ok, so, I have to wonder re: "the education thing"

I was notified today that I've been accepted into the Atlanta Public Schools' alternative certification program. At least tentatively, I'll be teaching special education classes. I have some experience teaching learning "disabled" kids in a private school setting, and put special ed down as an area I'd be willing to go into.

I have a lot to learn. I know that. I'm looking forward to learning it and becoming better at what I do. It'll be two years before I'm certified. I start a summer internship in early June that *might* pay a $1,500 stipend and *might* not. The internship requires 13 hours/day, and includes education classes that are at my expense. In fact, all classes for the two years are at my expense. Fine.

To this gig I bring five years experience in the classroom, a BA in liberal arts (http://www.sjcsf.edu/asp/home.aspx) and a willingness to teach special education kids in high-need areas in Atlanta.

Here's the question: to what "higher standards" should I be held as an entry-level public school teacher?

Here's the question: to what "higher standards" should I be held as an entry-level public school teacher?

Are you talking about professional standards (performing your job) or ethical/moral standards?

I assume professional standards.

And thanks, although I'm not exactly a newbie to the profession. :)

...an entry level teacher is held to the same professional standards. As a matter of fact, the standards can be higher in that it's easier to "get rid" of teachers who are in their first three years of teaching. We used to provide mentoring in a structured manner, but that isn't around any more (budget cuts, you know).

Does your district have a mentoring program? If not, get tight with an experienced and sympathetic teacher right away.

For the love of PETE how in hell is this conceivable in one of the wealthiest nations on the planet?

Will they be helping with tuition payback or anything?

nobody paid back my tuition for my education courses or any additional classes that I took to be a certified teacher. It just happens that I did it when I got my degree. I had $10K worth of student loans to pay back when I graduated because it took me an extra year.

Why should someone's expenses be paid because they decided to become a certified teacher through an alternative certification program? She's free to go to school on her own, pay for her classes, do her student teaching, etc. and get her certificate AND THEN get her teaching job in a public school at higher pay. This way she gets to teach in the public school while working towards certification. In most states public schools pay more. In some states they pay A LOT more.

I mean, I'm glad when anyone decides to give teaching a shot and I don't have a problem with alternative certification programs, but no one reimbursed ANY of my college education. I had to pay to get my master's too (graduate studies were required as part of "continuing education") and then I got a whopping extra $1K a year for it.

"She'd" just like to know how much more "she's" getting into in terms of out-of-pocket expenses. :)

I'm thinking of going the alternate route myself when I finish my ESL teaching gig in Japan. Either in Elementary Education or Social Studies (My BA is in Anthropology). I'll have two years of experience teaching at the primary and secondary school levels, including special ed. kids.

As to your question, in my limited experience, the standard that comes to mind is that you are a role-model to these kids. You're expected to act as such both on and off the job.

what increase in standards I should anticipate under Kerry's leadership. I'm looking at a fair-sized investment now in terms of school. I'm willing to make that investment, but I'd like to know exactly what is in store a little ways down the road.

If you have any specific questions I'd be happy to forward them.

She used to teach in a special education classroom that pulled certain students out of their regular classrooms for closer instruction a few hours per day. This allowed the kids to get the special attention they needed, and still get to interact with the typical classroom environment.

She was responsible for about fifty to sixty students. This was at a reasonably well funded school. There was another full time special ed teacher, they were responsible for different students, but had to share the same classroom. And that was terrible, since the other instructor was very irresponsible.

She was one of these people who shouldn't be teachers. She had the belief that education for special needs kids wasn't really important. She had no expectations for the children, so their education suffered greatly. Subsequently, there was enormous conflict between her and my wife.

My wife was the polar opposite. She didn't believe that just because a child was disabled meant that he or she couldn't learn. So she taught them, and was strict with them, and scolded them when they were lazy or sloppy, and generally treated them like regular students excepting in cases where their disability directly applied. Consequently, her students excelled. Many of them showed more progress with her then they had in all their previous years. Many more were reintegrated back into the regular classroom full time since they had "caught up."

And that's why my wife had fifty to sixty kids, while the other teacher had a half dozen. The parents were demanding that their children be placed with my wife, because they could see that with a good teacher any kid can make progress.

So my advice to you is: become an expert with childhood disabilities. Know the ins and outs with all of them. Don't let a child or their parent or their regular teacher use their disability as an excuse not to do the work. Document absolutely everything, and keep copious amounts of paperwork. The more anal you are the better the teacher you will be. Seriously.

And last and most importantly, get in good with the classified staff. Those people keep the engine running.

Your wife is right, and her kids are the more fortunate for her presence. It's a neverending source of amazement to me to see the number of folks, who're a developmental blip away from being the parents of a learning disabled child, who'd just as soon consign those kids to institutions.