VA Troops To Teachers Teacher Prep Workshop

Fellow Warriors,
I attended my first ever TTT event.  The VA TTT held its first annual Teacher Prep Workshop in July.  It was a one day event and they only invited those who were close to being hired, or newly hired, into a teaching position.

This was very much like a TAP Class, but geared strictly toward teaching, something TAP doesn't even touch.

There were veteran Teachers and Principals available for mock interviews.  My interview was very productive for me, not in that felt that I did well, but rather the gentleman helped me to translate my military leadership abilities into civilian/educator terms.

There were also three different sessions that everyone was able to participate in.
     One was the use of technology in the classroom.  The veteran Teacher/presenter showed how easy it is to use tech and integrate that with the subject matter while incorporating other core subjects as well.
     Another session covered Endorsement areas: Academic and Vocational.  They also discussed the differences in certifications for these.
     A final session was Teacher Portfolios (which I covered in a previous post).

Overall it was a day well spent, especially considering it was on a work day.  If you get an opportunity to attend some kind of new teacher workshop, I strongly urge you to do so!  After all, if, as military members, we are to train the way we are expected to fight, then we should approach our next career with the same zeal.

More to follow...

Passed Hurdles

Fellow Warriors,
I successfully passed some of the hurdles in the path to teaching:

• VCLA - Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment
• Reading
• Writing
• FTCE - Florida Teacher Certification Exam
• Ethics for School Employees

What were these?

VCLA tested what I knew.  This is similar to the tests we took in high school.  Reading asked me to read a couple paragraphs, then quizzed me on how well I comprehended what I read.  Writing gave me a couple paragraphs, then asked how to change certain passages to make the writing better.

FTCE covered some of the same from VCLA, as well as math and science.  This test also asked about specific teaching functions.  If a student has X problem, then which teaching method would you use to help them.  Y'all will want to make sure you study some before challenging this one...


Hurdles I need to get by:

• VRA - Virginia Reading Assessment
• PRAXIS I
• Reading
• Writing
• Mathematics
• PRAXIS II
• Elementary Content Knowledge

What are these?

I am told that VRA is all about how to teach reading; methods, practices, etc.  I was advise that the VCLA/VRA website has the study material I will need to pass this...

PRAXIS I & II seem to be similar as the FTCE, bit I am sure they are more in-depth.  The PRAXIS 1 tests are each about 1 hour, the PRAXIS 2 is 2 hours.

Wish me luck!

More to follow...

American History --> what we weren't taught!

Fellow Warriors, whether you subscribe to his ideologies or not, Glenn Beck's Founders' Friday series is a "must see"!  Posted here are just two of several links in this series.  The significance of these is that they are about our Black Founding Fathers, to include those hero's who served, and sacrificed, during the Revolutionary War.

More to follow...


Founders' Friday: Black Founding Fathers (Part 2)


Tonight: Founders' Fridays continue with the hidden history of our African-American Founders..this is a part of America that has been completely erased from the history books. These things have been left out by the
progressives on purpose in order to separate us..Tonight, we come together as one and continue our fight to restore the true history of these great patriots. Please pass this show on to your friends and family, it is so
important. If you missed Part one of the Black Founders, you can find it here.
Airdate: 25Jun10
http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/June/Glenn-Beck-Show-June-25-2010-Founders-Friday-Black-Founding-Fathers-Part2/

 
Founders' Friday- Black American Founders


Founding Father's Friday continues with the founders you've never heard talked about before: America's black founding fathers. That's right, they weren't all rich white guys who wanted slavery. These men played a HUGE role in the founding of our country and the fight for independence. Why are these amazing patriots being erased from our history books? It's time to set the record straight. (NOTE: There is a special after the show question and answer segment as the Video Of The Day below this program.)
Airdate: 28May10
http://watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/May/Glenn-Beck-Show-May-28-2010-Black-American-Founding-Fathers/

Teachers Portfolio

Fellow Warriors, a Teachers' Portfolio seems to be a must in today's job hunting arena.  Googling this subject can bring up many variations on the theme, making it confusing to get started.  My best advice is that if you know where you want to teach, and you already know someone there, then ask them what the portfolio should contain.  That way, if there are any differences between the regions of this country, you'll be closer to the mark.  A valuable resource of mine got a "table of contents" from a teacher in my area, which I share with you in the below list.  I modified that, which you can as well, to include letters of reference; in that section, I also included the Letter of Reference I received from Troops To Teachers.

