The first step of this meeting was to watch a 10 min video which detailed the process of their program. Then I had to take a test. Really?! Another test?! This one covered "critical thinking" and I am proud to say I scored a 58/64 on it. They actually seemed impressed with this, though I was wishing I had scored above a 60. You know... good is never enough.
Upon completing the test, I was whisked into a room with a program director to discuss my options for teaching. Let's all remember here that I really want to teach Latin. LATIN. As in, the language of the Romans. Unfortunately, my 20 credit hours of Latin are just 4 shy of being considered 'Highly Qualified' in this subject area... nevermind that I've taught it for two years. But that's okay. I took the Latin EXCET... when I receive my scores (which will hopefully be passssinnng!) I can be moved into the 'Highly Qualified' realm there.
Here is the good news, though... I AM 'Highly Qualified' in History. Given that it was my college major. And I took 33 hours of it. Basically, even though I have not taken any kind of state content test, I could be hired immediately to teach history if they so desired. I was given a little magical sheet of paper that has a million check marks on it, confirming that yes, I am in a certification program and receiving proper training, and yes, I do have enough hours in that area and a high enough GPA. I was told never to lose said piece of paper, as it must go to the district that hires me. She told me to start looking for jobs teaching history immediately, and then once my EXCET scores come in, providing that I passed, I could start looking for those as well (although right now, there's not much).
The bad news: Per certification lady's instructions, I need to take the History content exam eventually, and perhaps even the social studies exam. Why is that bad news you might ask? Well, for one, the tests are $120 each. And even though I majored in history, that doesn't mean I remember all of it. In fact, the bulk of my history knowledge centers on two time periods: The ancient world (pre-3000 BC- AD 1000, and World War II (and that's not even a time period!). American history? I soorrt of know it. Enlightenment? Reformation? SOUTH AMERICAN HISTORY? Not so much.
I am hoping I can find a good source to study a bunch of this material that I'm not as familiar with, so that I can actually pass this history test and not embarass my school and my college degree.
The GREAT news? Everything costs money, right? Well, certification programs do too. This program happens to cost the following:
$50 admission fee.
$495 Training institute fee
roughly $4000 Internship fee
That's a lot of dollars. But, like I said, the GREAT news? I'm married to someone in the military. There is a program called MilitaryOneSource which pays up to $6000 dollars for this stuff. And the program I am in is included in the programs that are covered by MOS. I get certified, and the program I am in bills them, not me. Now all I have to do is get my military dependent ID... which should take 459874359847 years.
All in all, I am pretty freaking excited about this opportunity. I start the training institute which will last 2 1/2 weeks next Wednesday. I will go to class M-Th, 6-9pm, and then meet on two Saturdays 8am-3pm. I will be done before the end of July and ready to start the 'Internship' phase. That's the part where I need, you know, a JOB.
The intern phase really is a full-time teaching job, just with a lot of accountability and only a temporary certificate. It has all the same pay and benefits as a regular job.
So that's what I've got for today. I am officially working on my teaching certification. I am officially applying for jobs with my magical new pass. And next week? A job fair specifically catering to teachers in my alternative certification program. YAY.
Now all I have to do is pass yet ANOTHER test, or 3.
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