Becoming a teacher of record requires more than just an education degree or good grades. There are often multiple standardized tests you need to pass. And it's different in every state—from the minimum scores required for licensure to the types of tests themselves. Our panel of guests discuss the licensure process for education majors, share their own experiences becoming licensed, and shed light on some of the problems standardized licensure testing can create for Aspiring Educators.
You can find more information and expanded show notes at https://www.nea.org/becomeateacher
Natieka (00:02):
Hello, and welcome to School Me, the National Education Association's podcast dedicated to helping educators thrive in the early stages of their career. I'm your host Natieka Samuels, and welcome to part one of our new series, how to become a teacher. In this series, we'll explore the steps needed to turn your dream of becoming a teacher into a reality. Maybe you're already in your university's teaching program, but there are some elements of the process that you haven't heard much about, or perhaps you know someone who's considering becoming a teacher and you want to make sure they have the full view of what it really takes. Our goal here is to make sure that aspiring educators are empowered with information about the journey to teaching so that they're able to focus their energy on becoming the best educator they can be not on the administrative hurdles and pitfalls along the way today.
Natieka (00:46):
We're talking about licensure. Becoming a teacher of record requires more than just an education degree or good grades. There are often multiple standardized tests you need to pass, and it's different in every state from the minimum scores needed for licensure to the test themselves. And that can create a lot of confusion and stress if you haven't been properly notified by your teaching program, if you're switching careers, or if you're looking to get licensed in a different state someday. Our three guests today are here to help de-mystify the licensure process, share their own experiences, becoming licensed, and shed some light on the problem standardized licensure testing can create for aspiring educators. Dr. Richelle Patterson is a senior policy analyst and the NEA teacher quality department there. She focuses on issues related to entry to the profession, including teacher licensure and pre-service performance assessments. Previously, she was an elementary school teacher, and university instructor, and has earned her NED in curriculum and instruction and a PhD in education policy and leadership.
Natieka (01:44):
Blaine Robertson is currently an instructional coach in Louisiana, but previously taught high school math from algebra to calculus. Outside of school, he works with the Louisiana Association of Educators to host Praxis boot camps and provide support for members who are struggling to pass their licensure exams. Katie Lillis has most recently gone through the process of getting her teaching license. She's currently in her third year of teaching third grade in Minnesota, she became passionate about supporting aspiring educators, taking their ED TPA exams, after her own experience opened her eyes to the inequities, these tests reinforce and the stress they bring, even for those who fall into the demographic, they were definitely designed for. Well, we've got a lot of information to share here, so let's get right into it. So, what's the typical journey like to licensure for a college student, Richelle?
Richelle (02:32):
So the typical journey currently to licensure for a college student is most preparation programs will have some type of insurance application process. And so that means that you apply to the campus and then to get into the teacher preparation program, there's a different application. So I can apply to a university of X, become an admitted student, pick any major that I want. Oftentimes teacher preparation programs, though, in education majors have a separate application process. And that process requires, in some cases, but not all because the policies have started to change, but it requires that you take an additional assessment. It's like a basic skills assessment folks call it Praxis one. And so in many spaces what's happened is over the years, they looked at the Praxis one and they've said, well, you know what? Instead of taking Praxis one, if you got an X on your SATs or X score on your ACTs those in lieu of you no longer have to take the space and skills assessment because you've already demonstrated that competencies.
Richelle (03:30):
And then you start the program and you do take things like intro to teaching, and then you take your social foundations, you take your methods courses, you take the coursework that will then prepare you to become a teacher of record once you've finished the program. But along that journey, there are opportunities to participate in clinical experiences, field experiences, do projects, work together with your cohort that's in the program with you, along with teachers, educators that are in classrooms, students in those classrooms, and the faculty that are training you. So there's a series of courses. There's some coursework there's field work. And then as you get towards the end of your program, there's also the requirement that you actually take some assessments, some capstones, complete some capstones, some places require portfolios, but towards the end of your program, you will have to take a content assessment.