• Resume
• Philosophy of Education
• Examples of Parent Communication
• Examples of Discipline Procedure
• Awards
• Examples of Lesson Plans with Student Product
• Technology Info

In googling "Philosophy of Education" I came up with a lot of hits.  At the bottom is the style I went with along with their explanation of what it should contain.  First is a listing of the headers I came up with for myself.

1. My Perception of Teaching
2. My Perception of Learning
3. My Teaching Goals
4. Executing the Philosophy
5. My Perception of Technology
6. My Growth as a Teacher

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When I googled "Philosophy of Education", this is one of the things I found:

Your personal philosophy of education statement should include the following:

• 
  
  Your perception of teaching: Here you describe what teaching means to you, your teaching processes, and how you can facilitate those processes as an educator. Issues such as motivating students, facilitating the learning process, how to challenge students academically, and how to support their learning abilities should be addressed.
• 
  
  Your perception of learning: Here you try and describe what learning means to you and what exactly happens in a learning situation. You can either use metaphors to draw comparisons with known philosophies, or you can directly relate what you think happens during a learning session based on your personal experiences as an educator.
• 
  
  Your teaching goals: In this section you describe your goals for your students and also list the various talents or skills that you expect your students to acquire through your teaching. In addition to the goals that you have set for your students, you should also provide the rationale behind these goals and how you will keep changing the goals to meet the growing learning needs of your students.
• 
  
  Executing your philosophy of education statement: The most important component of your education philosophy statement is your elaboration of the different activities that you will implement to enable your students to achieve their goals. You have to illustrate how your perceptions of teaching and learning will be translated into real time class assignments.
• 
  
  Your growth as a teacher: In order to continue growing professionally, teachers need to set goals for themselves and also outline their ways to achieve these goals. The personal goals that you have set for yourself as an educator should thus be mentioned in your philosophy of education statement.

Formatting The Philosophy of Education Statement

Here are some tips on formatting your teaching philosophy statement: 

• 
  
  Ensure that it is not more than 2 pages long, unless a detailed description has been asked for.
• 
  
  Write in the present tense and in an active voice as it is easiest to read and relate to.
• 
  
  Do not use too much technical jargon but try and use language that will be understood by broader audiences.
• 
  
  Include specific examples of your personal philosophy of teaching so that the reader can actually 'see' how you interact with your students even though they have not visited a real class that you teach.
• 
  
  Give your philosophy of education statement a lot of thought and ensure that you write about your personal beliefs and real experiences. If you simply churn out a standardized education philosophy statement, that will come across to the reader and will not be as impressive.

More to follow...

On How Education is Being Changed

Fellow Warriors, I'm not trying to push any political ideology in this.  That being said, I invite you to watch this video.

More to follow...

The Plan, Part 3: Education

How education is being changed, in other words, they are changing/erasing past facts.
The liberal bloggers in their parents' basements are going to be very angry at Glenn after
this. Tonight, the plan to save education. The solution? Simple. Abolish the Department
of Education. Tonight's guests: Chris Edwards of the CATO Institute and Stephen Dubner,
author of the book "Superfreakonomics"
Airdate: 14Apr10

Part of Why I Want to Teach

Fellow Warriors, below is a homework assignment I had to do recently.  It'll give you a bit of insight, partly anyway, as to why I want to become a teacher.

My posting is for the edification of those who may wish to follow this path.  Please do not copy this, in part or whole.  That is considered plagiarism in academic circles and could land one out of school, with a bad mark on their academic record.  Know and use the APA and/or MLA standards if you find this useful for any of your works.

More to follow...

Cultural Literacy (Academic Area Initiatives)

“Cultural literacy gives precedence to an overriding American culture and the English language, rejecting the concept of pluralism espoused by some in which aspects of all subcultures in the nation are studied with equal concentration.” (Oliva, 2009, p 474)

Anyone who has seen Jay Leno’s Jaywalking! must surely have been amused by the respondents’ answers and behaviors to basic American cultural questions. (Vickers, 2010) Beyond amusement though, this author would argue that the knowledge base of the average American that Jay Leno found on the street is appallingly poor in regards to our American cultural heritage. Having served abroad with the United States military, this author can further attest that this general lack of American cultural knowledge, by Americans, is a point of contention, and in some instances, has been a point of loathing amongst some of the foreign nationals he has encountered. The overall viewpoint being: how could we tell other nations how to be when we do not know, let alone understand, our own history?

