Academia

[Fumus]

I'm working my way through the teaching program at a local university and beginning to feel like they're jerking me around. Aside from finding a different school, I'm wondering what other recourse I might have as a student. It's only one department that's causing me grief, so really don't want to pitch the whole school and go somewhere else, but...

Thought maybe one or two of you fine folks would be more familiar with academia land and could offer suggestions on how to proceed. :afro:

 

[DrT999]

every state has different rules for gaining teaching credentials, especially for what is now called 'delayed entry' or 'late entry' (those with 4 year degrees in other fields going back to get credentialed). So, in part it would depend on the state rules. As for your undescribed problem, it would depend on which department. If it's the education department, that's hard to work around while staying at that particular university. If it's another department, trying working it out with your education advisor.

 

[Stick]

Evening Fumus,

I'd approach your tutor (UK parlance) (education advisor, US??). In the UK all higher ed students have a tutor assigned to them. These are the 'go to' individuals for all academic matters. Failing that I'd approach the head of the dept you're having trouble with.

One thing I have learnt is that here in the UK universities are learning establishments and businesses in equal measure, sometimes a business over being a learning establishment. Suggesting that you'll take your business elsewhere could prove persuasive...

Good luck old chap. Studying is never easy at the best of times.

Stick.

 

[Fr_Tom]

I taught for 32 years. The first 8 years were without a license, and then I went to grad school and got an MST in math. I had a certification at this point and had a state license with a math endorsement. Some of the education teachers were pretty bad, and some of the requirements were stupid.

I had to take a first aid class. As an undergrad, I got PE credit on my transcript for an EMT course. I was then an EMT and did first aid training for a fire department as a fireman later. It seemed to be easy enough to expect that they might count the EMT class as meeting the first aid requirement. They would not do it.

I had been in the classroom before and had a better eye for teachers and what they were going to want than some of my classmates. I knew how to read the requirements for a paper as one example. If it said eight sources, I would make sure I had exactly eight. Once I had finished some paper on something - addressing special needs students who had been mainstreamed or something. I counted my sources and I checked expectations. I was one short. I made a quick edit and added a quotation from a Rolling Stones song somewhere. I cited Mick Jagger. I am not convinced the guy read the paper very carefully, but I am confident he checked the number of sources I used.

Part of getting certified to teach is learning how to be patient and jump through hoops. These skills will serve you well when you are in a school system - just saying.

 

[Fumus]

As I reread my original post, I realized a couple of things about it: 1) As Dr. T pointed out, I didn't actually explain the problem I was having, and 2) I really shouldn't post things half asleep with out proof reading them first :fpalm:  

As I said, I'm working my way through the teaching program at a local university.  Have gotten to the point in the program where the assignments for the classes I'm taking are predicated on work I'm doing in my practicums.  the college has a placement specialist who is in charge of finding schools who agree to let student teachers come into the classroom and shadow or work with an experienced educator i.e. a placement.  I've asked if I could assist by contacting local schools myself, but was told by the placement specialist "no, I'll take care of it".  Terms at this college are only eight weeks long and we're on week five and she just now found a placement for me, but it 's too far away for me to commute to.  When I explained this to her, she replied that none of the local schools had any openings for me.  On a hunch, I went to a couple of the local schools and asked their principles and or district superintendents if they had heard from the placement specialist and they said no they hadn't, but they would be willing to try and help me out with a placement if she contacted them.  I know that this is a new placement specialist, but the same "can't find you a placement anywhere" thing happened last year with the previous specialist. I try to be a patient person.  I know I'm not the only one looking for placements, and I know that lighting into someone and telling them just where the bear ate the cabbage, is not the way to inspire them to help you, but dadgum :x  

Anyhow, that's the issue I'm dealing with.  Any suggestions on how to proceed would be appreciated.

 

[Fr_Tom]

There is a lot of "cronyism" in my experience with these placements. They place people with friends as favors, and it is not really the most practical.

 

[KevinM]

My daughter has two nursing degrees and had a similar problem. She is adept at turning lemons into lemonade. She targeted where she wanted to have her practicum (practici?), networked her way into interviews, then took her pick. Teaching is a noble profession but has erected a lot of barriers to entry, especially entry by educated adults, so you’ll run into challenges like this. A newspaperman chum of mine was moderating a panel discussion on teaching as a second career. He mischievously asked if he could be hired as a HS writing teacher, since he had a degree in journalism and ten years of professional writing experience. The answer was, first he’d have to return to college for education courses. Keep calm. Carry on.