Teaching requirements in Alaska (Anchorage, Fairbanks: daycare, middle school, college)

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by Lawman_Kyle

From looking online teaching jobs are abundant in Alaska, especially the smaller towns. Why is this?

Because they are literally in the middle of nowhere. They are not connected to the road system. That means the only way to get there is to fly. It ain't anything like living in Oklahoma. Get out your Alaska map, look at it and ponder on it for a while.

[bortstc37]

it isn't for everyone, obviously, but i like it.
the prices are not really that bad if you know how to cook and make things from scratch. we buy staples from spanalaska. fruit is essentially free if you're willing to pick enough berries to get you through winter. if you are allowed to hunt, meat can be very close to free, as can fish.
i don't mind the isolation, either.
a lot of things vary from town to town, though. i like where i live, but i probably wouldn't like most of the other villages served by my school district. you just have to do your research (and a whole lot of it) before you make any commitments.

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by bortstc37

it isn't for everyone, obviously, but i like it.
the prices are not really that bad if you know how to cook and make things from scratch. we buy staples from spanalaska. fruit is essentially free if you're willing to pick enough berries to get you through winter. if you are allowed to hunt, meat can be very close to free, as can fish.
i don't mind the isolation, either.
a lot of things vary from town to town, though. i like where i live, but i probably wouldn't like most of the other villages served by my school district. you just have to do your research (and a whole lot of it) before you make any commitments.

I agree with you on almost everything. But so many people come up here thinking they can handle it when they didn't really think about it beforehand.

[Lawman_Kyle]

Oh believe me, we are far from rushing into this. I'm over six months out from evening getting to come up to Anchorage to test for the AST. Then I have 18 weeks of training, and then a few more weeks to find a home for Jenn and Cash to move up too. So we are looking at 2011 at the very earliest. This is all depends on me getting accepted to the AST academy as well...so it could very well not happen at all. I made it into the Oklahoma Highway Patrol Academy which is VERY hard to do, but due to the tanking economy it was canceled til 2011 . Even so I think my chances of getting into AST are better than average.....time will tell.

That being said, I agree, we may be getting in way over our heads. We do have this pretty image and awesome life pictured in our heads in Alaska. I'm thankful for this forum and you locals to portray the hardships and difficulties you all face. It helps us to prepare and think about what we are getting into.

Still risky or not, odds stacked or not, I feel my family is strong enough, devoted, and can make it happen in Alaska. We are young 22-23 years old, and have the heart for it. Worse case scenario we hate it and move home. Our family down here is behind us and will bring us home if the dream isn't as we had hoped. I just don't want to not pursue this and then be an old man sitting in Oklahoma wondering what could have been if I would have just taken the oppurtunity placed in front of me

Thank you all for your continued efforts in answering my questions.

FYI for anyone who has more information for us.....we have researched and really like the matsu valley area. Granted this is only from the internet pages and info we have found.

[jz04]

Hi, I was reading and saw your post. I'm currently certified to teach Physical Education PreK-12 in Wisconsin. I would love to come to Alaska and teach Elementary Education. Do you know if I would have to take just the 6 credits (and possibly take a test) or if I would have to go get my Masters in Elem. Educ? I would be willing to do that but if I have to go that route I'm worried about not getting hired. I say this bc I have looked into doing that in WI and there are so many teachers that can't get jobs and the schools are hiring the young just out of school teachers as they are cheaper. I've been to the SE part of Alaska and love it. I also had a friend that lived in Anchorage and am aware that Alaska is very different in various areas. Any info or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

Originally Posted by bortstc37

i'm a teacher. feel free to send me direct messages if you have any more questions...
if you are certified to teach in any other state, the state of alaska will recognize that. pretty much the only stipulation is that you have to take a couple of alaska-specific courses within your first two years. these can easily be accomplished online if you're not near one of the campuses (uaf's distance education is quite excellent). you have to do things regularly to stay certified, but the state makes it a point to keep the process simple and easy, as a lot of teachers come from out of state (myself included).

