I know, I know. Getting a college degree in the education area is a terrible idea. The low pay, system is broken, etc., etc. I got it. At least, this is what we hear from everyone around us.
Anyway D is still adamant that this is the route she wants to go. Still not narrowed down but likely something in either elementary or secondary education.
We are in MD so looking at in-state options (not a lot of options for in state), but open to other OOS options.
Please give me some success stories you or D have had recently with this path. Please share school and specific programs.
So many different programs and paths (bachelors, master), education major versus subject major with education minor, 4 or 5 year programs. It is all making my head spin.
I honestly had a great experience. I majored in English (Binghamton), finished in 3 years thanks to AP credits. Then I took a 10 month teacher certification program (UPenn). In New York it’s best to major in the subject you want to teach, and then get the masters in education. I got a job in the NYC DOE with a starting salary of 56k. It is now my third year and I’m up to 73k. I make more than most of my friends, I have awesome healthcare/dental, I get out of work at 3pm, plenty of days off throughout the year, and I’m hoping to get tenure next year so the job security will be even more secure. My first year was pretty miserable. Awful administration, crappy school, bad kids. But after a year of experience, the interview circuit was much more fruitful and now I’m at a pretty good school where I’m happy to go to work most days. Not Mondays. Or long stretches without breaks. But I’m definitely glad I went down the path I did.
My D also attended a SUNY school, like @rebeccar , but she took a slightly different path by enrolling in a 5 year program and coming out with her masters’. She started in the 50’s but after one year decided teaching was not for her. She now works for an ed tech company, without as many great benefits, but she is about to be promoted to team leader and she is a lot happier. Most of her colleagues also have masters in education. I do sometimes wish that she had done the DOE circuit and found a different school, but she is happy.
I started out a private 4 year and transferred to a suny due to money and change of major.
I transferred to SUNY new paltz, graduated with a BS in early childhood and childhood education with a concentration in history in May 2017, then I received my EdTPA results in june, which led to my being fully and dual certified in birth-2 and 1-6th grade. I interviewed all summer and was hired by my local district August 2017. Happily employed as a first year teacher, 4th grade, great benefits and union and a solid salary.
D completed her UG teaching degree in 4 years w/ no debt at an in-state (not flagship) U. Her first year of teaching was horrid-- she was at a very challenging school with little support- 1/2 of her grade level team quit by December. She’s in a much better, though challenging, school this year having had several offers to choose from. She’s working on her masters in library science. With her earnings, she is able to pay for a nice apartment, her grad school tuition, and enough to be saving a good bit each month. She’s not crazy about teaching right now-- but looking forward to what is ahead after she finished her MLS.
I’ve been teaching high school math since 1980, so my college experience probably isn’t what you’re looking for. (if it is, I graduated from Community College with my AS in math. I then transferred to St. John’s University in Queens NY for both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. I got my Masters at night, while teaching during the day.)
But I have to chime in. I LOVE my job! It’s not about the pay or the vacations or the “brokenness” of the system. It’s about the kids I have the honor of teaching and guiding and getting to know. And about the kids who come back with their own kids to apply for the same school, and who explain to their kids that I was their geometry teacher and how much they enjoyed my class.
It’s about no day ever being the same as the on before it-- in fact, it’s very rare that two periods are very similar. It’s about getting a brand new start every September, with the ability to take what worked last year and fiddle with what didn’t work as well.
I’m in a Catholic high school on Long Island. Our administration is wonderfully supportive. There are a million little reasons why I love my job so much; way too much for one post.
My DD has wanted to a math teacher since 5th grade. She majored in Math at SUNY Binghamton. She then went to Columbia’s Teachers College and got her Masters is Secondary math education. She got a her first job at a 2/10 ranked NYC school in Brooklyn. She really tried working with these kids but it was other teachers/PTA that made her want to leave. After a year, she moved to a 10/10 NYC public school. She is now at a Top 10 Private School in Brooklyn.
D1 went to an out-of-state LAC, student-taught, did all of the work to pass her EDTPA and then decided to move back home.
The requirements here were slightly different and she had to take 3 standardized tests. She passed them all on the 1st try. She is almost through her 1st year of teaching 5th grade and it went really well.