Another point to be made on the dismal knowledge of American culture comes from one whom some call a right-wing hate-monger. However, as students, we are taught to research the truth for ourselves and, quite possibly, not only accept but also proclaim that our hypothesis may be wrong. In the April 8, 2010 episode of Glenn Beck, entitled Faith of Our Founders, Beck discussed what our current educational system teaches and how greatly that differs from what past generations learned in regards to what the Founders actually believed. (Cliff, 2010) The greatest of these is the separation of church and state. Last year President Obama cancelled a Day of Prayer service. The administration claimed he was “simply reverting back to pre-Bush administration practice.” (Duin, 2009) While attending Day of Prayer services may not have occurred prior to George W. Bush, an outspoken belief of, and faith in, God is very evident in the writings of our Founding Fathers and first Presidents. From there one can readily argue that each Founder outwardly displayed their personal Faith in their words and actions as well.

The Texas State Board of Education recently “approved sweeping and controversial changes” to the states Essential Knowledge and Skills. (Preston, 2010) It has been claimed that these changes will also alter what content will be put into newly published textbooks. Since Texas is the largest purchaser of textbooks, publishers would find it unprofitable to not incorporate those changes. It is further argued that “the enormous print run for Texas textbooks [will leave] most districts in other states adopting the same course materials, so that the Texas School Board effectively spells out requirements for 80 percent of the nation’s textbook market.” (Dykes, 2010)

The various states’ standards of learning have been changing since Benjamin Franklin developed his Academy. (Oliva, 2009, p 23) Each of the major curriculum developers since has had their hand in what would be taught in our schools. Along the way, compromise was obviously made in order to incorporate what leaders of that particular time thought more important. Perhaps this was not done with bad intentions, but with the thought that some knowledge of our cultural heritage was simply inherent and as such would not be lost over time. It is apparent through the works of Leno and Beck that our American cultural heritage is in fact dissipating rapidly!

The following strategies are developed upon the worldview perspective that this author is an American who is also happens to be a Catholic Christian. Strategies that would help in returning students back to a cultural depth of knowledge in America would require little effort. First and foremost, politicians need to get out of the schools! In early America, education began at home by the parents, the first teachers. Later, teachers would be found in one-room schoolhouses where they would teach the same subject to all ages. Today, politicians, many of whom have spent no time as teachers or working within the education system, are making up what, how, when and where students are to be learning. Politicians are part of the problem, not part of the solution. Second, textbooks must reference and be based upon original works, especially those of the Founders. Yes, it is important to include scholarly studies upon these original works, but care must be taken in verifying the accuracy of these studies; e.g. that there are references of original materials vice only secondary source reviews. Third, God must be allowed into our daily lives, not only in the classroom, but in the public square as well. Whether one thinks of Christ, Allah, or some other deity when they hear the name God must be irrelevant. One of the principles America was founded upon is the Freedom of Religion, the freedom of all peoples to worship whomever they call God without forcing it upon their neighbors or denying them the same right. As Americans, we have an obligation to return to this line of reasoning, especially as they apply to our Rights!

References

Cliff, C. (2010, April 8). Faith of Our Founders, The Glenn Beck Program [Television broadcast]. New York: FOX News Network. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,590642,00.html.

Cliff, C. (2010, April 8). The Glenn Beck Program [Television broadcast]. New York: FOX News Network. Retrieved April 12, 2010 from http://www.watchglennbeck.com/video/2010/april/watch-the-glenn-beck-show-april-8-2010/.

Duin, J. (2009, May 6). Obama to be prayer day no-show. The Washington Times. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/may/06/prayer-day-no-show/.

Dykes, B. (2010, March 15). U.S. history textbooks could soon be flavored heavily with Texas conservatism, Yahoo! News. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://news.yahoo.com/s/ynews/20100315/ts_ynews/ynews_ts1253?om_rid=DKrZBL&om_mid=_BLn3R8B8GcIg$0&.

Oliva, P. F. (2009). Developing the Curriculum. Boston: Pearson Education.