some districts offer signing bonuses (i think yukon flats does, probably a few others as well). besides that, i can't think of many other incentives. my district does cover local (the last leg of the flight) airfare for returning teachers, as well as paying for PRAXIS II testing and transportation/lodging to take the tests (something required under NCLB to ensure that teachers are highly qualified in each subject that they teach, kind of handy when a lot of bush teachers have to take multiple classes). there are other perks here and there, and the pay is better than most lower 48 states (though it does vary from district to district). all in all, i'd say that it's a good place to be a teacher.

[blueflames50]

Originally Posted by jz04

Hi, I was reading and saw your post. I'm currently certified to teach Physical Education PreK-12 in Wisconsin. I would love to come to Alaska and teach Elementary Education. Do you know if I would have to take just the 6 credits (and possibly take a test) or if I would have to go get my Masters in Elem. Educ? I would be willing to do that but if I have to go that route I'm worried about not getting hired. I say this bc I have looked into doing that in WI and there are so many teachers that can't get jobs and the schools are hiring the young just out of school teachers as they are cheaper. I've been to the SE part of Alaska and love it. I also had a friend that lived in Anchorage and am aware that Alaska is very different in various areas. Any info or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

the date of the last post was 12-31-2009 so you might want to DM bortstc37 directly

[Frostnip]

Originally Posted by jz04

Hi, I was reading and saw your post. I'm currently certified to teach Physical Education PreK-12 in Wisconsin. I would love to come to Alaska and teach Elementary Education. Do you know if I would have to take just the 6 credits (and possibly take a test) or if I would have to go get my Masters in Elem. Educ? I would be willing to do that but if I have to go that route I'm worried about not getting hired. I say this bc I have looked into doing that in WI and there are so many teachers that can't get jobs and the schools are hiring the young just out of school teachers as they are cheaper. I've been to the SE part of Alaska and love it. I also had a friend that lived in Anchorage and am aware that Alaska is very different in various areas. Any info or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

EED - Teacher Certification

[bongo]

Originally Posted by jz04

Hi, I was reading and saw your post. I'm currently certified to teach Physical Education PreK-12 in Wisconsin. I would love to come to Alaska and teach Elementary Education. Do you know if I would have to take just the 6 credits (and possibly take a test) or if I would have to go get my Masters in Elem. Educ? I would be willing to do that but if I have to go that route I'm worried about not getting hired. I say this bc I have looked into doing that in WI and there are so many teachers that can't get jobs and the schools are hiring the young just out of school teachers as they are cheaper. I've been to the SE part of Alaska and love it. I also had a friend that lived in Anchorage and am aware that Alaska is very different in various areas. Any info or advice would be much appreciated. Thanks.

No, you do not need your master's degree. Anchorage School District in recent years has added a 1/2 PE teacher to the elementary schools so children can get an extra period of PE added to their schedules. Those teachers go between 2 schools. So there are often PE openings in Anchorage.

When you say you'd love to come to AK to teach Elementary Ed, do you mean PE? Or are you wanting to become a classroom elementary teacher? To be an elementary teacher you would need to take course work to become certified in elementary education.

[Lunabell]

I would also check out the Alaska Teacher Placement site. There is a lot of information about teaching in Alaska, job fairs (one is in Minneapolis), and job postings.

My husband is a school counselor in a bush village. We found that site really helpful when we were looking. Also, the principal came across his application and called him about this job. I don't know much about certification requirements, since I am not the educator in the family, but the site Frostnip posted would have all of that.

[bortstc37]

If you're certified in another state and a district up here wants to hire you, they'll pretty much walk you through the whole process (it's pretty much completing the application packet to get your initial certificate, then taking your two courses before you can apply for your professional certificate- roughly 2 years). If you're already certified in WI and see an opening in AK that you're qualified for, go ahead and apply! There's no downside to trying...