Earned my FL teaching certificate

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Buckeye

Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
Joined
May 21, 2006
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Orlando
I ER'd about 2 years ago at the age of 52. If we had a repeat of 2007, I wanted to have something in my hip pocket that would allow me to earn a few dollars but on a schedule I could control that did not require a full-time commitment. At my final job, I did some STEM activities with kids and I enjoyed it. I love math and want kids to love it too so I decided to get my teaching certificate to teach middle grades math, grades 5-9.

We have a wonderful treasure of a community college, St. Petersburg College, that awards 2-year, 4-year, and advanced certificates. I went through their one-year educator program that includes student teaching. I graduated Saturday so I will have my teaching certificate soon. What a year!

I did my student teaching in a "tough" middle school in an 8th grade "intensive math" classroom. Even though my internship ended at the end of March, I have continued to volunteer in my internship classroom 4 days a week because the need is so great. I would never have imagined that a classroom with only 15 students needed 2 teachers in order to both manage the classroom and to provide the academic support the students require.

I would have never thought I could fall in love with a bunch of messy 8th graders with all their teen drama and all their very real and very serious family problems. In the future, I'll be volunteering or subbing or working part-time. By far, the hardest job I have ever done!
 
I was the oldest in our cohort of 24 students. At 54, I was probably 20 years older than the next oldest student which, of course, earned me the nickname "mom."
 
VERY cool ! This is something that I've considered also. I'd love to learn more about the program.

Congratulations and thank you for working with kids.
 
Congratulations Buckeye! Your passion and talent are very much needed in the school system.
 
That is inspirational. Thanks for sharing and sparking an interest as I too love math and may need something similar to feel I am contributing to something meaningful.
 
Good luck Buckeye! I also think it's great that you can fulfill a community need while satisfying your own desires.
 
Congratulations, Buckeye!

What a great use of your math skills; you probably already know that there is a shortage of math teachers nationwide. Plus, IMHO, anyone who can revel in working with middle-school students has a special gift and calling.

I mentor 4 first-year math teachers, gr. 9-12. With those who are assigned freshmen, we work on teaching "Civilization 101" or "How to Go to High School."

Having dedicated folks like you in gr. 6-8 makes such a difference.

Now, if you could only clone yourself.......

Best wishes in your encore career, making the world a better place!

:D:D:flowers::flowers::greetings10::greetings10:
 
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Wonderful! We need more dedicated math teachers.
 
I think it is cool you doing this, also slightly crazy

Well it certainly makes it easier to answer the question. "What will you do all day :)
 
clifp said:
I think it is cool you doing this, also slightly crazy

Well it certainly makes it easier to answer the question. "What will you do all day :)
Click to expand...

I have to agree with you I went a little crazy. :LOL: I'm not totally sure what got into me but sometimes I know what I have to do and I just get it done. I put my head down and went like heck for 12 months.

The subjects of all the classes I took were new to me so I was really stretching my brain and working hard. Because I was in what I call the "one year wonder" program, I have only begun to scratch the surface of the profession of teaching. As a registered sub in my local school district, I am eligible to take district-sponsored education-related classes for free which I consider to be a huge benefit.
 
Dreamer said:
Wonderful! We need more dedicated math teachers.
Click to expand...

No, I can't claim to be a dedicated math teacher because I'm only going to work part-time. The dedicated teachers are the ones who are in the classroom EVERY day, ALL day. I can't put up with all the organizational BS which is how I ended up ER'd in the first place!
 
After almost 30 years in teaching....to put it simply....and nicely....if you can handle it...hats off to you.
 
F4mandolin said:
After almost 30 years in teaching....to put it simply....and nicely....if you can handle it...hats off to you.
Click to expand...

No, hats off to YOU who made a long term commitment! As a part-timer, I'm like a grand-parent. I can enjoy the good parts and then give them back to their "real" teacher! :LOL:
 
I briefly considered getting a teaching cert after the big firing; even took one make-up class, world geography.

But the thought of being "in charge" of 200 middle-schoolers... :facepalm:
 
I have toyed with the thought of doing some teaching (science, anatomy, etc) ONLY part time after I pull the plug on my current gig. I really enjoyed teaching labs and tutoring when I was in college and grad school. I have a great deal invested in my current career and like many on this site, I am fully aware that when I leave, it's over and there's no going back. Kudos to you for trying this.
 
Oh my. I am retiring in ten days from teaching AP Calculus and other HS math for a couple decades. You have officially lost your mind. :)

The kids are great; the grading, administrivia, etc. are a nightmare. I'm also over not going to the restroom when I want to, like a real grownup. LOL

My hat is off to you. My plan is to read all the books I've not had the chance to read, work on my yoga practice, and take up Stand Up Paddleboarding. :)
 
I student taught my last semester of college then got my degree. I immediately went into the Marine Corps because it was easier.
 
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