Preston, M. (2010, May 16). The Texas Textbook Controversy and the Failing American Consensus, True/Slant. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://trueslant.com/michaelpreston/2010/03/16/the-texas-textbook-controversy-and-the-failing-american-consensus/.

Texas Education Agency. (2010). Text of Proposed Revisions to 19 TAC, Chapter 113. Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills for Social Studies. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/rules/board/proposed/0310/ch113A-one.pdf.

Vickers, D. (Executive Producer). (2010). Jaywalking! The Tonight Show with Jay Leno [Television series]. New York: National Broadcasting Company. Retrieved May 2, 2010 from http://www.nbc.com/the-tonight-show/video/jaywalk-427/1223211/?__source=tnt%7Chome%7Cleftcolumn%7Cjaywalking.

SpeEdChange: Teachers, Tenure, Transformation

Fellow Warriors, one thing about being Active is the job security. Let's face it, one has to screw the pooch pretty bad to lose this job! The article linked below high-lights one of my greatest fears about needing to transition back to the world. I leave it for your perusal...

SpeEdChange: Teachers, Tenure, Transformation

More to follow...

JROTC Follow Up --> I'm Certified

Fellow Warriors, a short follow up to a previous post...

I'm in!  Well, at least the door has been opened to me.  About two weeks after the review board met, I sent an email to the home office asking when the results would be available.  I was told 14 to 21 days.  So I gave it some time, in hopes a letter would soon follow.  One month after the board, and still no letter, I sent another email.  The response was that I have been "certified"!

God said to Evan Almighty, "If someone prays for patience, you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient?"  Well, I am certainly making very good use of this opportunity to practice my patience; still no letter!

What does the certification letter mean?  It does NOT mean that I have a job!  It only means that I can officially apply to those schools who support a JROTC program from my service.  It also means that I can apply to DoDEA, my dream job.  My dream job because I would get to go back overseas to live and travel for a while longer, I would also get to pay back for all those teachers who taught my own children, and I think it would be a peace of mind for our fellow warriors stationed overseas to know that someone who has gone before them are now there to help their children through the frequent separations.  But I digress...

I'm Certifiable ;)

More to follow...

A Bachelors Degree Does Not Equal a Teaching License

Fellow Warriors,

It sure felt like a rejection letter to me! I recently applied for a teaching certificate in the hopes that having one prior to completing my master’s degree would help me to get hired somewhere. “That’s a negative, Ghost Rider!”

Somewhere along the way, I had stubbornly embedded the idea that having a bachelor’s degree would automatically qualify me for a temporary teaching certificate. If that had ever been a fact, I just don't know. I do know now that this is a MYTH! Yes, you do need a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution for the Board of Education in the various states to even consider you as a teaching candidate. However, there will be more requirements you will need to meet to get that coveted license.

Let’s take two states for example:

In Florida, all I need to do for a Temporary Certificate is pass their state approved test, the Florida Teacher Certification Examinations (FTCE). Passing that will get me a temporary teaching certificate that is valid for only three years. Within those three years, I will need to complete further education (which I already have) and take a couple other tests. Then I will be granted a Permanent Teaching Certificate.

In Virginia, I need to pass the Virginia Communication and Literacy Assessment (VLCA), Virginia Reading Assessment (VRA) and the PRAXIS II tests. Plus all the other schooling I've accomplished.

The "other schooling:" Here’s how I found out what I needed. I know that I ultimately want to wind up in Florida. During a Troops To Teachers (TTT) briefing I attended a while back, I found that the FL TTT office will provide military members with an unofficial review of their unofficial transcripts. You will need to contact the TTT office in the state you want to teach in to see if they provide the same service. From that, I was given specific course areas (what the school systems call "core" courses). For me this included a passing a few more English, history, and science courses at the upper level. This gives the prospective teacher a deeper background in the (core subject) areas they are going to be teaching.

Anyway, there is still time for me to make this decision about which avenue to pursue. You, on the other hand, probably need to get crackin’! Do you want a good head start? Contact the TTT office in the area you are stationed or are looking to “retire” to.  They should be able to talk to you about formal and alternative routes for licensure, and possibly get you headed in the direction that makes the most sense for you.  http://www.dantes.doded.mil/dantes_Web/library/docs/ttt/state_office_listing.pdf

More to follow…

Military Personnel or Students: Same Difference?