Richelle (04:18):
And then you will also in some places, but not all, take a pre-service performance assessment. NEA's position is that, indeed, to be profession ready, individuals need to take a content assessment, which demonstrates their knowledge of the content. But then they also need to take a pre-service performance assessment, which demonstrates that they know how to teach that content to students. And so what does that look like? So many places have a requirement where they can take the ITPA. They may take the PPAT, they may take something called Cal TPA or the Fresno model, but it is a performance assessment that says not only do you know the content, but you're not to teach that content to kids.
Natieka (04:54):
What was your process of getting licensed like to become a teacher, Blaine?
Blaine (05:00):
When you are already in a four year teaching program, or when you're already in a four-year college is pretty straightforward because the university is already going to have it set up to where they know by the time you graduate, you're going to need all of these things in place. So they're going to make sure at some point that you take the Praxis test, that whatever state you are planning on going to work in, that you have the scores that are required, and if any state has any other special requirements, they'll make sure that you have all of those things checked off and most states would normally just require that you do the four year program that you take all of those classes that you need to become a teacher. So just by me completing that program at the university level, I was already certified just following completion of that.
Natieka (05:47):
You mentioned the Praxis, many people might know what it is, but for those who might not, what is the Praxis?
Blaine (05:55):
Basically, it's a two-part test that all teachers have to pass, or just about all teachers have to pass in order to become certified as an educator. There's one level to it that is basic skills. It is reading, writing, and mathematics kind of comparable to the ACT in that it's a standardized format and it's multiple choice with the exception of the writing part and you have to write a couple essays and then the second level is going to be strictly focused on your content area. And then just like in most other professions, you have to take some type of test to certify that you have the basic knowledge required to do your job affectively.
Natieka (06:38):
How do you think that universities can better support education majors through the licensure process?
Katie (06:45):
So, I think that content is very important. It's important to get that content through, but so much as a teacher is learning as you go. And so if we find a balance of, okay, here's the content you need to know, but here's some of the things you need to do to get through licensure, to get through your first year and parent teacher conferences. And so I think just guiding more onto that balance of the real experiences that you're going to have, whether that be, you have people who walk you through the licensure. And there was somebody who we could contact at our university, it wasn't an official position, but there was somebody who had helped other people through. And so you could contact them, but it wasn't like a public publicly known thing.
Katie (07:35):
And so maybe universities have a specific person who is there to help you walk through that licensure and help you make sure that all of your boxes are checked, or if it's something that's at the state level. And I know you can call, like ours is [inaudible 00:07:50] and you can call [inaudible 00:07:52] but it's this crazy long thing. And so having like all of the Minnesota schools, maybe there's just one dedicated person that is a helpline there. And just something to get them through that process would be helpful.
Natieka (08:06):
What are some of the common pitfalls or issues that you've seen, college students or anyone else who's seeking their teaching license fall into as they're on their journey towards the classroom.
Richelle (08:17):
A couple of the pitfalls that come to mind are not understanding how important student teaching is, and the requirements around student teaching. And so often it's really hard being a college student, right? So, the reality is that a lot of these folks are still working until they get to that point. And then until you to their methods and they're like, they're having to spend more and more time in the classroom in schools. And so they're volunteering because they're not getting paid, but they're not volunteering because it's like an internship, but it's an unpaid internship. And so thinking through how they balance the requirements of both completing the internship requirements, we call it student teaching, some folks call it an internship, but balancing requirements of completing the student teaching requirement, in addition to also trying to work is really hard, right? And so oftentimes campuses encourage students to work over the summer to save up the money that they might need during that student teaching semester and, or try to figure out how they can reduce their hours.
Richelle (09:13):
That's one thing. So, the working in addition to trying to balance all of these other things is one of the pitfalls. Another pitfall is just not knowing what the capstone requirements are. So, what does it mean to be in a student teaching space every day for an entire semester? And sometimes if you're doing a residency program it's for a year. And so what does that mean to actually have some departments on campus will have internship requirements, but they may only go to their internships once a week. In the education field, going to your internship/student teaching is a daily responsibility for at least a semester, and sometimes for the whole year, depending on that way that your preparation program has scheduled your field experiences.
