There is another podcast from this show that relates to personal finance and I will dig that one up for a future post.  Enjoy!  I’d love to hear some feedback.

If you had told me when I graduated from UGA in December of 2007 that I would be looking for a teaching position two years later, I would have laughed at you.  Sure, I talked to veteran teachers, teachers I had in high school, who all told me it took them longer than expected to break into the profession.  I had advisors, mentors, supervisors, everyone telling me to be patient, and I was.  Last year.  I have worked for years to build what I believe is an impressive and highly respectful list of certifications, and I have a certificate that is more extensive and has more fields than people who have taught their entire life.  I continue to add more fields regularly.

I want this to be my year.  I have worked to build my credentials as a teacher before stepping a foot inside my first classroom; I am ready to take myself to the next level.  I want to get out there and start meeting people, start getting inside schools, and do what I need to do to get myself where I want to go.  I am going to e-mail a few teachers I know an ask about volunteering in their classrooms.  Even if it’s just for one day a month, I figure it will help me get my name out there and give me a little classroom experience.

I am starting to look forward to it.  I know it will be tough; the economic downturn of late has led schools to increase class sizes, lay off teachers, and take other staff-cutting measures.  I know I’m up against a field that may still be crowded with veterans who were laid off or not renewed at their previous positions.  But I think I am lining things up nicely, and I and preparing for the competition that will begin this spring.

Wish me luck.

His passing has left a number of my friends, with whom I studied Social Science Education at UGA, numb, upset, and generally a little depressed.  More than one person mentioned that they considered Zinn a personal hero, and someone whom they strive to be like.  That’s heavy praise.  While I heard his name mentioned several times in my classes, as someone who was more interested in economics, I never really gave it much thought.  Just another history thing, I told myself.

I am willing to admit that I may have been wrong.  One particular feature of our class is that we were pretty diverse in thought; many students held particularly liberal views of teaching and social studies, but there were enough people in there with the opposite viewpoint that it made class interesting.  I’m proud of us for having such great discussions, and my handful of classes with these people are, to me, what I was hoping all of college would be like.

So when I saw—on Twitter, which is where I get a lot of breaking news, which is another story—that Zinn had died, I listened to what everyone had to say.  Twitter:  100% positive comments.  Facebook:  100% positive comments.  I know social networking is unreliable and unscientific, and I know how many of my friends lean politically, but for there to be near consensus on Zinn’s achievements is a strong statement in my book.

So I am letting the world know that Howard Zinn is on my radar now.  I may be behind the times, but I hope I am not too late.  I understand a little more about his background now, and that he was open about his liberal “People’s History of the United States” makes me respect it more, and I would like to read it sometime this year, if only to see what all the fuss was about.  I promise I’ll post a review when I do.

While I’m working on that, if there’s something you’d like me to post about, discuss, change, remove, or add, I’d love to hear from you!  Let me know how I (and this website) can serve you, and I look forward to the discussions to come.

More soon.

• Biology (6-12)
• Economics (6-12)
• Geography (6-12)
• Middle Grades (4-8)
• Middle Grades Social Science (4-8)
• Political Science (6-12)
• Special Education General Curriculum Consultative (P-12)
• Special Education Language Arts Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Math Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Reading Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Science Cognitive Level (P-8)
• Special Education Social Science Cognitive Level (P-8)

I typed that almost off the new certificate I received in the mail, and it’s almost half a page long on there.  I’m definitely proud and excited, and hopeful that all these certifications will make me look attractive and versatile as I continue to search for a teaching job.

The next GACE is after the holidays, and I’ve got a couple of weeks to determine what I’ll be taking.  Might be history, might be science, might be math!  We’ll just have to see.

I chose the Special Education Academic Content Concentration tests because I already have Special Education General Curriculum on my certificate.  That means that I am certified to teach as a Special Ed inclusion teacher in any subject, and that I can be the content teacher in the areas I’m already certified in.  Passing this test will give me many, many additional certificates, and will allow me to teach the content in a Special Ed setting in every topic in elementary and middle school.