Fellow Warriors, here's another reason military personnel are suitable to becoming teachers.

The article linked below is a very insightful look into something we as leaders have hopefully already learned how to do. It talks about getting young people to do something when they don't see why they should. Ever met someone like that in your career? Do you remember how you handled it? Most of us got yelled at, cajoled, and very quickly succumbed to the onslaught. So, as junior leaders, we simply adopted those same militaristic styles of yelling and requiring immediate subservience.

Have you ever tried getting into their heads though? Just like in this article, see if you can prod them into doing what they should, but only lightly. If that still doesn't work, pull them out one on one and see if you can get them to tell you what it is about the project that they don't want to do. I'm a bit long in the tooth, so I've been able to learn and follow this method of leadership. More often than not, if you talk to that young person like an adult, make them feel like they actually matter, I think you'll find that you can get them to do what they ought to.

More to follow...


Towbin, J.  (2010)  "When Students Don't Play the Game."  Educational Leadership, February 2010, Volume 67, Number 5, "Meeting Students Where They Are," Pages 42-45.  http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational_leadership/feb10/vol67/num05/When_Students_Don't_Play_the_Game.aspx

Head Hunters

** If you know of similar opportunities for educators please post them as comments. **

Fellow Warriors!  One of the things impressed upon me during TAP class was in regards to what they call "head hunters".  These companies are a like a storehouse for matching available jobs with the best candidate.  Some companies will charge the job seeker, but there are also those who charge the employer, thereby providing a "free" service for the job seeker.

The impressionable moment:

       Having to pay = bad (well duh!)
       Free = good.
       Any time you can get free professional help job hunting, take it - it's FREE!

I have not used this service myself yet, but this is a link to what is advertised as a free service to those seeking a teaching position.  As their name implies, they deal with the southern states; a listing of states is below.

Southern Teachers Agency:

"Our services are free for all candidates. No registration fees, no annual fees, no cost to candidates at any time! Schools support STA because they recognize the value of STA's assistance in recruiting talented candidates. If you are a teacher, coach, or administrator seeking a job in the South, then we look forward to working with you."

States listed on their candidate application:
VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, WV, KY, TN, AL, MS, LA, TX, OK, DC, MD, PA, DE, OH

http://southernteachers.com/

** If you know of similar opportunities for educators please post them as comments. **

More to follow...

Going Back To School

Like I said in an earlier post, take the money and just do it.

Well, that's easier said than done, now, isn't it? I probably could have done better in high school, but as it is, I got by; and got a diploma out of it. After that, I had no desire to continue my education outside of what I needed to do a job. Flash forward a couple years and I find myself with a need to cut ties from the post high school life I found myself in.

On a flight back home on leave early on, I sat next to a businessman. He conveyed that he had some knowledge of the kind of people who get hired. He said that after a tour in the military, he would expect to see some further education. After a 20-year career, he would certainly expect to see a college degree. That certainly wasn't the first, or the last, time I heard something like that, but it stuck with me.

Thirteen years after high school and I found myself in a place, with awesome support, to go back to school. But, what do I really want to do when I grow up? Well, I like aircraft, which is how I wound up where I'm at, so why not continue that with an aviation degree?

Off to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University I go! My very first class there were a lot of "older" people in it (notice the quotes, I'm being gentle with that word now-a-days ;) One of these men was a retired E-9 aviation maintenance professional. After being management for many years in the military, you'ld think he could easily get a management position with a company that takes care of military aircraft. Well, he couldn't. Why? You guessed it, he needed a Bachelors degree. Go back up two paragraphs...

That sealed it right there. Whatever happened, I was going to finish that degree; and so I did.

That is all why you should just get started. Here's how you keep it going.

You need an end point, so pick a degree and follow the path that lays out. Remembering back to the "take the money" post, don't forget that you have a job, and maybe a family, that you need to save time and energy for. Take two classes a term at most. This will give you the time you need to spread among all those important things. It will also spread that TA money out enough so that you aren't trying to pay for classes out of pocket, or dipping into your VA benefits before you need to.

Finally, remember this, you are likely going to be your own worst enemy on this path. You'll find excuses and many ways to sabotage yourself in this endeavor. Persevere! If I can do it, you can too!

More to follow...

