Master in Elementary Education (Bristol: student loan, job market, transfer)

[TClick]

I am going to be moving to the Bristol area and I am looking to get my masters in elementary education. I currently do not have a teaching license in any state. Does anyone have any recommendation's for schools in the area where this is offered? Thanks for any help you can provide.

[CAVA1990]

You should get your teaching certificate first and start working in your chosen profession. You'd probably have an easier time getting a first job with that than with a Masters since they can pay you less. As a taxpayer having elementary school teachers with Masters Degrees seems unnecessary and a waste of our higher education resources.

[johnnybgood1999]

On top of the fact that an advanced degree focuses on advanced teaching techniques, which presumably help students learn, educated teachers are a necessity. No offense to CAVA, but many taxpayers whine and moan that we are behind China and Finland and whoever else, then complain a teacher with a higher education is a waste of resources. Some positions even list a Masters degree as preferred, so pursue graduate school for teaching, if that's what you want. I would also add that those graduate courses help with the classroom management aspect of things, much to your advantage. In China, all the C,D, and F students are removed from school by about the 6th grade. Here, you will surely get a number of kids that do not care, no matter what you do, and their parents have no where near the respect other cultures have for teachers, as they just do not care either. But, those parents will expect Jimmy to be passed right along, in compliance with No Child Left Behind. I think that advanced degree is worthwhile.

[tgbwc]

My experience has been that the administration prefers candidates with experience and advanced degrees. They are the ones who are doing the hiring.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

My experience has been that the administration prefers candidates with experience and advanced degrees. They are the ones who are doing the hiring.

There are plenty of long in the tooth crappy teachers with those. DC is loaded with them. I'd rate them on talent and would value an advanced degree only if it were in an actual subject being taught.

[tgbwc]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

There are plenty of long in the tooth crappy teachers with those. DC is loaded with them.

You can say that about candidates with undergrad degrees too. The fact is my administrators, not just at the school level but at HR too, usually prefer those with experience and graduate degrees.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by tgbwc

You can say that about candidates with undergrad degrees too. The fact is my administrators, not just at the school level but at HR too, usually prefer those with experience and graduate degrees.

Sure, no problem when you're spending other people's money. Another example of the overeducation of American public sector workers that's contributed to higher college costs and levels of student loan debt. I suppose in a few more years they'll be requiring PhDs to teach kindergarten. I'd rather see them pay more for good young motivated teachers with four year degrees in Science, Math or English and a teaching certificate. Perhaps have them spend a couple years as apprentices or in an evaluation period to determine their suitability for the profession.

[johnnybgood1999]

Have them apprentice for a couple of years to see if they are suitable? The teacher education process does much to make that determination. Beyond that, suitability will be determined by their experience and desire to teach. It is not a lucrative profession in many area, including my part of Virginia, yet they should apprentice and be paid at a lower rate for a couple of years?

[johnnybgood1999]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

I'd rate them on talent and would value an advanced degree only if it were in an actual subject being taught.

Any graduate of a four year program in history can easily teach high school history. Why would you not place equal value on a degree that improves their ability to transfer their knowledge, such as a an advanced education or teaching degree? These kids will not absorb a graduate education from a teacher with a masters in history. A greater understanding of their subject would be useful at times, but, again, what good is it if they cannot transfer the knowledge as effectively?

I do agree with you that public sector workers are required to obtain too much education, but such is the job market right now. I wonder when janitors will need a child psychology degree, because they will be around children. It doesn't make sense. However, tgbwc is right that administrators want these fancy degrees, so it helps to make a prospective teacher more marketable. Lastly, the pay raise for those degrees is small when compared to the private sector. A teacher is likely to make $1,000-$3000 more for a masters in Virginia, which is not much, even when spending public money. The average raise for an MBA is much larger.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by johnnybgood1999

Any graduate of a four year program in history can easily teach high school history. Why would you not place equal value on a degree that improves their ability to transfer their knowledge, such as a an advanced education or teaching degree? These kids will not absorb a graduate education from a teacher with a masters in history. A greater understanding of their subject would be useful at times, but, again, what good is it if they cannot transfer the knowledge as effectively?

A one year certification program is perfectly adequate for learning the requisite knowledge transfer skills.