Area Private School Teacher Shortage?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the advertisements for teachers in the private setting. Look at the requirements. Most of the time, there are none. Some don't even require a college degree.

clearly you are not so ignorant to believe that the entry requirements/qualifications on a job ad (maybe even one for multiple positions) are the actual job selection criteria, correct? Because private school isn't a quasi-governmental organization which has job categories and grades. They have bare minimum requirements on the vacancy ad and then select the best candidate from there.

Not only am I not ignorant, I taught in a private school setting where there were no educational credentials or educational background required. The ads were skeletal and there were numerous applicants, and, yes, many didn't have a college degree. A lot of home day care providers applied (BTW, they don't even require a high school doplma to do home day care..) A lot of teachers were the mothers of students.

Secondarily, job openings were known by community based word of mouth. And 40% did not have college degrees, more than 90 % did not have any educational credentials whatsoever.

I think you are having trouble believing this because it sounds outrageous, but, it happens all over the place. You'd be shocked at the lack of state oversight, as well, or what is required to set up a private school. The teachers were fingerprinted- that was it as far as any oversight.

Cool story but that’s not happening at any of the schools being discussed on this board.

What particular schools are being discussed? Are we discussing particular schools? I believe the post has to do with teacher shortage. Apparently, there are those who are wondering
A. Are private teachers also leaving their jobs as well as public school teachers?
B.Will they leave to fill public school slots, those that are qualified, that is.

I don't believe this is about any one school, but, in fact, the issues regarding private schools. Many private school teachers are not able to leave for public school jobs due to a lack of certification. However, teachers, all over, are leaving due to pay and workload issues, and the pay and benefit issue definitely resonates in private school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an administrator and teacher at a private school for a period of time. I have multiple state certifications, 2 graduate degrees, and at the time, approximately 20 years of experience. The majority of teachers employed there had no background in teaching and were not certified. There was a staff of around 30-35 teachers, and I would say only about 10 or 12 were talented teachers quite on their own, but still flying by the seat of their pants. There was no real sense of curriculum understanding, learning theory, or best practices. It was posh daycare with some books. I left for public school. I don't understand why people pay to send their kids to private schools. I think there are some private schools with bone fide standards, certified teachers and staff (largely underpaid,however) and oversight, but people would be very surprised at how many are not, particularly the religious schools. Some well regarded schools that are private are really just a business model.
In the end, this is a whole career that requires an overhaul, public and private. Time to do it. An entire paradigm shift.

I have certifications (state and national), Masters Degree and over 30 years of experience. The certifications are pretty meaningless in my opinion.

Until you engage with educators with none. Yes, teachers do need education, training, and experience.

Maybe you just aren't in the right field. If these goal posts are meaningless, why did you spend all that time obtaining them? It's a lot of work and money and time.

I think you missed PP’s point. They are saying that the certifications are pretty meaningless. They aren’t discounting the training and education they received while completing master’s degrees and their teaching experience. There are those on this board who seem to think that unless a teacher is certified, they aren’t qualified. I’ll take a teachers with a masters and experience any day over a teacher with a state certification and little to no experience. Not to say that the latter won’t become a great teacher but the point is that a state certification is not the great qualifier that some thing it is. Education and experience are the more important factors.

Certifications aren’t just pieces of paper. There's a lot of work involved.

They aren’t just pieces of paper but they also aren’t the only way a person can show they are qualified to teach. Why would a private school teacher with a masters in computer science and a bachelors in education decide that they need to go and certify as a teacher before accepting a position with a school that doesn’t require or hire based on certifications? What’s the point?
Public school educators get certifications because the school system itself has made them necessary and valued. The education behind them is always of value but whether someone has sat for the certification and can check that box isn’t a concrete measure of qualification.
I would rather have someone who has a degree in the field they are teaching, a basis in teaching and a willing, non-jaded attitude than a new teacher with no experience and a certification who has been glued to Bored Teachers all summer long.

We will answer that question after these veterans and their spouses all start teaching in public classroom. This will be very, very eye opening and shocking. Most people have no idea what teaching in a classroom means, and especially those who come from a system of rules and obedience. This will be a S#i+ s#0w. They won't last until the first grading period, if even a week. Oh, and, yes, a teacher needs to understand the complexity of neurological and developmental learning. They need to understand how to teach how to think, how to read, how to question, how to think. Yes, that takes a great deal of preparation and experience. Certifications aren't just handed out.