I have all the Social Studies certificates except History, so I decided to branch out and go for certificates in other areas.  Anecdotal evidence I’ve gathered from other teachers I’ve spoken with leads me to believe that science is another need area in Georgia, so I thought I would get a certificate there.  It was a toss-up between Biology and Chemistry, but Biology has less math, and there’s already math on the Special Ed test, so I thought I would spread it out a bit.  Chemistry might be next.

I’m also making a concerted effort to network more with teachers I’m friends with in my area.  This is giving me inside information and tips on getting started in teaching.  This information, I’ve come to learn, is critical to getting my foot in the door, so I’m trying to visit at least one friendly teacher a week.  So far it’s been productive, and besides that, fun, to catch up with friends.

I’ll be making my study plan for the GACEs this week since I’ve got to much to learn.

Also this week, I need to decide on and register for the next GACE test in October, in support of my general strategy of taking GACE tests until I am able to find a teaching job.  I am already leaning towards Middle Grades Science, and I’ve even purchased the book, but a meeting with a teacher friend of mine has turned me on to another important test: Special Education Academic Content.  This test works with my existing Special Education certifications and will let me teach either content or inclusion for all grades through middle school and in all my co-certified high school areas.  It’s a big test, covering a little bit of everything, but I think it would be a big boost to my resume and I’m certainly considering it.

I’ll post again when I’ve made my final decisions, and when I get my new certificate!

I’m leaning towards pursuing more science certifications in the future, as I find science  interesting.  I also know science is an area for which the demand for teachers in Georgia outpaces the supply, and it might be easier to get my foot in the door.  I haven’t decided which test I might be interested in taking besides Middle Grades Science, but I’m leaning towards Chemistry, as I have fond memories of being quite interested in that class.

I have a while before the registration deadline, so I’ll take my time, but since I’ve already purchased the Middle Grades Science study guide, I’ll start reading that soon.

In the background, I’m also considering the future of this site.  What do I want this to be?  I was hoping to produce a whole semester plan and associated content for each of my subject areas, but now that I’m up to five certifications (and counting!) I’m not sure how practical that is.  I am considering creating a sort of rough outline of the things I would teach in each particular class.

I’m also on the hunt for a good book.  Though I trend towards economics books, I’m trying to keep an open mind, and may read a history book next.  I am especially interested in books that give me some insight into subjects taught in school, and I’m always looking for the next good book review on here!

Still also considering my next GACE options, which I hope to make a decision on soon.  I said I wouldn’t reveal anything until I was ready, but I’m learning towards Middle Grades Science.  Totally out of my comfort zone, but that actually kind of excites me, and I think that would be a great topic to teach.  I’m going to review the GACE study guide for it the next chance I get and see if I think I can make sense of it.  I still have a couple of months before the next test.

Finishing those applications–well, except for the reference forms–has given me a much-needed boost of inspiration and motivation, and I’d like to be able to get up early tomorrow and try to build on that.  Here’s to a productive morning!

In the meantime, I’m trying to plan out my testing strategy for the rest of the academic year.  I am hoping to attain as many additional certifications as possible in the hopes of making myself the best candidate in town for the next hiring season.  While I don’t know the exact details yet, let’s just say there is a good chance I will break out of my comfort zone and try something different.

Also on my radar this academic year is the GRE.  I’m looking forward to going to graduate school when I am settled in a teaching position, and I’d like to go ahead and get the GRE behind me.  I’ve got the book and really all I need to do is schedule a time in the future to take the test.  The results are accepted by most colleges for five years–that should give me plenty of time!

The book is written as an overview of the entire Great Depression, so it doesn’t follow just one person though the stories, which I got used to quickly after some early confusion.  I heard after I read it that there were some questions as to the political neutrality of the author and her perception of the main subjects, especially President Herbert Hoover.  In retrospect, I can see that.  Still, if you aren’t familiar with the Great Depression and are interested in learning about it, I’d recommend it.  It’s out in paperback now.