Political Leanings Vs. Teaching Style

I wonder what this says about my teaching style...  Anyone have any thoughts?  We really didn't cover this side of things in my Educational Philosophy class.

"Your answers suggest that you are a libertarian. The yellow star shows more precisely where you fall within the libertarian region of the Nolan chart."
http://www.nolanchart.com/survey.php

"libertarian: supports the smallest possible government, supports individual liberty in all ways, prefers to only defend our borders and not interfere in other countries' affairs."
http://www.nolanchart.com/article7443.html

More to follow...

Junior ROTC

I had a wonderful interview with a JROTC Senior Instructor recently!

Yes, I still want to become an elementary teacher, but one does need to keep doors open.  Especially with many school systems cutting back on funding, and others firing all of their teachers.

I had been looking into this program off and on for a while.  I decided, rather at the last minute, to drop a package in the mail.  Filling out the package itself wasn't difficult since most of the information requested was in my personnel file.  With the package postmarked by the deadline, I just needed to wait for the interview.

"Interview" seems a bit of a misnomer in this case though, and it had been mentioned to me by another senior enlisted that he had a similar style interview.  The concern is the attrition rate, so the interview process includes a bit of a long discussion of how the units actually operate.  It seems a lot of us old war dogs think we're gonna get a straight 8-hour a day job when we finally get out.  We think about the school system and how it seems teachers only work during the school day, not nights, no weekends, and summers off.  So JROTC must be a good place because we don't need any more specialized education than we already gained while in the service.

JROTC is different.  Most of the units in this area start about 0600 with drill practice, PT, or something.  Then there's the rest of the school day in which the Cadets have different periods for JROTC.  Then there's the after school hours stuff with more practice and drill.  In this area, most of the units have events 3-weekends a month.  It might be a drill competition against other units, fund raisers, tours of a base or historical area, etc.

The point they're trying to get across in the interview is that this isn't a 9-5 job.  When a member comes on a unit, there are only two of you, the officer and the enlisted.  They don't want to get someone trained up only to have them quit at the end of the year.  It's not right to which ever one stays behind, but it's not fair to the Cadets.

It's like taking over a platoon or division.  You just get your people used to you and heading in the same direction, then you rotate out before they start achieving milestones.  Either they get left with someomne who's already overwhelmed with the workload, or they have to get used to someone new all over again.  In the military we are taught to deal with it.  High school kids don't have those psychological skills yet.  Looking at our society today, many of those kids might already be traumatized by an absentee parent, so having someone like us constantly rotating out can only cause more damage.

When you stop and think about it like that, you can certainly see why they want us to be absolutely sure we want to do this.  It's another commitment that will see us continuing to work long hours and weekends away from our family members.  But, you don't get deployed anymore :)  and you get to come home to your family every night, something they probably haven't had in a very long time anyway.

For me, this is something I can see myself doing.  Working with bright kids who asked to be in your unit, who are looking for a role model to help them push themselves.  My wife met a former JROTC Instructor and his wife recently.  They both agreed a few years in JROTC was a good transitional period from military to civilian life.  So if you are still thinking about this for yourself, check out the appropriate link below.  Then get with the units in your area and see if you can visit to find out if it would be a right fit for you.

More to follow...


NJROTC
Have at least 20 years of active duty service in the United States Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard as commissioned officers in grades W-2 through O-6, or as non-commissioned officers in grades E-6 through E-9; and [see more]
https://www.njrotc.navy.mil/instructor/instructor_index.asp

AJROTC
Retired Army personnel (E-6 through O-6) who have at least 20 years of active duty service, receiving a retirement pay and who have not been retired for more than 3 years may apply for certification as a JROTC instructor.  [see more]
https://www.usarmyjrotc.com/jrotc/dt/6_Instructor/index.html

AFJROTC
You must have at least 20 years of active duty; served last year of active duty as an officer/NCO. Retired Reserve/National Guard members over the age of 60 who are drawing their military retired pay may apply.[see more]
http://www.au.af.mil/au/holmcenter/AFJROTC/Instructors.asp

UPDATED: Obama Gets Involved in R.I. Teacher-Firing Drama - Teacher Beat - Education Week

Some of the things that make me worry as I trasition into this career field...

UPDATED: Obama Gets Involved in R.I. Teacher-Firing Drama - Teacher Beat - Education Week

Take the Money and Just Do It!

