hellstorm

so guess some confusion from the last post....BOCES here offers many services. one of those services is providing "alternative" ways towards teacher certification. the "traditional" way is to go through an undergraduate and/or graduate program that leads to the state requirements for certification in an area. however, depending on your background and such, you may not need to take all the classes that lead up to a Bachelors or Masters in education, but only the classes that you need for the certification requirements. in many ways, it will allow me to get everything in order so I can be certified as a teacher in New York State (and due to reciprocity, about 45+ other states) cheaper and faster than it might normally take.

and considering how New York State Teacher certification is seen, it would make my job search quite a bit easier people certified from New York have been known to walk into a school down south, talk to the Principal, and walk out with a contract. in fact, the one teacher I talked to said her daughter got her teacher certification in science, moved to Charlotte, NC, where, with a Bachelors, they started her at about $40,000 a year plus a signing bonus plus relocation costs. not bad at all!

so tomorrow, if I'm not called to sub, time to make some phone calls! much easier than being in a field that, while I love it, is also one of the first positions cut in a district when times are tough. if I only knew what was going to happen when I entered Grad School back in 2005....if I only knew!