I have to turn down an amazing opportunity...Please Help!

[allie1105]

As most of you know, I am a graduate student, working on my M.Ed in Business Education. I am in my final semester before student teaching, and something recently occurred and I don't know what to do.

I am required to do field experience and observe at a local high school. I am at the most amazing district in my area. Last week, a part-time teaching position opened up, teaching HTML and Intro to Business - a dream for me, as I LOVE HTML and I am a pretty competent businessperson. The school had a very hard time finding the original candidate, and when they heard I was a graduate student and had HTML experience, I was asked to interview on the spot. Pretty cool, considering PT teaching is FINE as I now own a small catering business - it would be a great way for me to start and I want the job so badly.

I emailed my adviser about the position, looking for a recommendation. This is a contracted position, and in the past, graduate students are allowed to accept a position in lieu of student teaching - it is called experiential learning. He emailed me back and said great opportunity but no way will it count for student teaching. I told this to the assistant principal at the potential school, who was appalled that my adviser wouldn't work something out with me and is calling him today. He plans on offering the following solution - allow me to student teach at said school in the morning, and work in the position in the afternoons. The issue was that it is part time rather than full time, and the assistant principal was trying to solve the problem.

I still haven't heard from anyone, and I am freaking out. My adviser will say no for the following reasons:

1. Its a non traditional way to do my student teaching.
2. Its greater than 50 miles from my university, and he only goes 50 miles.

Now, there IS student teaching adviser who goes to the area where the potential job is, but he doesn't advise business ed.

I know this is confusing, but if my adviser refuses, what do I say? I can't not student teach because my emergency certification is only valid for one year. I would have to quit the job in December 2008 and start student teaching in order to become a certified teacher.

I know this is confusing, but I don't know what to do. Those are AMAZING classes for me, and the pay is GREAT for part time! It just seems so right, and I want it so, so badly...

[FLSHARK]

I say if you get the part-time teaching position , take it. It would be a great opportunity and something to add to your resume. Also, networking contacts and a possible permanent job could come out of it. Talk to your advisor some more too to see if he'll bend a little.

[allie1105]

The problem is that I can't get certified if I don't student teach, and this position will not substitute for student teaching. I need to student teach so I can continue teaching - I am not certified yet, and my emergency certification is only good for a year. So I am fine for a year, then I get screwed - I'd have to quit my job.

[AshleyJordan]

OK, I say if your advisor refuses go over his/her head. I know it will be difficult (I went to a pretty "political" grad school in that profs were very territorial,) but I think it's worth it.

[yankeeyosh]

{{{{{hugs}}}}}

I can't believe your advisor is like this. You know, advisors are supposed to help their students, and most would do anything they can to accomodate them. This is totally the opposite. I would definitely press this issue as much as you can. This is not right. :mad:

[capella]

Can you find something in your state's certification requirements to back up your "experiential" teaching counting as student teaching. I can't believe any grad professor for education students wouldn't count teaching a class on your own as experience in the classroom. That's what student teaching is for!Ridiculous! I would look through your state's requirements and see if it mentions that anywhere. The school can't trump the state for teaching credentials. I would go above the advisor if he/she isn't being helpful. That's just all kinds of insanity.

I suppose it depends on your state and what the DOE requires. I NEVER did student teaching (I had a week of crash course classroom management, passed a subject test and WHAM in the classroom full-time with 30+ 7th graders!) :eek: I couldn't get my full certificate without doing other classes and teaching "successfully" full-time for two years, though.

[allie1105]

Thanks so much for the support and advice!

Capella, I am in PA, and I am going straight to the PDE website to check into this. I do know there is a school that provides a 9 month certification program for Business Ed teachers - I am almost positive they don't have a student teaching program. The problem is I would be teaching Intro to Business and HTML and thats it - the department at my school wants student teachers to be teaching at least 4-5 different classes by the last week of student teaching. Sounds like a crazy amount of prep, right? Ah, what did I get myself into...lol, jk.

Anyway, here is the latest and the greatest: I saw my adviser, so I thought I would chat with him in person (everything happened so quickly and all of our communication has been through email). He IS going over his own head - I think he wants no part of this decision - and asked the assistant principal to put it all in writing and send it to him (meaning to my adviser) and he would present it to the Dean to get approval. As bad as this sounds, I think he just doesn't want to drive 1 1/2 hours away to observe me. Well, ya know what? I've been driving 1 1/2 hrs since January - I never complain or try to use it as an excuse if I am late. I pay good $ to this school, have a 4.0, AND I am a graduate assistant to the department. What more can I do? I spend countless hours driving to work for them, and only had a meltdown once on QLC when they would make me drive here and then tell me they don't need me.

Rant complete. Anyway, do you all think I am crazy if I ask him to be in the meeting when he presents the information to the dean? What do you guys think?

[pisces2473]

Nope, you aren't crazy! This sounds great and you should fight tooth and nail to get what you want ESPECIALLY when you've been busting it for the school. The least they could do is help you out. Could someone videotape your teaching times and the prof could watch that way?

