Idaho teachers (Priest River, Hope: fingerprints, how much, homes)

[newflowers]

Hi,

Northern Idaho is our planned move in about three to four years. I've been searching the 'net to find information about teacher credentialing requirements. I've called and left messages at the state's credentialing office, but no one has returned my call.

Are there any teachers or other who know the certification requirements? I have a clear credential in California, and from what I can find out, the only extra requirement is passing the Praxis. Any extra classes for teachers from out-of-state?

Help is greatly appreciated.

[Missus A]

I recently moved from AZ and I had Idaho send me an application for me since it was not clear on their website. Each time I have callled I have always got someone. Keep trying!

Then I redid my fingerprints because my card in AZ was not good enough. I sent in the application, my transcripts, and a copy of my AZ teaching certificate. Then in return I got a 3 year certificate. It was very easy. Although I have not taken the Praxis, now if you keep your stuff that says that you are Highly qualified then you do not need to take the Praxis.

[mistyriver]

If you might be planning to teach in the Priest River area I'm not sure that any credentialing is required. Yes, I'm being snarky but the quality of the schools here is incredibly bad in the Junior High and Senior High schools.

[newflowers]

Thanks for the responses - and sorry for the delay in recognizing them.

Right now, I meet all of the new NCLB requirements for highly qualified teachers and am in the process of completing a master's degree in humanities, after which, I will test in CA for the social science credential too. My thinking is that if I am credentialed to teach more than one area, I will be better able to find a teaching job in a small town. I'm thinking about doing the National Board Certification as well. I've read so much about the scarcity jobs; my major concern is getting one once I get there - well actually before because I'll not leave here unless I have a job there.

Misty - snarky or not - yours is good information. I have looked at the stats for test scores, but I think I'll do fine. Right now, I teach inner-city in Los Angeles county. I do pretty well with a population of mostly underachieving and at-risk students. Though I admit I hated teaching middle school, I love teaching high school. Give me a few gang members and a couple of pregnant teenagers over the little kids any day of the week - if they'll make the effort to show up, I can get them to graduation. Maybe the ethnic demographics will be different, but the rest will be the same. We'll see.

Thanks bunches.

[mistyriver]

I wish you would come to Priest River to teach. It's an incredibly beautiful place (once you're out of the town) but poor and they just can't attract good teachers. My 6th grader is homeschooled because of it.
The elementary school is much better with a few teachers that would be considered excellent anywhere in the country.

Priestriver.org, your information source for Priest River, Idaho

[newflowers]

Misty - thanks for the link. I'd misplaced that one. I love spending a bit of free time looking at pictures and reading information about Priest River.

If I can find a job teaching high school, I WILL absolutely be living in Priest River in about three to four years - I have one more child who's a sophomore in high school. We're leaving after she graduates.

I'm really looking forward to it. I think the biggest change will be the weather, of course, but I am actually looking forward to the change. I feel very encouraged by your posts. I am NCLB highly qualified; I will have Nationa Board Certification; I'll have a graduate degree and be credentialed in two areas. I just found out today that my district is going to pay for teachers to complete a University of California certificate program in teaching Advanced Placement - I teach AP English Language and Art History. Maybe a certificate for teaching reading just in case...

I am so thrilled - now, as long as there is an opening...

[mistyriver]

That would be wonderful for the students here Newflowers. There are some bright and motivated kids here but the high school really holds them back. We moved here from the Phoenix area 6 years ago and put our kids in the schools. My older daughter graduated last year from Priest River high school and is off at college now but those 4 years were a hair-ripping experience for us.
A few examples: Her Honors English class in 10th grade read ONE book: Fahrenheit 451. The school must have really been a fan of that book because that's what the Honors English class read in 11th grade too.
My daughter's Honors Government teacher had never heard that Ronald Reagan was a movie actor before he was a politician.
The Spanish/math teacher told my daughter she was one of the smartest students that he's ever had...it was too bad she had ADD (she doesn't). He said this on a semi-daily basis in front of the entire class. When I talked to him about it (very nicely) and he told me he was "just teasing" and would stop...he announced to the class that he had just spoken to me and that I had told him my daughter DID have ADD! He also is the Baptist minister in town and has revealed things divulged in confidential pastoral counseling about students to the class.
It goes on and on but the school does have a new principal this year. Hopefully they can start getting new teachers in from different areas and bring the schools into this century. I knew one teacher who moved here to retire and decided to teach a few classes for fun. he lasted a year before he went back into retirement. It's a frustrating experience for good teachers.

[cleosmom]

Originally Posted by mistyriverranch

That would be wonderful for the students here Newflowers. There are some bright and motivated kids here but the high school really holds them back. We moved here from the Phoenix area 6 years ago and put our kids in the schools. My older daughter graduated last year from Priest River high school and is off at college now but those 4 years were a hair-ripping experience for us.
A few examples: Her Honors English class in 10th grade read ONE book: Fahrenheit 451. The school must have really been a fan of that book because that's what the Honors English class read in 11th grade too.
My daughter's Honors Government teacher had never heard that Ronald Reagan was a movie actor before he was a politician.
The Spanish/math teacher told my daughter she was one of the smartest students that he's ever had...it was too bad she had ADD (she doesn't). He said this on a semi-daily basis in front of the entire class. When I talked to him about it (very nicely) and he told me he was "just teasing" and would stop...he announced to the class that he had just spoken to me and that I had told him my daughter DID have ADD! He also is the Baptist minister in town and has revealed things divulged in confidential pastoral counseling about students to the class.
It goes on and on but the school does have a new principal this year. Hopefully they can start getting new teachers in from different areas and bring the schools into this century. I knew one teacher who moved here to retire and decided to teach a few classes for fun. he lasted a year before he went back into retirement. It's a frustrating experience for good teachers.

Good grief!! It's not a wonder why you're wanting decent teachers up there. I truly hope that with new administration things take a positive turn.

[newflowers]

Wow - I am speechless. Actually, not really; I am appalled

I read all of the time posts from people who live in Idaho and other places that discuss how much they abhor people from other places coming in - especially California - and making changes. I would definitely makes changes - at least in my own classroom for certain. People will resent and hate me!

I've taught all levels from mainstreamed SDC and RSP to Honors and Advanced Placement - and regardless of the level, my kids work because it's the only way they're going to learn so they're prepared for the next level. I do not always maintain a strict professional distance, but classtime is for class!

Well, I should be there by the time your baby is 9th or 10th grade. Let's just hope the school doesn't think I'm an interferring Californian.

[Sandpointian]

Schooling standards debates have little to do with relative arguments of area X vs. those of area Y. Rather they should be all about universal principles. But these are often too abstract for most. Therefore, in lieu of universals, the only acceptable benchmark is that of the global standard.

Americans are losing their jobs to overseas competitors not because americans are less productivity but because any advantage in productivity we do have does not justify the cost differential we represent. The solution is either to accept a vastly lower wage and with it a significant drop in the US standard of living OR we increase our productivity to such a level that makes the expense of our hiring more than worth it. To do so, we need to compete at the highest level.

California standards have fallen well below that of the global frontier. AP courses only bring American students up to a basic global level, nowhere near the frontier. And given how expensive it is to hire Americans, being near the gblobal frontier (we are nowhere near) is not good enough.

My kids are homeschooled in the areas of language and mathematics (they are young). They are 3-4 grades above what can be considered gifted for their grade. I rest on no laurels. They are where they should be were our schooling system at all cognizant of the global competitive beast that awaits.