School Days....

[RonRC]

Congratulations on moving as far as you have in school!

When you are teaching science, if you need a Powerpoint lecture set on Geology or Environmental Geology, just yell and I will send a whole semester's worth to you. My specialty is civil and environmental engineering, but the powers-that-be had me teach an Environmental Geology course.

Regards,
Ron

[Red Badger]

I have a passion for electronics and amateur radio besides the black powder and historical re-enacting, so that is why I want to specialize in science/electronics and most districts do not start electronics programs until 7th grade.  I have been observing and co teaching as part of my degree program and in addition am a substitute teacher so have been in almost every grade and field of study in the Tulsa Public school system already. 
  I know that a substitute has a different take on the class than the regular teacher (sometimes better sometimes worse), but I have found if they are old enough to understand the basics of electronics they can be amazed at little things like Jacobs ladders and static electricity experiments... and with history a good variety of well chosen visual aids can be a wonderful thing to capture an imagination and start a young mind into actually thinking instead of just reading, or watching...  and a young mind that thinks is a very rare but dangerous thing...

[DandJofAZ]

Nicely charged capacitors left sitting around or magnetos are great to let that age group find when they come to class and are not supposed to touch anything...

Doug

Sparky knows best

[hotfxr]

Hopefully You will be able to maintain their interest and attention. Middle school students can turn on you like a hungry pack of wolves on a wounded deer. My spousal support unit has been a teacher for the last 25 years or so and is very happy & content sticking with the primary grades. After your first year teaching (if you survive, of course) I will nominate you for the "Possibly the toughest man in the entire world" contest.
Good job so far and good luck going forward.   

[William]

I had always intended on spending 20 years in law enforcement and then retiring to teach Criminal Justice at the high school level.  However, after a second back injury and subsequent surgery ended my LE career I began substituting prior to getting my teaching certification and found that I really didn't like teaching above the 6th grade level.  Then several elementary school teachers put me on their most preferred list and I shifted my certification classes on Pre-K through 6th.  I never regretted that decision and unfortunately due to my last catastrophic illness, I may never be able to return to the classroom.  It's still a decision that I stand by and can tell everyone through firsthand experience that it is the most rewarding job I've ever had.  My fiancé has taught 1st grade for 17 of her 24 year experience so I do get to help and support, at least on the fringe.  I even got to visit her school's annual rocket launch using 2 liter bottle half filled with water and pressurized with a bicycle pump.  Her kids had heard all about me so I had to go through a Q&A session for about 20 minutes after arriving.

It's not that teachers aren't paid enough, although we should make more given all the after hours and weekend time we put in, but programs like NCLB and standardized testing prohibit us from actually teaching anything useful much of the time. 

[Red Badger]

Well now here it is August and there have been a few decidedly interesting changes going on around here... I started my classes at NSU (NorthEastern State University, ) which was originally a Native seminary school back in the days before statehood.   But while hanging out at the electronics lab at TCC, one of the instructors there asked me how my classes were going and in conversation he asked me what I knew about drafting and Cad-Cam programs... I asked him if he meant  those T square and triangle things they used to make pretty lines and then the computer programs that made those things obsolete .... He smiled and said something to the effect of Yeah, can you still do it... So home I came with a textbook in my arms and dug out the drafting table, T square and assorted tools of the trade... (How come I never throw anything away?).. and if you log into Tulsa Community College and search Course DRFT 1324 Engineering Drawing with CAD you will see it is being taught by one J.A. Erb...

Aka Red Badger.... 

What this means is now I have to redesign my stepping stone approach to teaching goals...
because I was taught to make small goals which build on one another until you get to the main goal you want..  I had planned on getting my Associates, then my Bachelor's, then teaching Jr High, and studying for my Master's then applying at TCC as a professor as my Final goal. 

Now what do I do... Not a Doctorate.... nope not me... :)   welllllll......... maybe......

[Red Badger]

Boy a lot has happened since I wrote that last post.... I did teach at Tulsa Community College for a couple of months until they found a real draftsman that can teach the course... but the most important thing is that.... (drum roll please....)

On the 15th day of December in the year of our Lord, Two Thousand and eighteen (December 15, 2018 in case you cant figure all that fancy stuff out) I was awarded a Bachelors of Science degree in Elementary Education.  And.....

On January 1, 2019 I was awarded a State of Oklahoma Certification as a school teacher....

Now I need to find a job.... 

Oh yes, I need to modify this post to say a BIG heartfelt THANK YOU to all the people here who have stepped up to run the site and everyone who has offered me encouragement when things got a bit tough!  I appreciate each and every one of you more than I can ever express in words....

and remember I am a teacher now so definitely can't afford to pay you !

[hotfxr]

Congratulations fearless leader!!!  It's been a long long road and there are a bunch of us here at the finish line cheering for you.    Well done.

[beowulf]

 

[Hanshi]

Yes, congratulations on your long and difficult journey to get to where you are.  What you did is extraordinary and commendable.   You're a better boss than we deserve. 

[Patocazador]

Classmates made fun of me when I went back for an advanced degree at age 50. One offered me a cane. However, it was enlightening and very rewarding intellectually if not monetarily. However, I'm glad I didn't try to teach any of the modern-day brats that exist today. I would have had to pull my Sig on some, I'm sure.

Good luck in the immediate future and I wish you the best (although I think you will probably see the worst).   

[Hawken50]

   Good goin Jim....Bravo Zulu

[Dogshirt]

   Well done sir!   

[Winter Hawk]

Super!  If you can't find work, you can try Alaska; they're always looking for teachers, if you are willing to go to one of the villages.  Getting the holy black might be a problem though, now that you can't get it through the mail....

~WH~

[Red Badger]

Classmates made fun of me when I went back for an advanced degree at age 50. One offered me a cane. However, it was enlightening and very rewarding intellectually if not monetarily. However, I'm glad I didn't try to teach any of the modern-day brats that exist today. I would have had to pull my Sig on some, I'm sure.

Good luck in the immediate future and I wish you the best (although I think you will probably see the worst).   

Most of my classmates like to ask me what it was like to teach reading and writing using stone tablets and other such age related jokes, but they were all in good fun and I didn't mind reminding them that I have lived through history and they have only read about it...