Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 14:44:10 GMT -5
I asked in another thread but it might miss some there. If you have teacher certification, do you have in more than one subject area? How many?
I feel like more is probably better, but maybe there is some reason why not?
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Gardening Grandma
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Post by Gardening Grandma on Aug 25, 2017 15:11:20 GMT -5
I think it partly depends on the grade level. In my area, they like HS teachers to be specialists. Middle school, they like diversification.
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cyanne
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Post by cyanne on Aug 25, 2017 19:23:22 GMT -5
I have licenses in specific learning disabilities and emotional behavior disorders. Most school districts want special education teachers to have licenses in at least two areas. In my state they prefer one of those licenses to be either EBD or ASD (Autism). My district won't hire a special education teacher who doesn't have two or more license areas.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 19:42:57 GMT -5
When I became certified, I had it in both English and social studies. In fact, my first job was as a middle school social studies teacher.
However, with the advent of "highly qualified status," I am not sure that I am still HQ in social studies. I have a smattering of course work in history, sociology, political science, etc. I really don't know what makes you HQ in SS these days. My system only qualified me in English, Language Arts, and Reading.
However, I have seen at least two tenured teachers lose their jobs in the last three years because their programs were reduced or eliminated. They were only certified in one area. One was a second Latin teacher. He was incredibly smart and used the Praxis to become certified in middle school science. The other was a journalism (broadcasting) teacher who was forced to retire. Tenured does not mean employed for life if they don't need you.
So, yes, if you can become HQ in multiple fields, it is better for you. It increases your chances of finding a job in the first place . . . like me with the initial social studies position. It increases your chances of keeping a tenured job if they can place you somewhere else.
However, in Alabama you have to do a second student teaching stint. That would be difficult. And both must be what are called "majors," which require 30-36 hours. That means almost no electives. I did have double majors even back in 1971-74, but that was really unusual. I didn't have to student teach in both fields.
ETA: I have a second master's in library science, which is an additional teacher certification. But that really isn't what you are asking, I think. That's like being a teacher and then deciding to become a counselor or principal.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 19:56:46 GMT -5
I'll need to look into highly qualified status further. I have an instructional II in Special education and an MS in Ed development which in PA gets me half way there already. I need to study that further though.
No extra student teaching here or need to do coursework, except as it might relate to HQ teacher status, which i will look into more.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 20:39:58 GMT -5
I wouldn't have to do the student teaching in SS since they initially certified me. I am just not sure that they certify SS generalists as HQ. A lot of biology and chemistry teachers had to take additional coursework since they weren't certified to teach other sciences.
It used to be that if you were certified in ANY science, you could teach ANY science. HQ status changed that. I think they were hit harder than any other field. You don't get certified in English 12 or Algebra, for example.
A Special Education teacher could explain it best.
Good luck!
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Aug 25, 2017 20:47:10 GMT -5
Looks like highly qualified status changed again in pa at least last year. I'm not sure it's an issue any more...
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Knee Deep in Water Chloe
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Post by Knee Deep in Water Chloe on Aug 25, 2017 21:55:28 GMT -5
"Highly Qualified" is no longer a federal thing and hasn't been for a few years. Each state gets to decide from there.
I chose to have state licensure in elementary/self-contained grades 3 - 5 and middle school/all subjects. For highly qualified, I was language arts grades 5 - 9 in a middle school setting and elementary/self-contained. When I was first starting out, I wanted to have a range of jobs I could apply for. Now, the state has changed the rules. I have, based on my education, experience, and longevity a "professional" license. Supposedly, I can teach anything they ask me to teach. (This has only been the case for the last school year, so it hasn't been put into practice yet.)
When I was deciding what to licenses to get, I chose to take the classes for what was is federally known as a reading endorsement. HOwever, I chose not to put it on my license. I wanted to know how to teach reading; I didn't want to be involuntarily assigned to a Title 1 reading classroom. I also could have added an HQ math endorsement based on my Praxis scores.
From a hiring committee POV, it's better to have multiple endorsements. For personal choices, I only wanted to be licensed for what I really wanted to teach.
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Spellbound454
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Post by Spellbound454 on Aug 26, 2017 16:37:01 GMT -5
Things are a bit different in the UK. I have qualified teacher status (ages 11-18) and work mostly in my main area......but if they are short in other subjects I teach whatever appears on my timetable.
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NoNamePerson
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Post by NoNamePerson on Aug 27, 2017 17:08:00 GMT -5
I just want to say how much I admire each of you for becoming teachers. Back in the dark ages I had teachers that instilled in me a love of history, literature, art, science. And one teacher told me to never ever stop being inquisitive. Math teachers were fighting a losing battle. Funny thing down the road I became a bookkeeper
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toomuchreality
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Post by toomuchreality on Aug 29, 2017 12:13:01 GMT -5
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