Certified teacher here. I don't think that certification is meaningless. I also think you're kidding yourself if you think it's a "great deal of preparation and experience" to get certified. It's 20-30 credits of education coursework, some classroom observation, and a semester of student teaching. It's not as much training as you think.

Unfortunately on DCUM it's impossible to have a nuanced conversation, but it's ridiculous to paint private school teachers with a broad brush to say that they are automatically unqualified because they don't have a certification.

The situation in Florida where they are letting any veteran or spouse waltz into a teaching job is a different situation altogether and nobody thinks that's a good idea.

Nah, that's starting out. To continue, it's a graduate degree and depending on type of certification, quite a bit of work.

Listen, I am a certified teacher! I have two master's degrees! I understand the work! The point is that the bar is not as high as you think. I work in private school now and I really hate the way my colleagues are disparaged on this site. They are incredible educators.

Then why are all of you choosing lower pay and benefits? Serious question. Your colleagues aren't being disparaged, they just aren't credentialed. Many people do not know that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an administrator and teacher at a private school for a period of time. I have multiple state certifications, 2 graduate degrees, and at the time, approximately 20 years of experience. The majority of teachers employed there had no background in teaching and were not certified. There was a staff of around 30-35 teachers, and I would say only about 10 or 12 were talented teachers quite on their own, but still flying by the seat of their pants. There was no real sense of curriculum understanding, learning theory, or best practices. It was posh daycare with some books. I left for public school. I don't understand why people pay to send their kids to private schools. I think there are some private schools with bone fide standards, certified teachers and staff (largely underpaid,however) and oversight, but people would be very surprised at how many are not, particularly the religious schools. Some well regarded schools that are private are really just a business model.
In the end, this is a whole career that requires an overhaul, public and private. Time to do it. An entire paradigm shift.

I have certifications (state and national), Masters Degree and over 30 years of experience. The certifications are pretty meaningless in my opinion.

Until you engage with educators with none. Yes, teachers do need education, training, and experience.

Maybe you just aren't in the right field. If these goal posts are meaningless, why did you spend all that time obtaining them? It's a lot of work and money and time.

I think you missed PP’s point. They are saying that the certifications are pretty meaningless. They aren’t discounting the training and education they received while completing master’s degrees and their teaching experience. There are those on this board who seem to think that unless a teacher is certified, they aren’t qualified. I’ll take a teachers with a masters and experience any day over a teacher with a state certification and little to no experience. Not to say that the latter won’t become a great teacher but the point is that a state certification is not the great qualifier that some thing it is. Education and experience are the more important factors.

Certifications aren’t just pieces of paper. There's a lot of work involved.

They aren’t just pieces of paper but they also aren’t the only way a person can show they are qualified to teach. Why would a private school teacher with a masters in computer science and a bachelors in education decide that they need to go and certify as a teacher before accepting a position with a school that doesn’t require or hire based on certifications? What’s the point?
Public school educators get certifications because the school system itself has made them necessary and valued. The education behind them is always of value but whether someone has sat for the certification and can check that box isn’t a concrete measure of qualification.
I would rather have someone who has a degree in the field they are teaching, a basis in teaching and a willing, non-jaded attitude than a new teacher with no experience and a certification who has been glued to Bored Teachers all summer long.

We will answer that question after these veterans and their spouses all start teaching in public classroom. This will be very, very eye opening and shocking. Most people have no idea what teaching in a classroom means, and especially those who come from a system of rules and obedience. This will be a S#i+ s#0w. They won't last until the first grading period, if even a week. Oh, and, yes, a teacher needs to understand the complexity of neurological and developmental learning. They need to understand how to teach how to think, how to read, how to question, how to think. Yes, that takes a great deal of preparation and experience. Certifications aren't just handed out.

Certified teacher here. I don't think that certification is meaningless. I also think you're kidding yourself if you think it's a "great deal of preparation and experience" to get certified. It's 20-30 credits of education coursework, some classroom observation, and a semester of student teaching. It's not as much training as you think.

Unfortunately on DCUM it's impossible to have a nuanced conversation, but it's ridiculous to paint private school teachers with a broad brush to say that they are automatically unqualified because they don't have a certification.

The situation in Florida where they are letting any veteran or spouse waltz into a teaching job is a different situation altogether and nobody thinks that's a good idea.

