Timewaster's Guide Archive
General => Everything Else => Topic started by: House of Mustard on July 08, 2004, 03:33:58 PM
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So, I've decided to go back to school, and I'm leaning seriously toward teaching. I met the U's academic advisor today, and it looks pretty simple to get through the Masters of Education program. The program would begin summer 2005, and I'd be licensed by end of spring 2006. (After that, I'd still need 12 more hours to complete the masters.) I'd need to take two classes before I apply, but I can do that this fall, and I'd need to take two PRAXIS tests and the GRE.
It sounds really good to me, but it's a big step.
Any suggestions or advice on this? I know 42 is an educator, so I'm sure you'll have something useful to say.
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sounds like you've got it all planned out. Just make sure you don't kill yourself during those terms.
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All the classes are mapped out as to when you take them, so I don't have a lot of choice as to whether I want to kill myself or not. Summer is scary: 15 hours over a summer semester. I've done 12 in summer, and thought that was nuts.
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Just a question: what made you want to be a teacher after this time? (You have been out of school for a while I think.) And what do you want to teach specifically?
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I've always wanted to teach. While I was in college though, I was thinking of getting a masters in poli-sci, and heading that direction (for a few years I was pretty devoted to getting a masters in Security Studies at Georgetown and then working for the CIA). But toward the end of college I kind of got less interested in that.
Yeah, I graduated a year ago (which makes me worry: I don't know what professors will remember me enough to write a letter of recommendation). I got a BS in political science and a minor in history. I'd be taking the praxis tests in both, so I could teach either. (I'd prefer history, but I'd take either. The advisor said that demand is low in both of those fields, so it's good to be qualified for both.)
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You know, you might want to certify in creative writing too....
With your publication credits, you could probably teach creative writing/English at a community college right now.
As for teaching high school, well--if it's something you really want to do, then go for it. It's hard to make a living here in Utah as a teacher, but in other states it's quite doable.
How would you support yourself during this educational period, and what would it do to your writing?
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I hope to be able to survive through the education on book money (the next novel is out in February, and there's a nonfiction in the works planned for June--though it's not accepted yet). Anything else will have to come from loans or part-time jobs. Still, I'll only be unable to work for a year (May 2005 to May 2006). Honestly, my wife and I haven't discussed the money aspect in too much depth (since I just talked to the advisor today).
I've got an application for adjunct faculty in at two community colleges right now, but they haven't been interested yet. Still, it might be worth it to take the Creative Writing PRAXIS test.
And really, even though it doesn't pay much (though having a masters boosts that a little) I'm looking at it more because I think I'll enjoy it, and because it will be a good job to go along with writing for a while. My goal is still to write full time.
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Do you think you can pull off full time in the LDS market, or will you have to expand? How often do LDS-themed books sell in the 25-35k realm? That's probably what you'd need to get to in order to make an okay living.
It's a ways away, but I'll bet you could get on at UVSC. I hear they're a bit desperate for teachers. (English teachers, at least.)
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UVSC is one of the schools where I have an adjunct application. SLCC is the other.
I know that it is possible to make a living off LDS stuff, but not common--and it usually only happens with the big, epic type novels (Work and the Glory, Prelude to Glory, Promised Land) etc. The other option is just volume: If I can sell moderately, but get a book out every nine months, then that works too.
However, I hope to expand to the national market sometime. I don't have any current plans, but that's the eventual idea.
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What genre? Sf/f is always an option. However, if you could spiff-up your plotting, your ability to make clever character could break you into the mystery field.
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Actually, I've always leaned toward historical fiction. It's a long way from what I'm writing now, but it's what I'd like to do.
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Well, I'm studying teaching now and enjoying it, but since deciding to do teaching was the most insane decision of my life, I don't have a lot to comment.
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Getting a Master in Education is good. It will start you out at a higher pay scale than just a bachealors. Teaching history or english is more likely to get you hired. Teacher pay is based on educational level and number of years you have taught. Bonus are sometimes available for coaching or running extra-curricular activities.
Irregardless of your education level you will have to re-certify to teach every five years or so.
Course, if you teach english or history, and possibly poli. sci., you will be teaching general courses which means that you'll get just about any kind of student. This could mean that you'll start out with some of the rougher students.
As far as the teaching hours, well everyone says that the first couple of years are the hardest. Once you've established a number of different lesson plans and curriculums it gets easier. Course, you'll be grading papers which is just time-consuming.
As far as to what you'll learn in a education program, well there's a lot to learn. Grading and assessment, curriculum development, discipline, people management, special education, and psychology of learning. Hopefully your program will cover a lot of that. If it doesn't then things will just be rougher for you when you start teaching.
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Irregardless of your education level you will have to re-certify to teach every five years or so.
You did not just type that....
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He's an artist, not an English major.
HoM: How does mainstream historical sell? I know historical romances are huge, though historical sf/f seems to be only a marginal success. Harry Turtledove is the only one I an think of that's done very well.
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Fuzzy, go editing nazi somewhere else.
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Bernard Cornwell has been extremely successful with his stuff, but I don't really know any sales figures on anybody else.
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Anyway, it's semi-official now. My wife and I talked it all over last night, and we really like the idea. Money will be tight, but money's always tight. It looks like we'll go for it.