Teaching at a military base (career, degree, hire, credentials)
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I'm a recent college grad and I don't have a degree in education. I may be moving in with a relative who lives next to a military base and I was just wondering, assuming that I get the proper credentials/certificates for teaching, how difficult is it to get a teaching job at a military base?
Do I have to apply through the DoD or the local school district?
How difficult is it for someone to get a job without a degree in education?
Depends. First - it depends on whether it is a DoDEA school or state run.
If it is a DoDEA school:
It is impossible for a person without a clear teaching certification in the area they are going to teach to be hired.
The state of certification is immaterial when being hired however, you will be expected stateside to get it in the state you are teaching within a certain time period. In other words, they will hire you with a California certification at Fort Knox but they expect you get certified in Kentucky within a given time period.
This school system usually pays better, sometimes significantly, than the local school system but they do NOT have the typical teacher retirement system. It is far inferior and you are expected to contribute to it. On the other hand, you are eligible for Social Security.
Military spouses that are fully qualified will have hiring priority over non-spouses by regulation.
You would apply though DoDEA.
If it is state run (the majority are, even though they are located on base)
It is no different than any other local school. Whatever the policies are for hiring for the local school applies to the base school.
They do try to hire military spouses or others who have lived the military life style when they can. This is for a couple of reasons. One, military kids have unique issues and someone who has experienced it themselves tends to better understand them. Two, it makes the military community they serve happier. This is in part because of the reason listed in one and in part because military spouses have a hard time getting employed due to frequent moves. Three, it helps support the school/community bond.
They also try to hire those that live on base when they can because if the base goes into lockdown, the teacher that lives on base can still make it to work on time.
You would apply at the local district.
I have taught both on and off base through the years of following my husband and there are advantages and disadvantages to teaching on a military base.
These are generally bright kids, many of who are very hard working with parents who have very high expectations - of both their kids and you.
The parents volunteer more than in a civilian school and some are extremely involved including visiting your class unexpectedly, if you have an issue with that don't teach there.
The term military brat came about for a reason. Many are opinionated and strong willed.
My experience, and that of others I have talked to who have had a career like mine, is that there are far more kids in military school with diagnosed and undiagnosed ADHD than in civilian schools - and their parents tend to be more hesitant in medicating them. That is fine when the parents help work at teaching them to manage it, it is a nightmare when they think you just need to let them do whatever.
There is no racial achievement gap.
One of the biggest advantages is that you do not see some of the bigger social ills there - at least one parent is employed, they are all housed because they live on base, at least one parent is regularly drug tested, they all have medical care, they all have utilities, almost all the parents are at least high school grads, the parent don't lose pay to attend conferences and their bosses support them going.
When they have a parent deployed it impacts them and it can show up in school in not so pleasant ways. They miss school to welcome deployed parents home or to say goodbye and to go to ceremonies. They also take extended days off to see far flung relatives. If you are unwilling to understand that and accommodate it please, please, please don't teach there.
My situation right now is that I have this degree in economics and I've been looking for jobs and honestly, I haven't found anything that I'm interested in doing within that field. Why did I get an economics degree? Idk, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I'm researching teaching as a career right now, trying to get more information. Many of my friends tell me that they could see me working with young children, but I've never really considered it seriously until now (even though my mom worked in education for years before becoming a stay at home mom after having kids).
My Grandpa was a Marine and he and my Grandma live next to an Air Force base, I believe the school there is state run. But I don't live on the base and don't have a spouse, or any sort of connection there.
I was thinking about being a substitute teacher in the area for awhile, or maybe volunteering at the school? I'm open minded to suggestions/tips. I'm single and don't have kids, so I don't really have anything "tying me down" from trying a new experience or taking new advice.
Teaching certification does not require a degree in education. It requires certain courses in education, though. I'm sure they are taught online. Private schools do not require certification. I recommend finding out from the military base what the requirements are. Most likely, economics would only be offered in a high school setting. Certification varies from state to state, I might add.
Teaching certification does not require a degree in education. It requires certain courses in education, though. I'm sure they are taught online. Private schools do not require certification. I recommend finding out from the military base what the requirements are. Most likely, economics would only be offered in a high school setting. Certification varies from state to state, I might add.
Does the grade level or classes that you end up teaching depend on what your degree is in? Like if I'm more interested in teaching younger ages, or teaching science courses (I have a minor in a science field), would that be pretty much impossible?
Does the grade level or classes that you end up teaching depend on what your degree is in? Like if I'm more interested in teaching younger ages, or teaching science courses (I have a minor in a science field), would that be pretty much impossible?
I can't answer for sure because my first certification was for art, which qualified me K through 12, and my second certification was for Learning Disabilities which also covered K through 12. Your science type minor would probably allow you to teach it. It might work for middle school. I just don't know.
Does the grade level or classes that you end up teaching depend on what your degree is in? Like if I'm more interested in teaching younger ages, or teaching science courses (I have a minor in a science field), would that be pretty much impossible?
yes, of course. You can't teach what you don't know. For example, if you want to teach middle or high school science, you would have to have a certain number of credits in science coursework. Then you would have to have a certain number of credits in education. Since you have a BS, you would likely need to earn a Masters in Teaching Science.
If you want to teach Elementary Ed, you would likely need to earn a Masters in Elementary Education.
Do not think that getting credentials to teach is easy if you already have a BS. It is not. In most states you can't just throw in some education credits and call it good.
You really have two different questions you need to answer. Do you REALLY want to be a teacher, and if so, where will you be able to find work.
You didnt say what state the base is in or how big it is but I can tell you this: Many many military men are married to teachers and there is usually no shortage of applicants in military communities.
IF you get the certification, THEN you will be able to work on the WHERE part of the problem.
I was thinking about being a substitute teacher in the area for awhile, or maybe volunteering at the school? I'm open minded to suggestions/tips. I'm single and don't have kids, so I don't really have anything "tying me down" from trying a new experience or taking new advice.
Substituting, especially if you aren't sure about being a teacher, is an excellent idea. No matter where you live or apply it is an easier job to get. Your college degree qualifies you to do that in every state, although not as a long term sub in many of them.
You really have two different questions you need to answer. Do you REALLY want to be a teacher, and if so, where will you be able to find work.
You didnt say what state the base is in or how big it is but I can tell you this: Many many military men are married to teachers and there is usually no shortage of applicants in military communities.
IF you get the certification, THEN you will be able to work on the WHERE part of the problem.
I'm hoping to answer the question about whether or not I really want to be a teacher by substituting in the area and volunteering.
I am worried about finding a job teaching if I went through the process to get certified... I'll be living in a rural midwestern/southernish state. I feel like that could go one of two ways: easy to find employment because no one lives in those areas OR difficult to find a job because lack of funding.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldhag1
Substituting, especially if you aren't sure about being a teacher, is an excellent idea. No matter where you live or apply it is an easier job to get. Your college degree qualifies you to do that in every state, although not as a long term sub in many of them.
Good to know, I'll get to work on it now!
If I work as a sub for awhile and find that I enjoy teaching/education, do you think it's possible to be taking a few education courses at a local college while subbing/working?
If I work as a sub for awhile and find that I enjoy teaching/education, do you think it's possible to be taking a few education courses at a local college while subbing/working?
Absolutely. Many places have what are known as MAT programs which allows you to get a masters at the same time as certification. Many offer night classes and a large portion of their students sub during the day.
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