Nah, that's starting out. To continue, it's a graduate degree and depending on type of certification, quite a bit of work.

Listen, I am a certified teacher! I have two master's degrees! I understand the work! The point is that the bar is not as high as you think. I work in private school now and I really hate the way my colleagues are disparaged on this site. They are incredible educators.

Then why are all of you choosing lower pay and benefits? Serious question. Your colleagues aren't being disparaged, they just aren't credentialed. Many people do not know that.

Because I have taught public school and I will never go back. I will definitely never go back in the state where I live (Virginia). One of my friends was reported to the tip line for showing a video about MLK.... during Black History Month. Now Youngkin is working to make a "don't say gay" law akin to what they have in Florida. Absolutely not. I would leave teaching first. It's not worth a few thousand dollars to me. And TBH my benefits are fine. Not as good as when I was in a state with a strong union, but they're fine. My husband and kids are all on my insurance; it's better than what he gets at his job.

If you're so worried about my pay and benefits, talk to your HOS and get me a raise. I certainly won't stop you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the advertisements for teachers in the private setting. Look at the requirements. Most of the time, there are none. Some don't even require a college degree.

clearly you are not so ignorant to believe that the entry requirements/qualifications on a job ad (maybe even one for multiple positions) are the actual job selection criteria, correct? Because private school isn't a quasi-governmental organization which has job categories and grades. They have bare minimum requirements on the vacancy ad and then select the best candidate from there.

Not only am I not ignorant, I taught in a private school setting where there were no educational credentials or educational background required. The ads were skeletal and there were numerous applicants, and, yes, many didn't have a college degree. A lot of home day care providers applied (BTW, they don't even require a high school doplma to do home day care..) A lot of teachers were the mothers of students.

Secondarily, job openings were known by community based word of mouth. And 40% did not have college degrees, more than 90 % did not have any educational credentials whatsoever.

I think you are having trouble believing this because it sounds outrageous, but, it happens all over the place. You'd be shocked at the lack of state oversight, as well, or what is required to set up a private school. The teachers were fingerprinted- that was it as far as any oversight.

Cool story but that’s not happening at any of the schools being discussed on this board.

What particular schools are being discussed? Are we discussing particular schools? I believe the post has to do with teacher shortage. Apparently, there are those who are wondering
A. Are private teachers also leaving their jobs as well as public school teachers?
B.Will they leave to fill public school slots, those that are qualified, that is.

I don't believe this is about any one school, but, in fact, the issues regarding private schools. Many private school teachers are not able to leave for public school jobs due to a lack of certification. However, teachers, all over, are leaving due to pay and workload issues, and the pay and benefit issue definitely resonates in private school.

We are talking about schools in the DC area. It's literally in the OP. You are on a DC message board. You can "believe" anything you want, but the rest of us are not talking about random privates in East Bumblefluck.

[Anonymous]

Some of the posters on this board have an overinflated sense of the use of state-mandated credentials. I've taught at a Big 3 school now for almost twenty years' before that, I taught at a major university as a fulltime adjunct where, funilly enough, I often taught a summer class taken by public school teachers to become credentialed. I have a PhD in my field and regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals in my field. (I like that my job isn't contingent on publishing a certain number of essays or even a monograph. I also like that my school supports me when I choose to do so.) I am not credentialed, at least as far as most states are concerned. While my salary pales in comparison to those who work in more lucrative fields (e.g., lawyers, medical doctors), I make six figures; in fact, I make the same amount as my friends who are tenured at major universities around the country, both private and public (professors in the Humanities are also criminally underpaid considering their qualifications, etc.). Should my salary be higher? Absolutely. My teaching day begins at 7:30 and ends at 3:45. I might have one or two prep periods during the day, but I usually respond to parent or school-related emails, finish committee work, meet with students, etc., during that time. Then, I go home, spend time with my family, only to then spend two or so hours grading and prepping for class the next day. During the summer, I am required to complete professional development training, as well as DEI work. I know I could make more teaching at a public or charter school, but I also know doing so would mean bigger classes, more disciplinary issues, and less teaching. I also know I would be limited when it comes to material I can teach. At the private school where I teach, my sections have usually around 15 students, allowing me to cultivate more meaningful relationships with them. In turn, this helps me better track their development. Also, I have never had to deal with disciplinary issues in my classes. At the end of all my classes, my students thank me as they walk out the door. My school allows me to teach any class I propose that fills a gap in the curriculum, including more controversial courses you will not find in public schools, especially in this current political climate. Most of my former colleagues who left for charter or public schools did so solely for the paycheck, and they were mostly younger teachers just starting out in the profession who found DC to be impossibly expensive to live in on a teacher's salary. But most of my colleagues started in public and migrated to private because of many of the reasons I explain above. I'm fortunate enough to have family money, so I can afford to make these kinds of choices.