Blaine (09:56):
Just like with any standardized tests that students are taking throughout their education life, it can be tough for many people. Some people are just not good test takers. Some people have learning gaps that will start in elementary, middle school, high school, and that'll persist throughout the rest of their life, whether they've graduated from college and still are trying to go back and learn things. So, many times you do have people that you see with those learning deficiencies, where it's just like, man, I just never really grasp these concepts. So we have to go back and we have to break down things for those people. And then you also have to deal with things like test anxiety, like being nervous, or being worried about the test, feeling like you have to cram. In addition to when it comes to people who are already practicing, having to deal with everything in their life, that's going on in addition to being a teacher, and you have kids at home, and you have a full plate and all of these other things going on.
Blaine (10:59):
And when you have people who are struggling with the Praxis, the amount of dedication and work, I think that's required for some of them to be successful, they may not realize how much time it takes, or they just don't feel that they have the time to put in to really sit down, and study, and kind of grind it out so that they can pass it. Because when we're doing some of the trainings sometimes I feel guilty saying, "Hey, all right, I really encourage you guys to go and practice this every night or every other night, or set aside an hour", when I know what it feels like to be an educator to just be burnt out by the end of the day and just want to kind of just relax a little bit.
Blaine (11:41):
But at the same time, I have to stress to them the importance of getting over this hump, because it's not something that's going to go away until you are successful at it. So you have to just dedicate a summer. You have to dedicate a hour or a few hours a week to just sitting down and really treating this like a class, depending on how much support and how much work you need and just grind it out until you can pass it.
Natieka (12:06):
How expensive are these tests? And is that something that you need to save up for? Are any of them free and how can that affect access?
Richelle (12:16):
So it's interesting. That's a good question about the cost of the test. So, the Praxis two tests, which is the content test, that test ranges from 90 to $150, depending on what your area of expertise is. The pre-service performance assessments, both PPAT and a TPA, those are about $300 a piece. In addition, too, some campuses offer scholarships, they offer vouchers for candidates, and then other campuses have not really thought that through. And so candidates are paying out of pocket for these assessments, right? And so we have to find a happy medium. We have to find a way to demonstrate that candidates are ready to teach. Whether it's one of the off the shelf pre-service performance assessments or something that campuses can create on their own.
Richelle (13:00):
That just makes sure that their candidates have both know how to plan, know how to instruct, know how to assess their students, right? So, the doors are wide open for what pre-service performance assessments look like. NEAs position is just that our candidates have demonstrated both their content expertise and their ability to teach that content to kids. And what does that look like in a way that guarantees to the public, these individuals are ready to be profession ready. So often you have individuals who have not taken Praxis and they're pushing back on the performance assessment. And they're like, "Why are we asking candidates to do this? This is way too much for candidates." And I understand the stress and the pressure that candidates feel under to complete these tests while they're student teaching. It's a lot. And then there's the pressure from the university side where they're like, "These are important kiss your family, goodbye. You will not see them for the whole semester. You've got to focus on this", because campuses are often feeling like they're under pressure for their students to pass and be successful.
Richelle (14:00):
But then how do we make sure that when a candidate gets to the end of their preparation program or the last semester that they're not introduced to, "Oh, and by the way, you got to do this, this and this." So, thinking about how campuses can build these programs, and requirements into their preparation program over time, and not all of the end, shoving it down their throats, saying take this now and pass it. How do we think through the profession in a way that candidates are ready, but candidates want to teach? Student teaching, shouldn't be so stressful, but at the end of it, candidates say, "You know what? I'm not even going into the classroom."
Richelle (14:42):
And so we have a lot of individuals who are certified, but have not entered the classroom because of the stress of student teaching and the stress of everything else that they through and teacher preparation. And the one thing is folks use the term, just a teacher. The reality is that if someone has been licensed and can teach, they have a lot of marketable skills. And so the goal for us is how do we keep these people in the profession? Because they're really experts in what they do, and they can move the needle on student learning.
Natieka (15:11):
What are some of the programs that NEA has available to help people navigate licensure?
Richelle (15:18):
NEA has a resource page for ED TPA. We received a request from the field for supports. And so that resource page includes resources for aspiring educators, cooperating teachers and university faculty. It's more introductory as to what the ED TPA is, what the requirements are, and what the expectations are. In terms of additional resources we don't offer financial resources for licensure completion, but I do know that we also have a Praxis training series where we work with, it's almost like Praxis, they do Praxis bootcamps to support candidates who have not been successful in passing Praxis as well. And so those two resources do exist. I think one of the biggest resources that's out there though is our aspiring education program and working with the aspiring educators to help them understand how their voices can be heard and should be heard in the development and adoption of these resources.
