Venting - What sense does this make?

Discussion in 'Off-Topic Discussions' started by mattbrent, May 25, 2008.

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  1. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    I just completed my MS in Education through Walden, and have registered for 9 credits of history courses through APU. I'm a high school history teacher, and my principal suggested I do that so I could aquire the 18 hours required to teach the dual enrollment community college courses. While I'd never be able to get them all done in trhe summer, I was going to start.

    However, now it appears the school is advertising for a position in our department (which is only 5 people) who can teach the dual enrollment history AND government courses. I understand why the school would want such a person, because it would save the school division BIG bucks when it comes to tuition (we get a mega discount if someone on staff teaches the courses). However, I think there's a snowball's chance in Hell that they'll find anyone.

    Who, in their right mind, would take a pay cut of several thousand dollars a year and a cut in benefits (the community colleges are on state benefit packages, which are much better than the crap we get) to move from a community college to a public school? Not only would you get a pay cut, you'd go from teaching a session three days a week to five days a week, and the semester goes from 15 weeks to about 18. Not to mention you'd have to deal with classroom management and other petty high school issues, like ignorant administrators.

    Now I'm wondering if it's even worth it for me to continue the coursework at APU because I feel "betrayed" by the school for not even bothering to inform me that they were hiring for this position. But then again, I suppose I'll continue because, as I said, there's probably no way they'll find someone.

    And that's my venting. I had to get it out somewhere :) Thanks!

    -Matt Brent
     
  2. Gail

    Gail New Member

    If they need someone to teach the courses now and you don't have the 18 credits required under your belt, why do you feel betrayed?
     
  3. Jonathan Whatley

    Jonathan Whatley Well-Known Member

    If they find someone, and if that person stays, that person could entirely conceivably transition to teaching more or entirely government if there's enough demand, and by the time you're ready, you could do history.
     
  4. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    Because they told us all along due to budget cuts, they weren't hiring a 5th person this year when the other guy left. Hence, they told me to enroll in the courses, and so I did. Now they're hiring for it, and I've already put out the $2500 for the courses. If they knew they were going to hire someone (who, I'm pretty sure they won't find), I wouldn't have shelled out that much for courses. The plan was that I was going to be done with the 18 hours in time to teach the class in the spring, but apparently that's not being considered now. Oh well, their loss! :)

    -Matt
     
  5. buckwheat3

    buckwheat3 Master of the Obvious

    Matt,
    Since you already have your Master's, go ahead and finish up at least 18 hours in History, then get some of your money refunded back to you by grabbing some local/online teaching gigs.
    In the mean time think about taking your credentials to another school district where the administration is a little bit more in touch with the faculty.

    Looks like they were "chomping at the bit" to fill the postion to keep a cash cow from wandering off. It seems they were hasty in a decision. Could they hire a retired teacher temporally who meets requirements until the spring when you finish up?
    It happens often here in SC, where the administration lures a teacher out of retirement for permanent, short/long term assignments.

    atb,
    Gavin
     
  6. mattbrent

    mattbrent Well-Known Member

    That's what I'm going to end up doing. I'll probably go for Poly-Sci as well. I've thought about doing Geography as well. In perusing online schools looking for adjuncting jobs for my wife, I've noticed a lot of them are seeking gen-ed people.

    If they are specifically seeking someone with enough graduate credits to enable that person to teach both dual enrollment history AND political science, they'll never find one. Even if they somehow convinced a community college adjunct to leave that post and come to the high school, that person would have to have a teaching license, which means 15 credits in specific education courses. Considering how hard it is for them to get the bare bones teachers, they'll never get this.

    It all boils down to our administration being a bunch of paper pushing desk jockeys. Principals are supposed to be instructional leaders, but ours is anything but. There are so many paths I could take at this point, including seeking an administrative license myself. However, I believe I need at least a few more years of classroom experience first, and having graduate credits would be a bonus. Honestly, I was hoping to be able to teach the dual enrollment courses so that I could then use that as experience when applying to other adjuncting positions.

    -Matt
     
  7. Randell1234

    Randell1234 Moderator

    Hate to sound harsh but just roll with it. Use the knowledge you will gain to adjunct else where and sonme some extra $.
     
  8. Gail

    Gail New Member

    Yikes. Bummer.

    Go with it though. Good luck with your courses!
     
  9. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Money spent on education is never wasted.

    As you said Matt, it's their loss.
     
  10. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    That's right Matt, it is the school district's loss...

    Finish the APU work, and who knows, with your TEACHING experience and MA + 18 in history, with some adjunct teaching experience you may look very attractive for a community college hire.

    Shawn
     
  11. cookderosa

    cookderosa Resident Chef


    >>
    Matt, I think many people here can share stories of places advertising qualifications that are completely ridiculous for the position. (Oh I have many!)
    Here is a question- since they are probably not going to find anyone right now, is it too late for you to divide your semester at APU between history and govt credits? You could apply as "in progress" and hope for the best? You would be a much more desirable candidate since you already work for the school- and it's totally possible (for the reasons you outlined) that you would be the best qualified candidate.
    I think (maybe it's just my college) that we are more likely to raise the requirements when hiring from outside than when we hire from within. I think it's a bit of an image issue... (this is what we WANT, but this is what we'll TAKE) Just a thought.
    (P.S. they are probably just looking for a American Govt. 101 type of teacher, you could do that no problem)
     
  12. StevenKing

    StevenKing Active Member

    Not surprised

    Matt,
    As a high school educator myself, I definitely feel your pain. Your frustration is one which I hear again and again. If you've never read The Peter Principle, this would be the time to pick up a copy and be reminded "why" some people should never end up in administration in the first place.

    It seems that your school district is merely covering itself legally. For instance, many corporations that have promised an insider the job will post to insure no one else feels jilted. No one could then say, "Hey...I'm more qualified...I was never given the chance at the position."

    Have you considered the MA in Interdisciplinary Studies at http://www.wnmu.edu/VirtualCampus/InterdisciplinaryMasters.htm? If history and poly sci is your thing...sounds like this is right up your alley.
     
  13. 1virtualprof

    1virtualprof New Member

    I got quite a laugh from this one!! When my father got his first assistant superintendent job, he called the superintendent "Pete" and the guy never knew why! LOL

    My dad is a retired school superintendent and when he was 70, he did adjunct college teaching (math and physics) because he missed teaching so much all those years of being in admin. But he had a family to support AND he was very good at admin, too. But he never liked it as much as teaching.

    I haven't heard anyone mention the Peter Principle in YEARS!! Thanks for the memories.
     

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