[Anonymous]

Generally $22,000-32,000 less per year than public.
(In this area). Also, limited health care and laughable (a couple thousand/year) contribution toward retirement. No health care cost help in retirement, no pension. You can’t live on a public school pension, you still have to save, but at least it’s something. If you do not have a trust fund or high earning spouse, do not stay in independent schools. The small classes and lovely children just aren’t worth it in the end. There is no limit to what the schools will ask of you. No one cares if you have enough money to even live modestly in retirement. Still trying to shake the chorus of the last two years:If you think teaching is so damn hard, then leave.

Alrighty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some of the posters on this board have an overinflated sense of the use of state-mandated credentials. I've taught at a Big 3 school now for almost twenty years' before that, I taught at a major university as a fulltime adjunct where, funilly enough, I often taught a summer class taken by public school teachers to become credentialed. I have a PhD in my field and regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals in my field. (I like that my job isn't contingent on publishing a certain number of essays or even a monograph. I also like that my school supports me when I choose to do so.) I am not credentialed, at least as far as most states are concerned. While my salary pales in comparison to those who work in more lucrative fields (e.g., lawyers, medical doctors), I make six figures; in fact, I make the same amount as my friends who are tenured at major universities around the country, both private and public (professors in the Humanities are also criminally underpaid considering their qualifications, etc.). Should my salary be higher? Absolutely. My teaching day begins at 7:30 and ends at 3:45. I might have one or two prep periods during the day, but I usually respond to parent or school-related emails, finish committee work, meet with students, etc., during that time. Then, I go home, spend time with my family, only to then spend two or so hours grading and prepping for class the next day. During the summer, I am required to complete professional development training, as well as DEI work. I know I could make more teaching at a public or charter school, but I also know doing so would mean bigger classes, more disciplinary issues, and less teaching. I also know I would be limited when it comes to material I can teach. At the private school where I teach, my sections have usually around 15 students, allowing me to cultivate more meaningful relationships with them. In turn, this helps me better track their development. Also, I have never had to deal with disciplinary issues in my classes. At the end of all my classes, my students thank me as they walk out the door. My school allows me to teach any class I propose that fills a gap in the curriculum, including more controversial courses you will not find in public schools, especially in this current political climate. Most of my former colleagues who left for charter or public schools did so solely for the paycheck, and they were mostly younger teachers just starting out in the profession who found DC to be impossibly expensive to live in on a teacher's salary. But most of my colleagues started in public and migrated to private because of many of the reasons I explain above. I'm fortunate enough to have family money, so I can afford to make these kinds of choices.

You don't each in any one of hundreds of parochial settings, small privates, etc. Your experience is not universal. Your argument here is kind of pointless. Meanwhile, could you even teach at a public high school where there is a diverse population of needs and socioeconomic levels? I doubt it.

I can! It took a lot of training and when you decide to try it, we'll talk.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Look at the advertisements for teachers in the private setting. Look at the requirements. Most of the time, there are none. Some don't even require a college degree.

clearly you are not so ignorant to believe that the entry requirements/qualifications on a job ad (maybe even one for multiple positions) are the actual job selection criteria, correct? Because private school isn't a quasi-governmental organization which has job categories and grades. They have bare minimum requirements on the vacancy ad and then select the best candidate from there.

Not only am I not ignorant, I taught in a private school setting where there were no educational credentials or educational background required. The ads were skeletal and there were numerous applicants, and, yes, many didn't have a college degree. A lot of home day care providers applied (BTW, they don't even require a high school doplma to do home day care..) A lot of teachers were the mothers of students.

Secondarily, job openings were known by community based word of mouth. And 40% did not have college degrees, more than 90 % did not have any educational credentials whatsoever.

I think you are having trouble believing this because it sounds outrageous, but, it happens all over the place. You'd be shocked at the lack of state oversight, as well, or what is required to set up a private school. The teachers were fingerprinted- that was it as far as any oversight.

