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Lesson Plans


Re: THE ART ADVOCATE...my views..

[ Thread ][ Subject ][ Author ][ Date ]
carla schiller (charwitt.us)
Sun, 18 Jan 1998 11:07:36 -0800 (PST)

Michelle, I too am a career-switcher. Despite a law degreee, 3 kids and
12 years training junior lawyers, I too was required by California to take
a whole bunch of courses. I managed to place out of some of them based on
my previous coursework, but I had plenty left to take. I actually found a
few of the teaching courses useful, particularly ed. psych and the first
of the classroom techniques courses I had to take. The least useful were
the subject matter courses, but I placed out of most of those. So I would
take a few courses at night each semester, while teaching full time. But
even the useless courses (in terms of the curriculum or the teacher or
both) had some use in what I learned from and my interaction with the
other students.

So hang in there! The fascination, joy and work (LOTS of work) of teaching
are definitely worth it, IMHO.

Hope this helps.

--Carla


Carla Schiller, Esq.
Teacher, Highly Gifted Magnet
North Hollywood High School, CA
e-mail: charwitt.us
webpage index: http://lausd.k12.ca.us/~charwitt/index.html
*************************************************************************************
People tend to make the best choice from among those they see,
they just don't always see ALL the choices.......
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On Mon, 5 Jan 1998, Michelle Vidro wrote:

> Hi Bunki, and everyone who answered my call for info on teaching degrees.
> I too am from California, right across the bay in fact from you, Bunki.
>
> I am wondering if you are all talking about your experiences getting jobs
> in the public schools, or if any of you teach privately, in schools or
> otherwise.
>
> Something I have considered is going from school to school, public and/or
> private, and offering my classes as enrichment. Of course, I do realize
> that a teaching degree would help in any case, but perhaps it wouldn't be
> so important if I approached things this way. (I am also wondering how much
> people do get paid to teach, publicly, privately, or otherwise. Whatever it
> is, I know it is not enough. My personal "soap box" is that teachers should
> be paid like athletes, and vice-a-versa. But I won't go there now *S*)
>
> I can walk the walk and talk the talk, but really, if that is what it takes
> to be "included"....let me put it this way, I am a professional with my own
> business and I know how to do that. That is one of the reasons I am
> interested in changing careers at this stage of my life.
>
> Teaching these kids is so much more exciting and inspiring to me than all that.
>
> My BA degree is in illustration and design, and I've taken some Art History
> classes along the way. I know a great deal about artists, movements, and
> art technique, and have been told I do have a great way with kids. I feel
> that I have a lot to offer the children, but at this stage of my life i'm
> not sure i'm up for the going back to school part.
>
> Nonetheless, I am considering it so, this is all very helpful to me and my
> decision making process.
>
> By the way, Happy New Year!
> Thanks again,
> michelle
>
>
>
> >>I find a lot of this "soap box" very interesting. I am an artist who is
> >>teaching art/art history to my child's first grade class. I have been
> >>getting a lot of good feedback from parents and teachers alike. Lately I
> >>have considered going back to school for a teaching degree, thinking that
> >>perhaps it would enable to be hired easier and make some money doing this.
> >>Your discussion sounds as if I wouldn't really learn much of value if I
> >>did. (I have a B.A. and have several years experience as an assistant
> >>teacher, and as a mother.)
> >>
> >>Any thoughts on this matter? I'm open to hear them.
> >>Thanks, Michelle
> >...............
> >
> >Hi, Michelle...I don't know what state you hail from. Here in California
> >you have to adhere to the teaching credential system rigidly....that is:
> >take a CBEST exam and have a California Teaching Credential that is
> >up-to-date. I came to California with two previous credentials from North
> >Carolina and Florida and had to take another year of study here, take their
> >CBEST (basic skills test) and another National Teacher's Exam (the newer
> >version with an extra long visual arts section of writing essays and
> >comparing/contrasting artwork PLUS presenting photos of three of my own
> >pieces of artwork and discussing them).
> >
> >Another avenue here is, if you already have a teaching degree in another
> >field, you can take 20 lower division art hrs. or 10 upper division art
> >hrs. and apply for a supplemental degree in art.
> >
> >Plan on taking ed. hrs. if you're looking for a credential. I'd be
> >interested in talking with you a couple of years from now if you choose
> >this path and see just what you think of your college preparation.
> >
> >If you received your CA credential after a certain year...I think it's
> >something like 1980 or so...then you will not receive a lifetime credential
> >but you will have to renew it again every 5 yrs. with 150 more hrs. of
> >college level work.
> >
> >If your state is like mine, being a teacher's aide with lots of experience
> >counts zip. Everyone has to go through the system. You need to check out
> >what your state requires.
> >
> >And...in a nutshell...it's not what you learn of value (though you may),
> >it's all the hoops you have to jump through to get hired and get a paycheck
> >and, as San D stated, speak the lingo of the people who hire you. That's
> >life and there's not much choice if you want to teach. From another rebel
> >of the educational system...though I've never thought of myself that way
> >until today!(hee, hee) ...........Cya.....
> >
> >Bunki Kramer
> >Los Cerros Middle School
> >Danville, California 94526
> >bkramer.ca.us
>
>
>