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
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
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...
Monday, March 8, 2010
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...
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...
Friday, March 5, 2010
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...
"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
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
Thursday, March 4, 2010
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
UPDATED: Obama Gets Involved in R.I. Teacher-Firing Drama - Teacher Beat - Education Week
Monday, March 1, 2010
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...
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