A job in a new field...but how?

[altrock]

Here's my problem. Last year I graduated from college with a BA in Anthropology. In the spring I got a job in a call center with a large health insurance company. It is the exact opposite of what I ever wanted to do with my life, but the only work experience I have is in customer service...which I HATE.

My prefered field, which I realized far too late in my college career, is education. I live in New York, where you have to have a degree in education & be certified & everything (understandable, but would take me forever to do and frankly I don't have the money for it and can't stand to have anymore student debt). I want to make a change, but I can't do anything besides what I've done because that's all the experience I have.

Are there any states out there where the requirements for teaching are minimal? I know I'm probably being a bit unrealistic here but I really cannot see myself having this job much longer. I'm willing to move as far away as I need to in order to get in on the ground floor & work as a teacher someday. Any suggestions?

[koolkat1980]

You've asked a good question! I'm like you as well! I have a degree in anthropology....and it's so annoying because these days I find myself working in an office doing administrative work!???? Which I don't really like! :cry: Pushing pens and paper all day long!!!

I would really like to go into publishing or editing....or anything which uses my writing skills....or even...fitness - and anything which doesn't involve administration! Perhaps when I'm ready....and have enough equity...I might become self employed! Only....I just don't think I'm ready just yet!

Anyone got any suggestions!??? I'm from Australia...so it might be different from the USA system! :rolleyes:

[winneythepooh7]

What about checking out the NYC Teaching Fellows program? If you get in, from what I understand, they pay for most of your education degree. The tradeoff is you might have to stay in not the best of school districts for several years, however, it's often difficult to find a good school district anyways as I am sure many teachers can confirm, so that tradeoff may be worth it.

[GoogleGirl]

Louisiana has a program where you can teach w/o a degree as long as you are working to get certified. The school pays for the certification too, I believe. It's an accelerated teacher cert. program.

[altrock]

What about checking out the NYC Teaching Fellows program? If you get in, from what I understand, they pay for most of your education degree. The tradeoff is you might have to stay in not the best of school districts for several years, however, it's often difficult to find a good school district anyways as I am sure many teachers can confirm, so that tradeoff may be worth it.

I never even knew such a thing existed! According to their website they're "highly selective"...but there's no harm in at least going for it. I have a friend who lives in the City who has repeatedly offered to let me stay with him should I decide to look for work there. Thanks for the suggestion, I'm definitely going to look into it!

[wordsmith]

As some have mentioned, areas where there are extreme teacher shortages (bear in mind that these extreme shortages usually exist for a reason...districts that have major problems, be they so-called undesirable areas, poor salary/working conditions,etc.), administrators and boards and state boards are often more lax on where you need to be in the certification process; they're desperate for warm bodies. But in general, you will need to be at least working on teacher certification, in in most instances, already be certified to get consideration. Also, bear in mind that working for a district that is desperate for warm bodies is not always the best thing.

[winneythepooh7]

I never even knew such a thing existed! According to their website they're "highly selective"...but there's no harm in at least going for it. I have a friend who lives in the City who has repeatedly offered to let me stay with him should I decide to look for work there. Thanks for the suggestion, I'm definitely going to look into it!

Good luck. There are several Myspace and Yahoogroups geared to the Teaching Fellows. Do your research though. I am friends with a bunch of teachers, who have worked with Fellows and there are good situations you can be placed in, as well as horrible ones. It's really a 50/50 risk.

I don't think it can hurt though to attend the information session and apply and try to get an interview.