A Career in Education: Classroom Experience, Online Study, and Lofty Goals
Will there ever be enough teachers? Teacher shortages have been advertised for years, and the trend is continuing: some states are desperate for school teachers. Florida is attempting to recruit 32,000 new school teachers this summer alone. Sean Precious has taken this problem to heart, and works full-time to help find a solution. |
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Overcrowded classrooms, limited resources, and children with special needs are only a few examples of the challenges facing school teachers today. Today's classrooms are struggling and need help. Some states are facing bigger hurdles than others -- in Indiana, over 50% of public schools are failing, despite the high education of its school teachers. Sean Precious left college and joined a national teacher recruitment agency dedicated to bridging the achievement gap between struggling and successful schools. Here is what he has to say about education, and getting his own education online. FSOD: Describe the educational group you work for. SP: I work for Teach For America, a non-profit organization that focuses on eliminating the academic achievement gap between children in low-income communities and their higher income peers. I am a managing director of recruitment. I work with a number of recruitment directors around the country to ensure our organization meets our growth goals. Did you know there are over 12 million children in schools designated as Title 1? The Title 1 program is federally funded and aids struggling K-8 schools. Find Schools
FSOD: What are some of Teach For America's Goals? SP: By 2010, we aim to have 8,000 members teaching in over 30 low income communities (we have 3,500 members now), and over 25,000 alumni--some who have stayed in education and others who are affecting change in other sectors like law, medicine, and policy. About 60% of our alumni still work in education. FSOD: What is an average day like in your job? SP: I travel around and talk with a lot of college seniors about their plans for the future and how Teach For America might be able to fit into that. I have the pleasure of talking to a lot of people about who we are and what we do. I was a school teacher myself for two years, so I talk to them about my experience too. FSOD: Do you ever miss teaching? SP: Of course. I would not be where I am today without my experience in the classroom and without my students, who I always say taught me more than I ever taught them. Given the fact that I talk about teaching to a lot of people, I don't think a day goes by where I don't think about my 6th grade "rock" stars. I taught 6th grade Science in urban LA, when we studied geology. FSOD: What degrees do you hold? SP: I have a Bachelor's in Psychology and History, and a Master's in Education. FSOD: When did you earn your Master's? SP: While I was teaching. FSOD: What was it like earning your degree and working as a school teacher simultaneously? SP: It was tough, because I had to balance managing a classroom with reading at night and writing papers on the weekends. Any teacher will tell you that their day often extends beyond the last bell, and so I found myself having to do a lot of work on Sundays. It was manageable though. FSOD: And you did some online study? SP: Yes, I had some classes that were held almost entirely online. FSOD: What was one of your classes that involved online study? SP: Educational Policy. We had to read various articles, react to them in an online forum, and then react to each other's reactions on a weekly basis. FSOD: How did you feel about holding discussions online? SP: It was an interesting way to learn. I enjoyed reading and reacting to my classmate's thoughts, and because those thoughts were written, they were more linear than a class discussion. We could go deeper with reflection and analysis. It was also very easy to post up my weekly responses and contribute, whereas sometimes in class, there is not time for everyone to participate in a discussion. Did you know that most students in online degree programs are over 22 and working part- or full-time? Enrollment in online degree programs is increasing 10 times faster than enrollment in on-campus programs. Find Schools
FSOD: Has the degree helped you in your career? SP: Absolutely, without a doubt. I feel like I became a better writer in graduate school, and was able to go deeper into issues I saw playing out in my classroom every day. FSOD: What are your other career goals? SP: At this point, I can see myself down one of three roads. I am interested in school leadership, specifically becoming a superintendent. I am also interested in educational policy, as it relates to low-income communities. Finally, think it would be interesting to go into politics. Regardless of what I end up doing in five, ten, or even twenty years, I will not forget the lessons my students taught me, and how far this country is from living up to its ideals and providing all children with the opportunity to attain an excellent education. In both the short and long run, I want do something that addresses this at the most fundamental level. Sources Learn more about Online Study About the Author Joe Cooper is a freelance education and technology writer and edits medical literature. He holds a bachelor's in American Literature from UCLA. |
