Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Right that's the point. You didn't have to take those classes yet you can be a STEM teacher but my daughter has to take a lot of hard science classes for public health but can't be a teacher without taking an additional 80 education credits as a public health major.

But most of the classes you mentioned would be required for a Bio or Chem degree, too.

Anonymous wrote:None of this has to do with science. There is a teacher shortage everywhere in all areas.

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Right that's the point. You didn't have to take those classes yet you can be a STEM teacher but my daughter has to take a lot of hard science classes for public health but can't be a teacher without taking an additional 80 education credits as a public health major.

Anonymous wrote:I am a MCPS middle school STEM teacher. I am not sure where you are getting these requirements from. I have never been required to take 2 semesters of anatomy or whatever.
You get a basic science degree. You take required Ed courses, pass praxis 1 and 2(for you major). Work in the schools for a year under observation.

In my experience most middle school science teachers are bio majors. High school is more of a mix but still leans towards bio.

Once you are in the system you can take other praxis tests to add those endorsements without taking other classes. I have 5 total now.

The challenge at Parkland and Clemente is that they don't follow the county curriculum. Teachers have to build and tweak their own and there are a lot more student projects to manage. The older teachers are always having to train up the newer teachers. Then you have testing on top and all the other requirements. For teachers that are independent and motivated, it's great. If you expect a lot of pre-made lessons and assessments it is not ideal.

Parkland is down county so travel and the student SES mix can be management issues.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter who is attending UMD. One issue is that the colleges/ certifications are not keeping up with current trends. Many science college students are not getting Biology degrees anymore and going the Public Health route instead (including pre-meds) as there are many requirements for general biology that aren’t super practical. In four years a combined Biology degree/Teaching degree is doable at 125 credits. A Public Health/ middle school teaching degree is not and would require about 180 credits or so. It’s silly that my daughter who had to take harder science labs couldn’t count some of those instead. For a middle school STEM degree, they require much easier lab classes but my daughter will have taken Gen Chem, Organic Chem, 2 Semesters of Anatomy, etc. She absolutely would have gone for a teaching certificate if there was more flexibility but since there is not she will get a minor in another area most likely.

Surely any university is going to require Gen Chem and Organic Chem for a biology degree. Maybe I didn't your post, but you seemed to be suggesting that they required those for Public Health, but not for Bio.

Anonymous wrote:I have a daughter who is attending UMD. One issue is that the colleges/ certifications are not keeping up with current trends. Many science college students are not getting Biology degrees anymore and going the Public Health route instead (including pre-meds) as there are many requirements for general biology that aren’t super practical. In four years a combined Biology degree/Teaching degree is doable at 125 credits. A Public Health/ middle school teaching degree is not and would require about 180 credits or so. It’s silly that my daughter who had to take harder science labs couldn’t count some of those instead. For a middle school STEM degree, they require much easier lab classes but my daughter will have taken Gen Chem, Organic Chem, 2 Semesters of Anatomy, etc. She absolutely would have gone for a teaching certificate if there was more flexibility but since there is not she will get a minor in another area most likely.