Cool story but that’s not happening at any of the schools being discussed on this board.

What particular schools are being discussed? Are we discussing particular schools? I believe the post has to do with teacher shortage. Apparently, there are those who are wondering
A. Are private teachers also leaving their jobs as well as public school teachers?
B.Will they leave to fill public school slots, those that are qualified, that is.

I don't believe this is about any one school, but, in fact, the issues regarding private schools. Many private school teachers are not able to leave for public school jobs due to a lack of certification. However, teachers, all over, are leaving due to pay and workload issues, and the pay and benefit issue definitely resonates in private school.

We are talking about schools in the DC area. It's literally in the OP. You are on a DC message board. You can "believe" anything you want, but the rest of us are not talking about random privates in East Bumblefluck.

No, we are talking about privates in the DMV and Baltimore. You just live and work in a bubble .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an administrator and teacher at a private school for a period of time. I have multiple state certifications, 2 graduate degrees, and at the time, approximately 20 years of experience. The majority of teachers employed there had no background in teaching and were not certified. There was a staff of around 30-35 teachers, and I would say only about 10 or 12 were talented teachers quite on their own, but still flying by the seat of their pants. There was no real sense of curriculum understanding, learning theory, or best practices. It was posh daycare with some books. I left for public school. I don't understand why people pay to send their kids to private schools. I think there are some private schools with bone fide standards, certified teachers and staff (largely underpaid,however) and oversight, but people would be very surprised at how many are not, particularly the religious schools. Some well regarded schools that are private are really just a business model.
In the end, this is a whole career that requires an overhaul, public and private. Time to do it. An entire paradigm shift.

I have certifications (state and national), Masters Degree and over 30 years of experience. The certifications are pretty meaningless in my opinion.

Until you engage with educators with none. Yes, teachers do need education, training, and experience.

Maybe you just aren't in the right field. If these goal posts are meaningless, why did you spend all that time obtaining them? It's a lot of work and money and time.

I think you missed PP’s point. They are saying that the certifications are pretty meaningless. They aren’t discounting the training and education they received while completing master’s degrees and their teaching experience. There are those on this board who seem to think that unless a teacher is certified, they aren’t qualified. I’ll take a teachers with a masters and experience any day over a teacher with a state certification and little to no experience. Not to say that the latter won’t become a great teacher but the point is that a state certification is not the great qualifier that some thing it is. Education and experience are the more important factors.

Certifications aren’t just pieces of paper. There's a lot of work involved.

They aren’t just pieces of paper but they also aren’t the only way a person can show they are qualified to teach. Why would a private school teacher with a masters in computer science and a bachelors in education decide that they need to go and certify as a teacher before accepting a position with a school that doesn’t require or hire based on certifications? What’s the point?
Public school educators get certifications because the school system itself has made them necessary and valued. The education behind them is always of value but whether someone has sat for the certification and can check that box isn’t a concrete measure of qualification.
I would rather have someone who has a degree in the field they are teaching, a basis in teaching and a willing, non-jaded attitude than a new teacher with no experience and a certification who has been glued to Bored Teachers all summer long.

We will answer that question after these veterans and their spouses all start teaching in public classroom. This will be very, very eye opening and shocking. Most people have no idea what teaching in a classroom means, and especially those who come from a system of rules and obedience. This will be a S#i+ s#0w. They won't last until the first grading period, if even a week. Oh, and, yes, a teacher needs to understand the complexity of neurological and developmental learning. They need to understand how to teach how to think, how to read, how to question, how to think. Yes, that takes a great deal of preparation and experience. Certifications aren't just handed out.

Certified teacher here. I don't think that certification is meaningless. I also think you're kidding yourself if you think it's a "great deal of preparation and experience" to get certified. It's 20-30 credits of education coursework, some classroom observation, and a semester of student teaching. It's not as much training as you think.

Unfortunately on DCUM it's impossible to have a nuanced conversation, but it's ridiculous to paint private school teachers with a broad brush to say that they are automatically unqualified because they don't have a certification.

The situation in Florida where they are letting any veteran or spouse waltz into a teaching job is a different situation altogether and nobody thinks that's a good idea.

Nah, that's starting out. To continue, it's a graduate degree and depending on type of certification, quite a bit of work.

