2003-01-29 - 1:06 p.m.

Hmmm....it appears the Yin/Yang metaphor of challenge and opportunity being opposite sides of the same coin (Yes, I know, I'm butchering it, work with me here) might be coming to play.

I was just randomly reading the Help Wanted's today, just to see if I came across "Wanted, someone to sit around their own house in sweatpants eating cheetos...will pay $50,000/year plus a stipend for a new couch" (Hey, I can dream), when I saw a number of upcoming education job fairs.

All of them said "Must have current Virginia Teacher's license or be eligible for a provisional license", so I asked myself "Hmm...I wonder what the qualifications for a provisional license are?".

After the Department of Education's Website was of marginal help (it got me on the right track, but the train had apparently gone to Cleveland at 40 MPH at that same time as another train left Buffalo headed North at 35 MPH), I broke down and called one of the offices.

Apparently, basically the requirements are that you a) have a Bachelor's Degree (Ayep, got one...it's 10 years old now, but it's still good I'm sure), b) Have a major or equivalent coursework in the appropriate area for the position they are hiring (we'll discuss this momentarily), and c) can get hired by a school willing to sponsor you for the provisional license...okay...that makes sense...if I can get the job, I can get the license.

Now, the questions become twofold...first, do I want to get into education? Well...I think so. I always have done well tutoring or teaching folks. When I went to grad school 10 years ago, it was with intent to become a professor. The mere fact that I was too immature and ill-prepared to handle the grind of grad school and the financial stress it placed upon me doesn't change that. Yeah, it's a pay cut from what I last made as a computer programmer...but really...wouldn't a steady, although smaller, income be better than a boom or bust larger one? I'd like to think so, and I've run the numbers, we can survive, and reasonably well, on what I'd probably bring home as a teacher and what Rhi would make as a whatever she wanted.

The second question is what area would I want to teach in? There's two possibilities. I'm no brainer certifiable for a Social Sciences/Social Studies position. I majored in Political Science and History, and even have 21 credit hours of graduate work in Poly Sci. BUT...I also minored in Mathematics, took a couple of additional classes above the minor, and have computer science classhours that (apparently) count. So it appears I'd qualify under that category as well, and there is a much larger need for Mathematics teachers, which a) makes getting hired as a provisional licensee much easier, and b) translates into a (slightly) higher entry level salary.

Plus, I've always thought I was better explaining the chain rule than analyzing the causes of the Civil War...so maybe math is the way to go.

I suppose I don't really have to limit myself, and can pursue both paths and then get the correct certification for whichever position I landed in...that may be the smartest plan of all.

It's a thought at least. The field seems stable enough (there'll always be kids to be taught, and there's a lot of teachers getting on towards retirement these days)...I've heard of some friends who didn't enjoy that area much...but then anyone asking me at the moment about the computer field would probably get an earful of "run while you still have your soul" too...so I dunno.

Something to ponder on, at least.

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