Re: thinking about getting cross-cert in sped

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When did you graduate ARC? I am hearing that except for this
year's group, most of the math people actually got jobs in the
end (though often in the inner cities, but that's true about a
lot of alternate route programs....it's all supply vs. demand).

I am not sure you can enter ARC if you've already done a
certification program. Most other states' similar programs (i.e.
NYC Teaching Fellows) will not let you in. I think unlike most
of these programs ARC will, I know there were a lot of private
school teachers and L/T subs in my class, though the people who
were truly "career changing" resented those people thinking they
will keep them from getting a job (one reason most programs do
not allow this).

Also, I'm not sure ARC has a Special Ed program per se.

Finally, I would be careful about going for college teaching.
Nowadays, a lot of colleges are looking to cut costs by hiring a
lot of P/T faculty and either not hiring F/T faculty or not
offering tenure ever to any new F/T faculty. My sister became a
professor in the late 90's and was tenured a few years ago and
was told if she was entering this job today she wouldn't have
anywhere near the security l/t professors enjoy. Good luck!

On 8/26/09, Math Teach wrote:
> I hear you. Oh do I hear you! I was a math major, and thought
> it would be easier to get a job. Seems that everyone is
> choosing math, as it is a shortage area (in the inner cities,
> that is). I'm getting my M.S. in applied math, and am
> starting to look into teaching at junior colleges when I'm
> done. I worked last year as a .6FTE, and it looks like I'll
> be subbing this year.
>
> I too am a graduate of ARC, and basically found it to be a
> waste of time. Most of the $4000 went to pay for the guest
> faculty, with many giving enlightening lectures such
> as "Teaching in the inner cities is different than teaching
> in the suburbs'
> Yeah, no sh*t, Sherlock!
>
> Why not get a graduate degree and think about teaching in a
> college? You would have to get one anyway (I already have an
> M.S. but it's not in math) :(
>
> On 8/26/09, CTteacher wrote:
>> I am thinking about getting a cross cert in sp.ed., as I am
>> really tired of trying to find a job in my area of language
>> arts. This summer I have sent out over 20 applications, all
>> over the state, and got one interview. (I found that one
>> district actually throws out all applications after a
>> position is filled. After applying for one job that was
>> filled, only to find another similar position open up in the
>> same dist., I was told I would have to fill out their
>> lengthy application and send everything in from scratch.) I
>> am really tired of subbing, having done it all last year,
>> not to mention the year I did it when I was finishing up my
>> certification coursework. I did land teaching jobs in the
>> private sector, for 2 and a half years, but always planned
>> to go into public. Now I cannot find a job in public or
>> private! I am not just out of college and this is my second
>> career.
>>
>> I have been told that sp.ed. is an area where teachers are
>> actually needed. I just looked up some info online and found
>> that an ARC program exists, but to the tune of approx.
>> $4500! I am not wealthy and cannot afford to pay out of
>> pocket, as I am still paying off student loans from the
>> Master's/certification program I entered when I decided to
>> teach. I have worked with special ed. students and found it
>> rewarding. I am just wondering if anyone knows of any
>> funding options, private or public grants, etc., that would
>> help me pay for this.
>>
>> I am not ready to give up yet, but so frustrated at this
>> whole teaching situation. If I had known how expensive it
>> would be to get my credentials and how difficult it would be
>> to land a job, I probably would have opted to go into a
>> different field. Of course the state is no help, with its
>> system of putting us all into little boxes, from which we
>> cannot get out of w/o shelling out thousands of dollars for
>> "professional development." (I have talked to older teachers
>> who have been in the system for 20+ years, who basically
>> just went into sp.ed. b/c their admin asked them to, and
>> have no special credentials. My, how things have changed.)
>>
>> Thanks for any input anyone can give me. Pretty soon, I will
>> be looking to go into another field, I suppose, as I just
>> cannot take this much longer.
>>
>> Cheers!
>> CTteacher
 

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