Listen, I am a certified teacher! I have two master's degrees! I understand the work! The point is that the bar is not as high as you think. I work in private school now and I really hate the way my colleagues are disparaged on this site. They are incredible educators.

Then why are all of you choosing lower pay and benefits? Serious question. Your colleagues aren't being disparaged, they just aren't credentialed. Many people do not know that.

Because I have taught public school and I will never go back. I will definitely never go back in the state where I live (Virginia). One of my friends was reported to the tip line for showing a video about MLK.... during Black History Month. Now Youngkin is working to make a "don't say gay" law akin to what they have in Florida. Absolutely not. I would leave teaching first. It's not worth a few thousand dollars to me. And TBH my benefits are fine. Not as good as when I was in a state with a strong union, but they're fine. My husband and kids are all on my insurance; it's better than what he gets at his job.

If you're so worried about my pay and benefits, talk to your HOS and get me a raise. I certainly won't stop you.

You should've stayed and fought for the public school. This will take a fight. Glad you can afford to do this, but you must realize this isn't advancing the career or education. It's contributing to privitization.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some of the posters on this board have an overinflated sense of the use of state-mandated credentials. I've taught at a Big 3 school now for almost twenty years' before that, I taught at a major university as a fulltime adjunct where, funilly enough, I often taught a summer class taken by public school teachers to become credentialed. I have a PhD in my field and regularly publish in peer-reviewed journals in my field. (I like that my job isn't contingent on publishing a certain number of essays or even a monograph. I also like that my school supports me when I choose to do so.) I am not credentialed, at least as far as most states are concerned. While my salary pales in comparison to those who work in more lucrative fields (e.g., lawyers, medical doctors), I make six figures; in fact, I make the same amount as my friends who are tenured at major universities around the country, both private and public (professors in the Humanities are also criminally underpaid considering their qualifications, etc.). Should my salary be higher? Absolutely. My teaching day begins at 7:30 and ends at 3:45. I might have one or two prep periods during the day, but I usually respond to parent or school-related emails, finish committee work, meet with students, etc., during that time. Then, I go home, spend time with my family, only to then spend two or so hours grading and prepping for class the next day. During the summer, I am required to complete professional development training, as well as DEI work. I know I could make more teaching at a public or charter school, but I also know doing so would mean bigger classes, more disciplinary issues, and less teaching. I also know I would be limited when it comes to material I can teach. At the private school where I teach, my sections have usually around 15 students, allowing me to cultivate more meaningful relationships with them. In turn, this helps me better track their development. Also, I have never had to deal with disciplinary issues in my classes. At the end of all my classes, my students thank me as they walk out the door. My school allows me to teach any class I propose that fills a gap in the curriculum, including more controversial courses you will not find in public schools, especially in this current political climate. Most of my former colleagues who left for charter or public schools did so solely for the paycheck, and they were mostly younger teachers just starting out in the profession who found DC to be impossibly expensive to live in on a teacher's salary. But most of my colleagues started in public and migrated to private because of many of the reasons I explain above. I'm fortunate enough to have family money, so I can afford to make these kinds of choices.

You don't each in any one of hundreds of parochial settings, small privates, etc. Your experience is not universal. Your argument here is kind of pointless. Meanwhile, could you even teach at a public high school where there is a diverse population of needs and socioeconomic levels? I doubt it.

I can! It took a lot of training and when you decide to try it, we'll talk.

I taught at a public university for five years, including a course for first generation college students, most of whom were URMS from poor school districts. You seem eager to feel good about yourself by tearing other people down. I'm sure your colleagues love you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an administrator and teacher at a private school for a period of time. I have multiple state certifications, 2 graduate degrees, and at the time, approximately 20 years of experience. The majority of teachers employed there had no background in teaching and were not certified. There was a staff of around 30-35 teachers, and I would say only about 10 or 12 were talented teachers quite on their own, but still flying by the seat of their pants. There was no real sense of curriculum understanding, learning theory, or best practices. It was posh daycare with some books. I left for public school. I don't understand why people pay to send their kids to private schools. I think there are some private schools with bone fide standards, certified teachers and staff (largely underpaid,however) and oversight, but people would be very surprised at how many are not, particularly the religious schools. Some well regarded schools that are private are really just a business model.
In the end, this is a whole career that requires an overhaul, public and private. Time to do it. An entire paradigm shift.

