Career Day January 25, 2011 Secondary Education Teacher of Grades 7-12

GENERAL SPANISH ENGLISH SCIENCE EARTH FRENCH SCIENCE MATH PHYSICS BIOLOGY PHYSICS SOCIAL STUDIES CHEMISTRY These are the courses in which you can earn a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education.

Because I loved to read and write, when I was in seventh grade I decided that I would like to become an English teacher. It’s okay if you don’t know what you’d like to be “when you grow up.” You still have plenty of time to make that decision.

Of course, you could always choose to go out of state. If you’d like to become a Secondary Education Teacher (or any type of teacher), you must go to college. I went to Buffalo State College. There are many great colleges and universities near Western New York where you may earn a degree in Secondary Education. Of course, you could always choose to go out of state.

These are some Western New York colleges and universities you may choose to attend:

Yes, you can go to college! Please don’t ever think that you are not smart enough or that it’s too expensive. Here’s why: You can apply for scholarships and financial aid, which you never have to pay back. You can apply for student loans, which you do not have to pay back until you finish college. If your HS grades are low, you can begin at community college (two-year school) and then transfer to a four-year school. Some people choose to start off at a community college to save money and then transfer to a more expensive four-year school.

If you are interested in becoming a teacher, you must be committed to EDUCATION. After you graduate from high school, you will need to attend at least five years of college. You will need four years of college to earn your Bachelor of Science (BS) degree. Your bachelor’s degree is also known as your undergraduate degree. You will need at least one year of college to earn your Master of Science (MS) degree. Your master’s degree is also known as your graduate degree. It takes most teachers two-three years to complete their MS degrees. St. Bonaventure

Earning Your Bachelor’s or Undergraduate Degree Once you get to college, many undergraduate programs begin with two years of core courses. These are courses in every subject area—English, math, science, history, art, technology, foreign language, physical education, music, and more. Taking these courses makes you a well-rounded individual and gives you the knowledge to handle any question or situation that arises in your future classroom. During your last two years of college (undergrad) you will take major classes—the classes that prepare you specifically for your chosen career.   In the Secondary Education program, you will need to do at least 25 hours of field experience, where you will do observations and help out in local classrooms. You will also need to student teach for one semester. As a student teacher, you will be assigned two placements—approximately seven weeks in a middle school classroom and approximately seven weeks in a high school classroom.

Becoming a Teacher Once you have earned your Bachelor of Science degree and your initial NYS teaching certificate, you can start applying for teaching jobs. Unfortunately, you will be lacking one thing that employers (school districts) will be looking for— EXPERIENCE! That is why most teachers begin their careers as substitute teachers. Most school districts pay substitute teachers between $80-$100 a day to work. If you’re lucky enough to find a full-time public school teaching job in WNY, you can expect to make approximately $32,000 during your first year of teaching. For each additional year you work in the same school district, you will receive a step increase. Depending on the school district, this is a raise of approximately $1,500-$2,500 a year. Your salary will also increase once you begin to earn additional credit hours (by taking graduate classes) and when you complete your MS degree. Parochial and private schools are also great places to get teaching experience, but the salaries from these schools are much lower than that of public schools.

As an educator, you never stop LEARNING. Getting Certified Once you have earned your Bachelor of Science degree and initial teaching certificate, NYS allows you five years to earn your Master of Science degree and to apply for your professional teaching certificate. However, many school districts will not grant you tenure until you have both your MS degree and professional teaching certificate, so it is important to earn these in three years or less.   As an educator, you never stop LEARNING. In order to keep your initial teaching certificate and later your professional teaching certificate, you must complete 175 hours of professional development every five years. You can earn these hours by completing workshops and classes offered by your school, other school districts, BOCES, and through the NYS Education Department. Unfortunately, your college classes do not count towards these professional development hours. Additionally, when you are hired by a NYS public school, you must complete a two year mentoring program. You will be assigned to a experienced teacher who will work with you and help you during your beginning teaching years.

I knew I made it as a teacher the first time I saw this picture. This should say Ms. This is my first class of students EVER! These “kids” are twenty-five years old today.

Some Cool Perks As a teacher, I have had some many wonderful opportunities in my career. I have— Been a mentor to new teachers Been an advisor to the Student Assistance Program, National Junior Honor Society, Newspaper Club, and Grade 8 Class Been a team leader and ELA department chairperson Attended fantastic workshops and seminars Been treated to fancy dinners by book publishers hoping for my school’s business Attended a week-long workshop in St. Petersburg, Florida, and stayed at a beautiful resort (Could have) attended a week-long seminar in Las Vegas, Nevada (Big regret!) Gone on many wonderful field trips, like the yearly Grade 8 trip to Gettysburg, PA and Washington, DC

Thank you for coming to the Secondary Education Teacher presentation. Teaching is one of the most fulfilling careers a person can have. You’ll feel immensely proud and tremendously frustrated; you’ll laugh and you’ll cry; you’ll cheer and you’ll scream…often in the same day! In the end, your students’ triumphs become your triumphs, and nothing will compare to the satisfaction you feel from that. Thank you for coming to the Secondary Education Teacher presentation. I hope you enjoy the rest of Career Day!