Natieka (16:12):
So, why is licensure important for classroom teachers?
Richelle (16:15):
The licensure is important for classroom teachers because as a profession, we are guaranteeing to the community and the students that we serve that individuals are indeed ready to serve in this role. And so licensure is that initial assurance that individuals have the skills that are needed to share their content knowledge, and to advance student learning. And so the one way that we can do that is through licensure assessments. The other thing is what licensure does is it guarantees to the public that the individuals in the profession have met a standard of basic skills, and content expertise to serve in that role.
Natieka (16:57):
Katie?
Katie (16:59):
I think that it's important for us to have the skills that our students need for us to teach, and for them to have an equitable education. And I think there's things that you can learn through the licensure process, whether it be the university track, or if you're a career educator, whatever training that requires that we just make sure that we are putting educators into our classrooms that are ready and prepared to teach our students, and whatever mode that is. I think that licensure helps us to make sure that those students are getting the education that they deserve.
Blaine (17:40):
Just in general. You think about when you go to a professional who's going to provide you a service, you want the guarantee that they are qualified to the perform that service, or you go to a doctor, you want to make sure your doctors licensed to operate, or giving whatever medical advice, same thing with an attorney, you want to make sure that your lawyer is barred, that they have that qualification. And when it comes to schooling our children, we want to make sure that we have the most highly qualified professional in front of that child that is capable of delivering quality instruction to our children because without a great teacher in front of them, then chances are that they won't learn whatever is necessary for them to either be successful or move on to the next level of their education.
Natieka (18:28):
I mean, I think that a lot of people don't understand what goes into that? I think that a theme that has come up a lot is that we know a lot about what it takes to become a doctor, like how many years you need to go to school. And how many years of sort of on the job training you will get, and the tests you have to take, or for lawyers, same thing. But for teachers, people often don't know, I didn't know, for example, all of the tests that someone might have to take to become a teacher. So I'm glad that people are really going to hear about it through your testimonial here. In your experience, do you feel like the teacher prep programs that college students are in are effectively communicating what is needed to not only just get through the Praxis, but get through the whole licenser process?
Blaine (19:21):
Yes. At least based on the experiences that I've had and some of the educators that I've talked to who work with students in college programs. So, I'm talking about professors or deans and those sorts of things. I find that they make every point to really lay all of those things out. And it's just like, you get a track, or a scheme that says do this by this year and those sorts of things. So, yes, to answer your question, I do think that colleges kind of get that information out there. But of course there's always a chance where things can kind of get lost in translation because it's still college. They're going to give you this paper, but nobody is going to take you by the hand and say, "Did you do the Praxis yet? Okay. make sure you've done it by this day. Make sure you understand your state's requirements, whatever score you need", so they'll give you all of this information, but what you do with it does kind of fall back on your shoulders.
Natieka (20:25):
Katie, along those lines, what are the common obstacles and issues that you've seen college students trip up over when they're trying to get to their dream job?
Katie (20:36):
Finances, that's the number one thing I hear. And there's a multitude of reasons behind that. And also some issues behind that. I think there's some biases. I was fortunate to come from a family who my grandpa could give me the test prep book for Christmas. And I recognize that that's a privilege that I have, and that this system is designed for me as a white middle-class woman. And there are people who for whatever reason would have to take the ED TPA multiple times. And that adds up financially because each time you submit is another financial burden. And I spent nearly a thousand dollars on tests my last year of college, while you're also paying for tuition. And as a student teacher, our university wasn't heavily enforced, but they highly recommended you not to have a job. So, then you have to figure out how to pay for rent, how to pay for your groceries, how to pay for all of the materials that you need.
Katie (21:42):
And there's those financial disparities and people who do not have that privilege, oftentimes struggle through that. And whether they can get loans, but then you have to pay those phones back or some scholarships they're not always available depending on your university, and depending on your grade level and all of that. And so the finances are definitely something that I hear frequently.