That gives me five certifications total: Economics, Geography, and Political Science for high school students, Middle Grades Social Sciences for middle school students, and Special Education Consultative for all grades.

I am also happy to announce that I continue my perfect passing rate of GACE exams on the first try!  I’m glad my efforts have been starting to pay off.  I am currently pondering which certification to pursue next and look forward to sharing that information when I’ve made a decision.

But this far-reaching economic slowdown has not left even adolescent pride untouched.  A rapper named Fat Joe has recently announced plans for a $30 shoe called The Recession, and snubbing traditional outlets, the shoes will only be sold at Sears and Kmart.  While reaction from shoe aficionados has been mixed, all are surprised, and some are accepting.  Some who are not accepting of this break from tradition still understand the motive behind Fat Joe’s method.

I’d be interested to know what students have to say about this.  Would they be more likely to buy shoes designed by a famous person?  Could the stigma of buying your shoes at a discount retailer be overcome?  I’ll be curious to see what the further reaction to this is, and whether or not “Recession” shoes are successful.

I already have:
Economics
Geography
Special Education Social Studies
Special Education Consultative

I would like to obtain:
Political Science
Middle Grades Social Studies
History

I have already made plans to take most of these certification GACE exams, and I look forward to continuing my record of 100% pass rate on these tests.  I have also begun the spring job hunt in earnest and am looking forward to getting out there and meeting administrators soon.  Look for new additions to this site as I continue to build my online resume; I also hope to be posting some economics-related book reviews soon!

Times like these are why I believe a strong background in economics is so important for every American citizen.  This is why I love teaching economics.  Helping students understand what events like this mean–for themselves, their families, their communities, their country, and their planet–is what motivates me as an economics teacher.  If part of education is preparing students to live in the world outside school and be effective citizens, economic education is an important part of that preparation.  Today’s events prove just that.

I love connecting economics theories and ideas with current events, to let me students know how the information they are learning in my classroom pertains to life outside its walls.  When economics makes the news, as it sometimes does, students often ask about the meanings of all these stores, and rather than just tell them, I like to think I give them the tools to figure it out on their own.  Economics isn’t in the headlines often, so I will take advantage of it when it is.

I’ll start this week with my first round goal, which is to send an individual e-mail to the principal of every school I would work at in driving range of where I live.  I want to start getting my name out there right now, even though I am aware many schools have not decided or do not even know which vacancies they will need to fill over the winter break.

Round two, starting in 7-10 days, will probably be a mail assault, sending a copy of my updated resume directly to principals.  I know principals are busy people who may not have time to check their e-mail in a timely manner, so sending them an actual piece of paper seems like a good idea to me.

Round three, which I am planning for the time around Thanksgiving, is when I start the phone calls and school visits.  I can’t wait to meet some of these principals face-to-face and discuss what assets I could bring to their school!  I’ve uploaded much of my work to this site, and once I get even more documents on here, I’ll be putting together a professional portfolio to bring with me to interviews.

During all of this, I will be keeping my eye on the online job postings, but as I have discovered, applying online is generally not the best way to get your name out there, as postings tend to be listed by district offices while actual interviews are conducted by principals.  I will be checking the listings often, and I will apply for positions I believe I would be a good match for, but I will be going the extra mile and contacting principals directly.

I am also very excited about the opportunities I have through this website.  I have already posted some of my work on here, and I look forward to finding more ways to build my online portfolio, so that potential employers can get an accurate picture of what they can expect from me as a teacher, as well as evidence of my technology experience.

I know that things will be tougher this time around, and I am anticipating the challenge.  Not only are there fewer positions available during the winter break, but I am well aware of the current economic situation, and that some schools are even reducing their head count to compensate.  While it appears that teachers have not been affected yet, I know things may change, and I’m more than ready to be competitive.