I have certifications (state and national), Masters Degree and over 30 years of experience. The certifications are pretty meaningless in my opinion.

Until you engage with educators with none. Yes, teachers do need education, training, and experience.

Maybe you just aren't in the right field. If these goal posts are meaningless, why did you spend all that time obtaining them? It's a lot of work and money and time.

I think you missed PP’s point. They are saying that the certifications are pretty meaningless. They aren’t discounting the training and education they received while completing master’s degrees and their teaching experience. There are those on this board who seem to think that unless a teacher is certified, they aren’t qualified. I’ll take a teachers with a masters and experience any day over a teacher with a state certification and little to no experience. Not to say that the latter won’t become a great teacher but the point is that a state certification is not the great qualifier that some thing it is. Education and experience are the more important factors.

Certifications aren’t just pieces of paper. There's a lot of work involved.

They aren’t just pieces of paper but they also aren’t the only way a person can show they are qualified to teach. Why would a private school teacher with a masters in computer science and a bachelors in education decide that they need to go and certify as a teacher before accepting a position with a school that doesn’t require or hire based on certifications? What’s the point?
Public school educators get certifications because the school system itself has made them necessary and valued. The education behind them is always of value but whether someone has sat for the certification and can check that box isn’t a concrete measure of qualification.
I would rather have someone who has a degree in the field they are teaching, a basis in teaching and a willing, non-jaded attitude than a new teacher with no experience and a certification who has been glued to Bored Teachers all summer long.

We will answer that question after these veterans and their spouses all start teaching in public classroom. This will be very, very eye opening and shocking. Most people have no idea what teaching in a classroom means, and especially those who come from a system of rules and obedience. This will be a S#i+ s#0w. They won't last until the first grading period, if even a week. Oh, and, yes, a teacher needs to understand the complexity of neurological and developmental learning. They need to understand how to teach how to think, how to read, how to question, how to think. Yes, that takes a great deal of preparation and experience. Certifications aren't just handed out.

Certified teacher here. I don't think that certification is meaningless. I also think you're kidding yourself if you think it's a "great deal of preparation and experience" to get certified. It's 20-30 credits of education coursework, some classroom observation, and a semester of student teaching. It's not as much training as you think.

Unfortunately on DCUM it's impossible to have a nuanced conversation, but it's ridiculous to paint private school teachers with a broad brush to say that they are automatically unqualified because they don't have a certification.

The situation in Florida where they are letting any veteran or spouse waltz into a teaching job is a different situation altogether and nobody thinks that's a good idea.

Nah, that's starting out. To continue, it's a graduate degree and depending on type of certification, quite a bit of work.

Listen, I am a certified teacher! I have two master's degrees! I understand the work! The point is that the bar is not as high as you think. I work in private school now and I really hate the way my colleagues are disparaged on this site. They are incredible educators.

Then why are all of you choosing lower pay and benefits? Serious question. Your colleagues aren't being disparaged, they just aren't credentialed. Many people do not know that.

Because I have taught public school and I will never go back. I will definitely never go back in the state where I live (Virginia). One of my friends was reported to the tip line for showing a video about MLK.... during Black History Month. Now Youngkin is working to make a "don't say gay" law akin to what they have in Florida. Absolutely not. I would leave teaching first. It's not worth a few thousand dollars to me. And TBH my benefits are fine. Not as good as when I was in a state with a strong union, but they're fine. My husband and kids are all on my insurance; it's better than what he gets at his job.

If you're so worried about my pay and benefits, talk to your HOS and get me a raise. I certainly won't stop you.

You should've stayed and fought for the public school. This will take a fight. Glad you can afford to do this, but you must realize this isn't advancing the career or education. It's contributing to privitization.

Interesting. Why are you on the Private Schools board? Is your child in private school? So why aren’t you staying and fighting?

And if you don’t have a child in private school, what are you doing here?

[Anonymous]

People claiming the teachers at privates aren’t certified don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s really outdated info, for this area at least. Even all the ADW catholic schools require certification now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People claiming the teachers at privates aren’t certified don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s really outdated info, for this area at least. Even all the ADW catholic schools require certification now.

It’s outdated info but it fits their narrative that private schools are somehow “not worth it” or private school teachers are hacks who can’t make it in a public school.
It’s an old played out argument. Not everyone wants to teach in a public school. It’s a career choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People claiming the teachers at privates aren’t certified don’t know what they’re talking about. That’s really outdated info, for this area at least. Even all the ADW catholic schools require certification now.