** If you know of other schools with similar opportunities please post them as comments. **

There really are a lot of higher level education options to choose from out there. Picking your degree will depend on what you think you want to do when you grow up. But even with the military's requirement to be under a degree plan, you still have up to five classes before they hold you to that requirement. So just get started! You can get both the English courses completed, a basic college level math, and something you might just be interested in learning about. Just get started!

Tuition Assistance (TA) will cover the cost of most undergraduate classes; depending on the school, it'll cover graduate level as well. Typically, you will have to pay for your own books. This isn't as bad as it might seem. There are often fellow students who just had that class and you can get the book at a reduced price; if your friend just had the class, then maybe you can borrow the book. If you take one or two classes a term you should be able to continue going to school throughout the year. If you try to load up your courses, you'll run out of TA money. Your also not putting in enough time on the job if your loaded up with classes. Remember, your being paid to do your job in the military, and TA is a part of your benefits package from your employer. So, first things first, be proficient at your job, and don't let school get in the way of your military duties!

So, back to the money; and here's where I put a plug in for my Alma Mater...

http://www.luonline.com/index.cfm?PID=14263

Liberty University takes very good care of the military member. At the graduate level, they only charge the TA amount. Think about it, a fully accredited university providing education towards a Masters Degree, and all you pay for is the books! My fellow Warriors, you just can't beat that deal!

But wait a minute, it gets better. At the undergraduate level, those working towards an Associates or Bachelors Degree, Liberty also provides a "book voucher"! Depending on the expense of the book, that's like going to school for almost free. I really don't know how many other schools can beat that deal, but I know there certainly can't be many; and with everyone in a financial crunch and raising costs or cutting benefits, Liberty has stayed the course.

Am I biased towards my University? Probably. But it's also my job to look out for my people, and Shipmates, let me tell you, you really need to look into this and see if it doesn't suit your needs.

If all that doesn't grab you, then take a look at this link http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=18872. What other University goes out of their way to help the military spouse as well?

If I haven't lost you, then here's one more tidbit on money. There's this thing called a Pell Grant. http://www2.ed.gov/programs/fpg/index.html If your family size and income fit their parameters, then they will send you money. So, let's do a little math here, ok? The military will pay for your class, then the government will give you more money on top of that to cover things like child care, etc.

In other words: TA + Pell Grant = Free Education!

So, what are you waiting for? Get back to school!

** If you know of other schools with similar opportunities please post them as comments. **

More to follow...

Transcripts

I have to wonder...

Maybe a decade ago, a lot of paperwork was still done by hand. Someone would have to be paid to gather and verify information, type it onto a piece of paper, make sure that was done accurately (usually creating a paid job for yet another person), then getting it signed, and then sending it out by mail. That's at least three or for people being paid to push one persons request through.

As an aside; anyone tried to find a typewriter recently? I did, and after several phone calls I found one at a library. The catch was they couldn't help me with it; no one there that day knew how to use it (turn it on, etc.)!!! OMG! What happens when the computers crash? Have we really "progressed" so far that we can't function when, not if, technology fails?

Now that everything (seriously, look around, I do mean everything) is stored on computers, it takes one person, maybe two, to process a transcript request. I'm just speculating here, but this seems like it would be the process. I submit the request via the Internet through a secure log in to the school. This is processed by a computer and gets spit out by a printer. Someone gets it signed and drops it in the mail.

So why are we being charged so much for this process? One school charges $10, and they do the processing themselves. Another school charges $5, but they use a third party contractor for this process. A third school doesn't charge at all. I can understand being charged for the paper and postage, but surely one request does not cost between $5 and $10...

Honestly, if a student can log on and see their transcript electronically, then why can this same process be used by those who would need proof of schooling? Surely there's a way... At any rate, there's my rant on the hidden costs of needing "official" documentation of the classes I've taken. Thanks for listening! ;)

More to follow...

Intro

The purpose of this blog is to essentially talk about my own experience in becoming a teacher. My situation is not really unique; well, except to me anyway. I've been active duty military for the better part of a quarter of a century now and it's getting time to move on.

This blog starts near the end of both my military journey, and the completion of my educational preparation, which I'll cover in later posts.

Also to come, frustrations and exhilaration's in filling out applications and resumes.

More to follow...