Natieka (22:04):
Yeah. And what are some of the other equity issues that you've noticed when you were maybe putting these tests behind you or even in the middle of them, from your peers, and your experience running the student/Aspiring Ed Program, you must have heard a lot of stories from people.
Katie (22:21):
Beyond just the finances and all of the equity pieces that comes through that, the tests, in my experience, and in hearing stories from others, they have pieces that can be harmful to somes, and helpful to others. For example, there was a question that I came across, that they were asking about different zones of the classroom. And where would you put the reading chairs and where you would you put the bookshelves with this on it? And while most would think that that's common knowledge and available in the majority of the classrooms. It's not. And so if you come from a school and that wasn't taught in our prep program, and so you were supposed to pull on your prior knowledge as a K-12 student. Well, if you came from a classroom that didn't have a reading corner, didn't have reading chairs, you wouldn't know where it would properly be placed throughout the classroom.
Katie (23:17):
And so you wouldn't be able to pull from that knowledge. And if we're not taught about how to set up a classroom environment, then you're not going to have the answer to that question. And that's just the example that I came across in my testing. And I again had the privilege of having K-12 experience that had those things. And so I was able to answer that, but I recognized through my conversation with others that they didn't. So, I heard that from others, that there were just some pieces that didn't fit.
Richelle (23:51):
And how has this issue of equity? How do you think that that affects the lack, I suppose, of educators of color in the profession. It seems obvious that if a lot of black, or Hispanic, or indigenous people are not passing this test and then getting certified that they just can't get into the profession. But a lot of these people are trying hard and taking it multiple times. So how do you see that playing out real time with people who are struggling with this test that might not be designed with them in mind?
Blaine (24:25):
Yeah. So, number one, it can turn some people away. Many people who are minorities who say, "Okay I'm struggling. I have this issue with test taking. I just can't get over this hump. Maybe I'm just not cut out to be a teacher", or they say "I'll never get this and I'll never be successful as an educator", so they decide to go into doing something else where there isn't such a stringent, standardized test requirement. So, from that perspective, you're losing people that you really want to be in front of those students because they look like those students. And so that's tough there. And then of course, people talk about how important it is to have representation, especially in education. Kids are excited when they see that they have a black male math teacher, or they have a black male teacher period, but I'm not a coach.
Blaine (25:22):
When I first started working at my high school, like everybody just automatically assumed that I was a coach because here's this black man that's walking around the school campus. He must be here related to sports as opposed to just being a professional. So, for many of the black boys that I teach this is one of their first encounters, if not their first encounter, seeing a black male educator who is professional, who is not there along with a coaching title.
Natieka (25:53):
And how about licensure or the assessments in particular, are there common issues that you see or you've seen with our aspiring educators and then the stories from the early career educators you've heard?
Richelle (26:07):
One of the things is, they'll say, "Well, no one told me I had to do this. No one told me I had to take this assessment at the end. No one told me that this is a requirement." And so I think that there's a balance in understanding the relationship between the aspiring educator, and the university faculty, and making sure that it's a conversation and not just a one way street, as folks are moving into their major, and understanding the requirements. It's very important to ask some of the questions like, so in my second year, what does that look like? What courses am I expected to take? What things am I required to submit? And then at the end of the program, can I graduate from this program without having passed these assessments? Or, but so do I take them in the summer? When do I take them?
Richelle (26:47):
How do I pay for them? Who's paying for them. Oh, it's not included in my tuition? Can I use the scholarship to cover it? So there is the, what it is, when it's due, how it's funded and or finance, right? Those are often things that come up as challenges to our aspiring educators. And it's not their fault. It's a communication issue, because oftentimes if you are, when you start a new job, you get a stack of paper and it's a hundred pages deep and yes, it's important, but you've seen other people go through the program and you know they're colleagues. And so you don't necessarily go through each piece. In education, it's important that you go through each piece.
Richelle (27:22):
If you don't go through each piece, ask the hard questions or just ask the questions, but it's clear that you need to know when you enter what the expectation is for you to exit, because it's not like the other programs on campus, oftentimes where you're starting your freshman year, you take your four years worth of courses and you graduate. You do start, well, you often don't start the education program in your freshman year. You can take some initial courses, but you don't enter your major until your sophomore year at the earliest, oftentimes your junior year. And then once you enter it, being fully aware of what it means to enter and then exit.