Good luck!

[allie1105]

Nope, you aren't crazy! This sounds great and you should fight tooth and nail to get what you want ESPECIALLY when you've been busting it for the school. The least they could do is help you out. Could someone videotape your teaching times and the prof could watch that way?

Good luck!

Actually, that is how they critique our field experience, which is what I am doing now. I was wondering the same thing. I think the professor likes the idea of being able to pop in on me and observe at any given time...ugh! I guess I am just going to have to wait and see what happens with this one...so frustrating!!

[Tiff58]

They should definitely be doing everything they can to help you out. I would love to know how this turns out!

[allie1105]

Ughhhh you guys, this isn't fun. So tonight I have a class with one of the professors who is going to be one of the decision makers who will decide if I will get the job or not. I explained the situation to her (she asked me about it) and she said:

"I doubt anyone is going to drive there to observe you."

I guess her mind is made up.

[Deni81]

((( Hugs))) I am so sorry to hear that your advisors are not trying to work with you. I hope everything works out for you.

[capella]

Ughhhh you guys, this isn't fun. So tonight I have a class with one of the professors who is going to be one of the decision makers who will decide if I will get the job or not. I explained the situation to her (she asked me about it) and she said:

"I doubt anyone is going to drive there to observe you."

I guess her mind is made up.
That is so messed up! What are you paying tuition for then if it's not to have them observe you? Are there any other colleges you can transfer to? I would seriously be pissed off about that. Is it difficult to find a teaching position in your area? Will you be OK to try again next year?

[ebruening]

That is ridiculous! My grad. advisor - I'm also in education - will absolutely bend over backwards for me. I'm allowed to do my ESL internship on the weekends, and in the evenings, specifically because my grad school DOESN'T want me to quit my full-time teaching position.

I'm sorry you're going through this. There has to be some way to get the asst. principal, at least, to explain the situation and at least make it workable with your department.

[yankeeyosh]

{{{{{{{{Allie}}}}}}}}

This is terrible...I agree...you should press this as much as possible. This just isn't right :(

[allie1105]

That is so messed up! What are you paying tuition for then if it's not to have them observe you? Are there any other colleges you can transfer to? I would seriously be pissed off about that. Is it difficult to find a teaching position in your area? Will you be OK to try again next year?

I wish I could transfer. There are only three colleges with the M.Ed in Business Ed. The reason I am here is because the program is the best AND its a state school so its way cheaper than the other option. The third school is even further away, so its out of the question. I'm so close to the end now!

Tomorrow I am observing at the school that has an interest in me. When I am there, I am going to try to find out what is going on with their end. For all I know, they found another candidate and I am not in the running, and this isn't even an issue anymore. If I go there and they are still interested, I was thinking of making an appointment to talk about the whole situation with the Dean of the Business school. However, our dean is supposedly awesome and is all about doing work out in the field, so he might actually agree to whatever the high school comes up with. This is risky as my adviser is somewhat vindictive and I am afraid he will take out his frustration on my grade when I student teach - he is the one who has to observe me. Ugh! This is a mess!

I do wonder what I am paying tuition for...I thought I was going to school to further my education and have more opportunities. I thought schools were supposed to help you in the process. My undergrad adviser was just like the person ebruening described - he would bend over backwards for me. I did a somewhat unconventional internship my junior year and he made sure I got credit for it. Too bad he's at a different school!!!

In terms of finding a job...it is a little easier to find a teaching job in Business Ed than some of the other areas since not many schools certify in it. Elementary and middle schools need computer apps teachers, and the high schools now have entire business departments. The high school I am observing at has more than 15 different business courses! In PA, its kind of hard to find teaching jobs - everyone goes to school for teaching, which is why I didn't go for teaching as an undergrad...but then I decided I wanted to do it. I know THIS job won't be available, and its really what I want - I would be teaching two classes that I am interested in. I know its only part time BUT it is the best district in my area and it is a contracted position - when a full time opening occurs, I would be the first considered. It will not be easy for me to find a job, and this is a great start.

Anyway, I observe again tomorrow at the high school, so I will keep you all posted when I go and speak to the administration.

[yankeeyosh]

I seriously can't believe an advisor would be so vindictive as to take it out on your grade. Maybe you could have a second "observer" if possible, as a "checks and balances"?

Anyway, give 'em hell, Allie! *crossing fingers and toes*

[allie1105]

I seriously can't believe an advisor would be so vindictive as to take it out on your grade. Maybe you could have a second "observer" if possible, as a "checks and balances"?

Anyway, give 'em hell, Allie! *crossing fingers and toes*

That would be awesome...but if I can't get one of those assholes to drive down here to observe me, how the hell am I going to get two of them??? LOL, no worries, Mark - I am totally going to fight this thing tooth and nail until I get my way (this is pending that the school district still wants me! but seriously. I am ready for a fight :)

[yankeeyosh]

That would be awesome...but if I can't get one of those assholes to drive down here to observe me, how the hell am I going to get two of them???

Well, I meant an observer perhaps from the school itself.