Teacher trainee?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's our area's way of "fully staffing" schools with folks who have no training.

Seems that way. Warm bodies?

This is what happens when the profession is constantly disrespected, overloaded, and unsupported. It's sad where we are-just filling spaces.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was briefly a "teacher trainee." I left at winter break because I received absolutely zero help with disruptive students. Admin simply didn't want to know about it and expected teachers to deal with the disruptions while also trying to teach a classroom full of kids.

I also received zero training for report cards, yet was expected to do them, plan curriculum, have conferences with parents, keep order in a very unruly classroom, and get paid almost nothing. So, I left. Glad I tried it though; I almost decided to go back to school and get my teaching certificate first. The whole experience was traumatic and nothing I would ever repeat, but it did save me thousands of dollars.

As a veteran teacher I'm sorry you went through this but happy that you found out before wasting time and money. It wasn't always like this but it is now-even for teachers who are close to retirement.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's our area's way of "fully staffing" schools with folks who have no training.

I give it 10 years until the majority of teachers come in alternatively. Nobody is majoring in it anymore.

I recall being in high school and my teachers being former lawyers, corporate people, etc that just got tired and wanted to do something different. It's not necessarily bad.

I think the teacher trainee formula works better in the high school setting. Most teacher trainees are going to special ed and elementary positions.

I have always thought that special Ed should differentiate between kids with learning differences and kids with emotional/behavioral problems. Many teachers can handle the former, the latter, however is usually the cause for many teachers to pack up and quit the profession.

It was like this at one time-there was a distinction-LD, ED, Autism, Non-Cat. Due to demanding parents who want inclusion and the shortage of SPED teachers-caseloads are heavy and have a mix of needs. I was at a school that thought it was ok to pile on to the two new SPED teachers they had. Both left after the first year and they were good They left due to an admin who had no clue and wanted no information about what was going on with SPED at their school. The students with learning disabilities were and are the ones that lost out due to the extreme behaviors on the SPED teachers caseloads. The shortage in SPED gets worse each year. Teachers need better work conditions, support, and respect.

[Anonymous]

It is unfortunate that a few can ruin it for so many. I recall a kid that was very disturbed and would trash the classroom. He would be sent away for rehabilitation for a couple of months and all was well. Then they would bring him back for a few weeks and the class would be chaotic again. The kids would have to all leave and wait outside while he would have his episodes of destroying the classroom. Eventually he would leave again and then come back. The cycle continued over and over. I suspect that the parent kept pushing for him to return but his presence was such a detriment to the other 25+ kids and the teacher. Quite frankly, his needs were obviously not being met in a mainstream classroom so it was very perplexing and terribly unfortunate for all involved.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It was in MD. Nobody I knew who student taught was paid. They still don’t here.

Maybe they get college credit or it is part of a course?

It is often a 3 credit course. I did an unpaid student teaching internship for credit and I also did a regular unpaid internship for course credit… I was a double-major.

I was a college student with a dorm room and a meal plan, and did both of them my senior year (different semesters) but I never would’ve done that as somebody who was not in college.

[Anonymous]

Except most other majors do internships for credit AND they are paid. When my DS looked at Drexel, they said that they never had partnerships with businesses who would offer unpaid internships.

My DS did two internships, received credit for both, and got paid for both. Why would anyone want to student teach and not be paid when there are so many other options out there? School districts don't care about the answers to these questions. They'll just hire random people to fill the gaps.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except most other majors do internships for credit AND they are paid. When my DS looked at Drexel, they said that they never had partnerships with businesses who would offer unpaid internships.

My DS did two internships, received credit for both, and got paid for both. Why would anyone want to student teach and not be paid when there are so many other options out there? School districts don't care about the answers to these questions. They'll just hire random people to fill the gaps.

New legislation on MD to pay them...
https://www.bestcolleges.com/news/these-states-pay-student-teachers/

Not sure about VA. Anyone know?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Except most other majors do internships for credit AND they are paid. When my DS looked at Drexel, they said that they never had partnerships with businesses who would offer unpaid internships.

My DS did two internships, received credit for both, and got paid for both. Why would anyone want to student teach and not be paid when there are so many other options out there? School districts don't care about the answers to these questions. They'll just hire random people to fill the gaps.

My student teaching advisor openly advised us to not work while we were student teaching. I left my part time job that was paying for my groceries and my rent and my parents helped, but I know everyone doesn’t have those resources.

[Anonymous]

If districts want more minority teachers, they aren’t going to get them if they continue with unpaid internships. I’m not low income but it was touch and go for a few months during my student teaching year. I definitely had to play some checkbook roulette that year. The same was true my first 5-7 years of teaching. If my father hadn’t died and left me $20k, I would’ve been hitting up the food kitchens.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If districts want more minority teachers, they aren’t going to get them if they continue with unpaid internships. I’m not low income but it was touch and go for a few months during my student teaching year. I definitely had to play some checkbook roulette that year. The same was true my first 5-7 years of teaching. If my father hadn’t died and left me $20k, I would’ve been hitting up the food kitchens.

Teaching is a low return on investment degree. Honestly they need to partner with community colleges to make teaching a four year program at each community college. Make a teaching degree as cheap as possible.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If districts want more minority teachers, they aren’t going to get them if they continue with unpaid internships. I’m not low income but it was touch and go for a few months during my student teaching year. I definitely had to play some checkbook roulette that year. The same was true my first 5-7 years of teaching. If my father hadn’t died and left me $20k, I would’ve been hitting up the food kitchens.

Teaching is a low return on investment degree. Honestly they need to partner with community colleges to make teaching a four year program at each community college. Make a teaching degree as cheap as possible.

I think that would attract less qualified people.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If districts want more minority teachers, they aren’t going to get them if they continue with unpaid internships. I’m not low income but it was touch and go for a few months during my student teaching year. I definitely had to play some checkbook roulette that year. The same was true my first 5-7 years of teaching. If my father hadn’t died and left me $20k, I would’ve been hitting up the food kitchens.

Teaching is a low return on investment degree. Honestly they need to partner with community colleges to make teaching a four year program at each community college. Make a teaching degree as cheap as possible.

I think that would attract less qualified people.

Why? Here is what I think should happen. If you are smart and good grades, they should have free college tuition if you get a teaching degree and commit to teaching for a certain number of years (if you don't you have to pay it back).

[Anonymous]

former journalist, everything is exactly the same as said above re teaching. internships are necessary but mostly unpaid, have to do them though to get a foot in the door, while taking classes usually.

teachers get way more vaca than journos though ... same crap pay. I guess journos win on the issue of generally being able to use the restroom when nature calls without waiting for a stand-in.

[Anonymous]

we had one that quit doing Winter Break.
she send an email out" I am not coming back good bye"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:former journalist, everything is exactly the same as said above re teaching. internships are necessary but mostly unpaid, have to do them though to get a foot in the door, while taking classes usually.

teachers get way more vaca than journos though ... same crap pay. I guess journos win on the issue of generally being able to use the restroom when nature calls without waiting for a stand-in.

And being able to press charges if you are abused at work.