Natieka (27:58):
So as you were discussing that, I was thinking about what it's like to become a doctor. I am not a doctor, but obviously we've all known someone who's gone through that process. And I think we all know that you have to take the MCAT, and there's residency. I think a lot of people understand the path to becoming a doctor, even though so few people become them. But why do you think that it's so opaque for teaching, even though everybody interacts with the teacher, everyone interacts with the doctor at some point pretty much. Even though these are common professions that are not like esoteric at all, why do you think it's so opaque what it takes to become one?
Richelle (28:37):
I think it's opaque, because part of the reason is everyone has said in the classroom before, so everyone sees the individual in front of the classroom as the teacher. And they think I can do that. I know what this entails, not having really an understanding of the expertise that goes on behind the preparation of becoming the person to stand in front of the classroom and teach. And so I've sat in a classroom as a student, I've been on the student side, but I've never been on the teaching side. But in the student side, you're thinking it can't be that hard. They just get up there and they talk to us, right? Or they get up there and they teach us, so they make sure that we know new material, but no one thinks about one, the preparation that it takes. And then the ongoing professional development is also required of teachers, right?
Richelle (29:17):
And so one of the things that's so funny, people say, "Well, they get three months off in the summer." There are very few teachers who get three months off in the summer because they're doing professional development. And so teaching is a commitment to continue to increase your own understanding so that you excel in the opportunity to prepare the next generation of learners. And so I think that the reason it's opaque, and everyone thinks is, oh, they're just teachers because they don't understand what goes on behind the scenes and the requirements and the licensure and the certification and the expectations.
Natieka (29:50):
So what would be your main message for people about the benefit of getting involved in your union when you're an aspiring educator and you're seeking sort of vacation, what are some of the benefits of unionism in this situation, Blaine?
Blaine (30:07):
So, the union, number one, is going to connect you to this network of people who are all around the country, who have gone through, whatever it is you're going through, who can give you direction and point you to where things that you're interested in and just all kinds of connections. So, of course there's a network that's there. Also, you have the support for all of your needs being met, and don't just join any, you have to join NEA, and whatever your state affiliate is because NEA is so keen on meeting the needs of the whole teacher, not just looking at instruction, not just talking about advocacy, but everything from, as you can see, from being an aspiring educator, to being a retired educator and all of the things that go along in between there. And if you're interested, you should definitely look for an Aspiring Educator Program, or starting one at your college or your university, and then connect to your state affiliate.
Blaine (31:10):
And just like we do with LAE where we're doing Praxis support and Praxis training, you can mention this to your state affiliate as a need and say, "Hey we have 12 people at the University of Nebraska, or somewhere who are trying to go into education. Can you guys send an expert down here who has this knowledge to come, and train us, or come, and teach us", or if you really want to get into advocacy or anything else all of those things are available to you as well. But again like I said, NEA meets all of the needs of the educator and you don't have to go outside to look for help and all of these things, you have it right here. I know I can always pick up the phone to call someone who's experienced everything that I'm going through and I can get some advice.,I can get some support, I can vent if I need to, if things are just really rough, and you have access to all of that.
Natieka (32:08):
What do you think is most valuable parts of someone being involved with the Aspiring Educators Program?
Katie (32:15):
I think that power of we is really important for us just having a group of people and not even at the local level, but having local, and state, and national people there to support you and back you, no matter what is happening, what's going on in the education world. And then also having people there to help you grow. And so if something does happen, what can we do to help you become a better educator? What can we do to help our students get the best education possible? And that support system is what's really important to me, not only at the aspiring ed level, but the active level.
Natieka (32:59):
So how did your involvement with the Aspiring Educators Program help you with that process? If at all?
Katie (33:05):
Yeah, I felt empowered by the connections I had made previously with not only Minnesota educators, aspiring educators and early career educators, but also national aspiring, and early career educators. They shared their miseries, you might say, and just had some tips on how best to get through it. And so we had between social media networks, we were able to connect, and give out tips and whatnot. And then also at the local, state, and national conferences, there's times where you're just networking with people, and they give you a little snippets of information that can help you, and just feel like you're not alone through that process.
