OK, Charlie, here's a comment: I got a perfect score on the National Teacher's Exam. Yup. And I had to jump through so many hoops to get a job, that I said, fuck it, I'll go work someplace in which someone is allowed to make a decision.

Certification is BS.

Just my thoughts.
Troll King | 03.31.04 - 9:04 am | #

Not sure I am following.... you aced the Cert.. well done. But you can't get a teaching job?

Or have you gone into private schooling?

I do not understand the reference to where 'someone is allowed to make a decision'... are you now in an education job or not?
Charlie on the PA Turnpike | Homepage | 03.31.04 - 1:15 pm | #

Getting hired as a teacher requires certification -- the state does that. The NTE is just one tiny step on the way to certification. I had a master's degree in my subject, had already been trained as a teacher by the government to teach overseas, and had aced the National Teacher's Exam.

I can't remember all the credentials required, but I still needed a bunch more to do ... and I just got sick of it. A business person can look at your background, decide if can do the job, and hire you do it. Then you start. Teaching required endless credentialing and hoops, and a principal's hands are tied by all the local requirements. He can't just decide to hire someone because they're qualified.

I work in business, where I'm happy.
IB Bill | Homepage | 03.31.04 - 5:21 pm | #

Ok, your points are valid, and I appreciate the hurdles you mentioned.

I am in the IT field. Certifications are the key to survival in a competitve market (and no one knows this more than Microsoft). If I don't strive to take the classes necessary to take the tests, I am at disadvantage to those who do.

Your points made make sense, but its because if you do your business job, your results are seen in the short term. If a teacher's performance is bad, whose job performance is tied to 30, 60, however many kids (assumign high school teacher with multiple classes), the results are seen at the end of the semester, or worse next year when a more qualified teacher finds out this years students didn't learn last year.

I am having problems seeing your overall problem with certifications. You got tired of it, fine. But that doesn't necessarily make them all bad.
Charlie on the PA Turnpike | Homepage | 03.31.04 - 10:42 pm | #