeous!) women during his fourth and fifth grade years. They set up and ran prep programs (on the weekends) for the kids to get ready for the state exams. The principal loved them, the parents loved them, the kids loved them. I’m sure their new school districts in New Jersey love them just as much. Point being, it’s the connections made while the teaching student is in school that will land a job and if the student has a great attitude, brings energy and commitment, the name on the diploma is less important. The best thing for a potential teaching student to do is to either volunteer or student teach (or both) and get involved in that school. There’s a small loophole for special education teachers to be hired directly by the schools, even during the official hiring freeze.</p>
<p>My D is planning on student teaching at the school she eventually wants to work at.</p>
<p>Columbia has a nationally recognized program, and perhaps somewhat more of Columbia’s graduates move into administrative assignments. </p>
<p>Getting a teaching job in NYC in the next few years may prove very, very challenging unless she’s credentialed in special education, English Language Acquisition, or secondary math.</p>
<p>I don’t know the answer but if it were my teen deciding, I would be particularly interested in what comes after either college IF teaching doesn’t work out. As I understand it, its a tough job, lots of burnout and what other educational or career options do teachers take on if they discover teach is not for them (or maybe teaching in NYC is not for them). </p>
<p>The last thing I would care about (or want my kid to start caring about) is whether their education/achievement/traits might threaten/intimidate/make someone jealous. I just don’t see that as generally good mode to operate in, ever. And I think such beliefs are usually false, as they are created and maintained by those who benefit from believing they exist (e.g. the parent whose child went to the lesser school, the student from the greater school who had trouble getting a job).</p>
<p>I agree that anywhere in the country you are more likely to find employment as a teacher if you are certified to teach English language learners or special education. Speech pathology can be a good choice, too. One should seriously consider the amount of debt that will accumulate as the result of pursuing a Columbia degree vs. Hunter College. I didn’t know I’d end up going into education when I entered Barnard, but I could have found a teaching job just as easily if I had graduated from State U, where most of my colleagues attended. The superintendent at my midwestern school told me that he’d never hired anyone from Barnard before. That said, I had no idea what I wanted to do “when I grew up” and I enjoyed the intellectual stimulation at Barnard/Columbia. Someone capable of studying at Columbia may change his/her mind about a future career.</p>
<p>"My D is planning on student teaching at the school she eventually wants to work at. "</p>
<p>In theory, a great idea. But…the reality is that your D needs to be well regarded by the principal of the school AND the school needs to have an opening when your D is looking for a job. </p>
<p>Both Hunter and Columbia will place student teachers throughout the NY metro area. Neither is likely to guarantee a student teaching placement at a particular school.</p>
<p>Sounds as though both schools are well regarded.</p>
<p>questbest, what is your daughter’s plan B to be able to support herself in NYC if, as is likely, it takes several years after graduation to get a teaching job here?</p>
<p>(My daughter is in the middle of coming up with her plan b since we don’t expect it to be possible for her to get a job here for about five years.)</p>
<p>To compare “excellence in preparation” between the two Special Education/Teacher Training programs, sit back and read these two links. Which sounds better/stronger, in your opinion? And your D’s opinion, of course.</p>
<p>[About</a> the Department — Hunter College](<a href=“Hunter College - School of Education”>Hunter College - School of Education)</p>
<h2>[Special</a> Education @ Teachers College :: Program Description](<a href=“http://www.tc.columbia.edu/hbs/SpecialEd/]Special”>http://www.tc.columbia.edu/hbs/SpecialEd/)</h2>
<p>On your question about Columbia and snobbery/ reluctance to hire:
No, that sounds like a mangled third-hand story, and someone with a chip on their shoulder somewhere putting words in other peoples’ mouths. If a newly trained teacher from either place is actually a “know it all snob” that shows up right away in an interview. It’s a matter of the individual’s personality, not what school gave them their diploma.</p>
<p>My future Daughter-in-law finished a Spec Ed program at Columbia Teachers College 3 years ago. She’s as direct as direct can be, kind, hardworking – not an ounce of snobbery. She’s typical from that program, too. Spec Ed Teaching is not the kind of profession that attracts “pop collar Ivy League” snob folks, anyway. The work is TOO HARD! I’d honestly dismiss that quotation as junktalk. I just re-read Starbright’s Post #5 above, paragraph 2, who makes some good points about why people are jealous or upset over other reasons.</p>
<p>In my experience, once someone begins teaching they are judged on how they handle the children and tasks right in front of them. Excellent training, theory and methods, give a teacher the tools to solve each situation or challenge the child brings, as it presents itself, in day-to-day terms. They set longer goals for children, then help them meet them day-by-day. For that reason alone, it’s worth (as you’re doing) trying to advise your D on the place that provides the best preparation.</p>
<p>I would love to speak with people who graduated from each program and how well prepared they felt they were…</p>
<p>bump up please for more responses</p>
<p>If your goal and question is which college is more likely to place graduates in actual jobs, I think that you won’t find a definitive answer. As posters have pointed out, it’s just a hard job market out there right now and I don’t think it matters a heck of a lot where you get your degree from.</p>
<p>My daughter had a roommate in the fall with a masters degree from Columbia Teachers College, certified in NY and could not find a job anywhere, public or private in NYC. My daughter, OTOH, had a bachelors degree from a small private OOS and did manage to get a job at a charter school in NYC, right before the hiring freeze. At the time she was NOT NY certified but did have cert’s from IL and PA.</p>
<p>questbest, seriously. Are you able to support your daughter in NYC (or does she have a plan B) for several years if need be?</p>
<p>By the way, it’s possible that a large number of new charter schools might be opening in 2011. We’re all keeping fingers crossed here! The only problem is that, unlike a couple of years ago, the charters have become very choosy (as they can/should be) and won’t hire teachers without a couple of years’ experience in an urban classroom.</p>
<p>To add on to zoosermom’s comment above, our experience has been that Charters pay LESS then regular public’s. My daughter is actually making less money teaching at a Charter school in NY then she did teaching here in PA and, of course, the cost of living is quite a bit more in NYC.</p>
<p>One important thing to consider is that each school has its own educational philosophy and they can be very distinct. I don’t know anything about Hunter but I have heard from friends who have Masters from TC that it is “child centered”. What that seems to come down to is that teaching is seen more as an interactive dialog than a teaching down from on high. That is an oversimplification of course, and your D should do some serious research. To me, this would be the most important thing to consider. </p>
<p>There are many TC graduates in the NYC public schools (my children had many as teachers), so there is quite a network. I imagine this is probably true for Hunter as well.</p>
<p>The climate out there is so frustrating…and sad. It is the children who suffer when teachers are laid off. I wonder if teaching jobs in NY will open up in the near future!</p>
<p>I’ve heard that Columbia does a better job of guiding their students course selection.</p>