Natieka (33:49):
So, [inaudible 00:33:50] have to shift your expectations when you graduate and you have this one idea of what it's going to be like when you start teaching, which I think everybody probably has a reality check, but this is a different level of reality check, I think. How did you have to shift your ideas about what it meant to be a teacher over this past 20 months or so?
Katie (34:10):
That's a lot of months. Oh, my goodness. I can't believe that. I think it was a really quick lesson of every single day is a new day, and you never know what's going to come that day. You never know when you're going to send your students home on a bus and not see them for the rest of the year. I hope that never happens again, but you just have to take each day as a fresh start, and plan your lessons ahead of time, go with the students. If they're interested in something and you want to explore that, go with that, and just know that things can change. And what's important is that we're building relationships with our students. We're building relationships with our coworkers, and just doing the best weekend every day.
Natieka (34:53):
I guess that's all you can do, really. What's one big thing that now that you did not learn in school when you were training to become a teacher at the university level?
Blaine (35:04):
Well, I didn't know that there was such a thing as an instructional coach or like a curriculum facilitator, or like a director of curriculum. I didn't know that there were all these other possibilities. And I also didn't know that I could plug into like my state union so that I could still teach, which is what I'm most passionate about, but I could also have this outlet for professional development to affect more educators around the state, and even around the country, whenever I get opportunities to with any age. So, there's all of these different opportunities that are out there that at LAE and NEA has exposed me to that, and I'm not just saying this just to plug the organization, but I am extremely appreciative of this particular association because it just opens so many opportunities for educators.
Natieka (36:02):
What's something that school didn't teach you, that you know now about your job?
Katie (36:05):
Is just a job. I don't think I learned that until this summer. I think probably. Which is bad, but you will have parents that will reach out to you at all hours of the day, and night. I had a mom who was upset that I wasn't responding to an email at 2:00 AM. I was sleeping at 2:00 AM. And so know your boundaries and know that you're a person first, and you have to take care of your own mental health, and your own physical health before you take care of anyone else. That's the cliche of put your own mask on before you put someone else's breathing mask on and make sure that you are taking care of yourself, and understanding that it's okay to not respond to a parent email and until your next office hour and it can wait. They have to understand that you're a person.
Natieka (36:58):
Excellent advice for any career I think. And what is one piece of advice that you would give to an aspiring educator who is about to start taking all of the tests, and getting together all of their requirements for becoming a certified teacher of record, Blaine?
Blaine (37:19):
In taking the test, like I said, reach out to your state affiliate to see if they already have these trainings available. Because in addition to the cost of the tests, test prep is also very expensive. Buying the book, or buying one of the online programs is also going to cost you a huge chunk of change. And if you can get it for free, then absolutely go that route just to save that money. For aspiring educators make sure that you make yourself aware of whatever your state requirements are, make sure that you are preparing for the Praxis test to the best of your abilities. Don't treat it like it's something that you can kind of just walk in there and take.
Richelle (38:00):
So, I think it's important for candidates to know what the requirements are in their states. So I encourage them all to visit their state department of education or the licensing board or the body that is responsible for licensure in their state to see what the page says. And then take that page over to your campus advisor, and or a faculty member and say, "Hey, this is what I saw on the state Department of Ed page. Just making sure I am meeting all of the requirements to become licensed in this state."
Natieka (38:24):
Katie?
Katie (38:25):
I think get involved in everything. I'm just kidding. Don't get involved in everything. Understand the word, no, but know where your passion lies and find that little niche, find that piece that will help you get through every day. And if it's a coworker that you have lunch with and you plan with, that's great. If you want to get involved in your local union, and be there, and supported there, just find something about this job that makes you passionate about it and makes you want to come every single day, and hold on to that and really make sure that you understand on the bad days that, that good is there and know why you are there because we will have bad days. And if you find something that makes you passionate, if basketball after school, if directing the school play is going to make you excited about coming back the next day, then do it.
Natieka (39:23):
Thanks for listening. Make sure you subscribe, so you don't miss a single episode of School Me. And if you find this podcast helpful, be sure to rate and review the show. It helps more people find us and the advice they need to survive their first few years in education. For even more tips and resources, you can visit us at NEAtoday.org/school-me.