Diocese schools may have their own requirements but to suggest all or even most privates require teaching certification is flat wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was an administrator and teacher at a private school for a period of time. I have multiple state certifications, 2 graduate degrees, and at the time, approximately 20 years of experience. The majority of teachers employed there had no background in teaching and were not certified. There was a staff of around 30-35 teachers, and I would say only about 10 or 12 were talented teachers quite on their own, but still flying by the seat of their pants. There was no real sense of curriculum understanding, learning theory, or best practices. It was posh daycare with some books. I left for public school. I don't understand why people pay to send their kids to private schools. I think there are some private schools with bone fide standards, certified teachers and staff (largely underpaid,however) and oversight, but people would be very surprised at how many are not, particularly the religious schools. Some well regarded schools that are private are really just a business model.
In the end, this is a whole career that requires an overhaul, public and private. Time to do it. An entire paradigm shift.

I have certifications (state and national), Masters Degree and over 30 years of experience. The certifications are pretty meaningless in my opinion.

Until you engage with educators with none. Yes, teachers do need education, training, and experience.

Maybe you just aren't in the right field. If these goal posts are meaningless, why did you spend all that time obtaining them? It's a lot of work and money and time.

I think you missed PP’s point. They are saying that the certifications are pretty meaningless. They aren’t discounting the training and education they received while completing master’s degrees and their teaching experience. There are those on this board who seem to think that unless a teacher is certified, they aren’t qualified. I’ll take a teachers with a masters and experience any day over a teacher with a state certification and little to no experience. Not to say that the latter won’t become a great teacher but the point is that a state certification is not the great qualifier that some thing it is. Education and experience are the more important factors.

Certifications aren’t just pieces of paper. There's a lot of work involved.

They aren’t just pieces of paper but they also aren’t the only way a person can show they are qualified to teach. Why would a private school teacher with a masters in computer science and a bachelors in education decide that they need to go and certify as a teacher before accepting a position with a school that doesn’t require or hire based on certifications? What’s the point?
Public school educators get certifications because the school system itself has made them necessary and valued. The education behind them is always of value but whether someone has sat for the certification and can check that box isn’t a concrete measure of qualification.
I would rather have someone who has a degree in the field they are teaching, a basis in teaching and a willing, non-jaded attitude than a new teacher with no experience and a certification who has been glued to Bored Teachers all summer long.

We will answer that question after these veterans and their spouses all start teaching in public classroom. This will be very, very eye opening and shocking. Most people have no idea what teaching in a classroom means, and especially those who come from a system of rules and obedience. This will be a S#i+ s#0w. They won't last until the first grading period, if even a week. Oh, and, yes, a teacher needs to understand the complexity of neurological and developmental learning. They need to understand how to teach how to think, how to read, how to question, how to think. Yes, that takes a great deal of preparation and experience. Certifications aren't just handed out.

Certified teacher here. I don't think that certification is meaningless. I also think you're kidding yourself if you think it's a "great deal of preparation and experience" to get certified. It's 20-30 credits of education coursework, some classroom observation, and a semester of student teaching. It's not as much training as you think.

Unfortunately on DCUM it's impossible to have a nuanced conversation, but it's ridiculous to paint private school teachers with a broad brush to say that they are automatically unqualified because they don't have a certification.

The situation in Florida where they are letting any veteran or spouse waltz into a teaching job is a different situation altogether and nobody thinks that's a good idea.

Nah, that's starting out. To continue, it's a graduate degree and depending on type of certification, quite a bit of work.

Listen, I am a certified teacher! I have two master's degrees! I understand the work! The point is that the bar is not as high as you think. I work in private school now and I really hate the way my colleagues are disparaged on this site. They are incredible educators.

Then why are all of you choosing lower pay and benefits? Serious question. Your colleagues aren't being disparaged, they just aren't credentialed. Many people do not know that.

I have taught in both independent schools and public schools. I have greatly enjoyed my time teaching in independent schools. That was not true of my time in public schools. My certification has nothing to do with my ability as a teacher. I have spent decades learning my craft through experience, course work, professional development, conferences, and my excellent teaching colleagues. The education courses and student teaching I did many years ago to become certified pales in comparison to all that I have learned in the many years since then. That is true, I think, for most excellent teachers, public or private.