teaching GED classes?

Discussion in 'Education, Teaching and related degrees' started by cookderosa, Dec 5, 2011.

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  1. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Do any of you have experience teaching GED classes? The reason I ask, is because I'm not teaching any of my regular sections this term and the other local CC always (literally -always) has an ad for teaching adult GED classes (adjunct). It would be f2f and only requires a BA degree, plus pays >$15 per hour and is nearly in my back yard. This sounds like a good fit for me to pick up a few bucks....but I can't help but wonder why they are always hiring for this gig? Is it a crappy job? Anyone have any insight?
     
  2. rmm0484

    rmm0484 Member

    I have not experienced teaching GED students, but I did facilitate an entry level course (GEN 101) for UOP before Axia was developed to handle new students. I actually LOVED this course, because you could see measurable progress, excitement and interest in many of the students. However, some of them were technologically challenged, some were lazy, and some were just not ready. It was worth it to me to work with them, but there was a great deal of hand-holding required initially.

    My uneducated guess is that the GED course may be perceived as lower in status than a regular teaching gig, so when a more prestigious course is available to teach, faculty abandons the GED course. An alternate guess is that it may be depressing to work with this group of people. As I understand it, the schools are steering some students to the GED path to help raise school test scores. So, you will have the unmotivated, unwilling and/or unable as students.

    My niece was in the first category. She was bored with regular high school, so she dropped out, went back eventually for a GED and is now at a CC on the Dean's List, and loves her classes. (She was a pseudo-Goth in High School, so either she was prejudged by her appearance and associations, or she was influenced by this culture - not sure why High School did not work for her).

    It is this first group of students who will bring you satisfaction.
     
  3. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    I have a few colleagues who teach GED classes, and they enjoy it. Locally it's $15/hr, just as you mentioned. I suppose it's a good side job. I don't know the demographics, but part of the reason they might be hiring constantly is because there's a demand. If there's a large high school dropout rate in the area, that could be why. Or... they could be constantly hiring because they've never actually hired anyone. That happens down here too.

    -Matt
     
  4. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    At the risk of sounding insensitive/harsh, I have a very low tolerance for stupidity in adults; I don't mind teaching basic stuff to my children, because they truly don't know and have had no opportunities to know, but I think trying to teach adults the difference between their, they're, and there would drive me to chronic alcoholism.
     
  5. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I understand how you feel and often feel the same way. However, there are probably a million and a half reasons why some adults have not completed high school or a GED and stupidity is just one of them. Truthfully, I think a GED course is a waste of money since in each of the 10 or so libraries within 5 miles of my home, there are at least a dozen GED prep books and audio tapes. However, this is something that has never crossed my mind before and all of a sudden I am interested. Maybe it is another way I can make use of my up and coming bachelor's degree. :scratchchin:
     
  6. Kizmet

    Kizmet Moderator

    I think it could be very cool. After all, they're just waifs.
     
  7. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    ok, so I'm ignoring Bruce (fingers in ears "la la la la la") and the course is offered for free to anyone in the community. That said, perhaps that's a piece of the attrition puzzle. I'm going to speak to the office tomorrow, if the hours are wrong for me I won't even waste their time, otherwise I think I'll apply. I just sent HES 2 grand, so I need a few bucks.
     
  8. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Oh, wait.....if you think you can do it, then by all means, please apply! My comments were about my own personal situation, and shouldn't be taken as a blanket condemnation of the position at all. There are just some jobs that are not suited to my personality, and I think teaching adults to prepare for the GED is one of them.

    Your mileage may vary.
     
  9. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    :) I know, it's all good!

    (for the record, red wine is my drink of choice, we'll see how it goes lol)
     
  10. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    I recommend the economy-sized box;

    [​IMG]
     
  11. StefanM

    StefanM New Member

    I recommend a fifth of whiskey in reserve....depending on how the class goes....
     
  12. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Yes, but is there Dharma whiskey? :p There might be, but of course we have no idea how long it's been aged or even when.
     
  13. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    I had to type "dharma initiative" into a net search. So you people are watchers of television? I wonder if your kind and my kind will ever truly understand one another. :wavey:
     
  14. BrandeX

    BrandeX New Member

    Yes, but I have only worked with (foreign) students around 18 years of age. Generally I prefer teaching adults as they are more motivated than children (most of the time) as they are in class because they want to be, and not because they have to be.
     
  15. linbored

    linbored Member

    poster child

    I'm a poster kid for the GED. I dropped out of high school the first two weeks when I was about 14. I was (am?!) very antisocial and being around groups of folks drove me batty. For the next three or four years I bounced from city to city between by divorced parents and I devoured the library. I would pick sections and just go through subjects. I loved to read and would travel with my father to Mexico and ask to go to the library there too. I started writing all the letters and correspondence he needed for missionary work, I would read it back to him in Spanish and he was a hard grader. All the Spanish had to be perfect. At 18 I paid and took the GED exams at a local college. I didn't need GED courses but a few years ago I taught GED/ESL to adult immigrants and it was really fun and rewarding. I can see how it can be helpful and needed and it's something I'll probably end up doing again.
     
  16. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef

    Thanks for the bump :)
    I'll give an update. The position was actually for a pool, meaning, there wasn't a job opening. However, she did offer me a job as an ESL teacher. Frankly, I wasn't prepred to answer her on the spot and told her I'd think about it. In the meantime, the college I've worked for since the dawn of man has posted an opening for a GED/adult ed teacher. I applied for it, and was told I'd hear back on the 11th. I still have not accepted/declined the ESL job, but I will decline it when they return from holiday break. It's 2 hours per day 5 days per week. <gag>
     

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