He would be sooooo good as a secondary or even college math teacher - too bad we can't afford the cut in pay.
I was talking about upcoming classes to take in the fall and mentioned that all my choices were rather uninspiring, I wanted to do something challenging. He suggested Calculus, because he knew I never took it, I've only gone through College algebra and trig and that was 15 years ago.
I told him he was crazy, I couldn't possibly do that type of math, I was terrible at math. He then challenged me to get a textbook or workbook in pre-calculus and see how I would do. So I did.
I've spent the last three days doing math in my spare time. And whenever I get lost or confused, I just put it aside and ask him about it when he gets home. Last night we spent almost three hours working on exponential functions.
I actually got it! I mean, I really understand for the first time in math, I feel like I can truly grasp what's going on. Wes doesn't just show me how to work the problem, he shows me WHY it works and things are just instantly clear.
He's also taught several neighborhood kids geometry at the fire station, they would come over after school for help with their homework. And my aunt was in a graduate statistics class that required knowledge of calculus, but she'd never taken calculus before. She was struggling and afraid she'd fail, so she came over, spent about 7 hours at our house with Wes and made an A in the class.
It's really sad that we pay teachers so little in this country. We need good math teachers, but there's no way we can support our family on a teacher's pay.
So wish me luck, hatrack - I'm going to register for a calculus class in the fall. For some reason, that doesn't even sound scary anymore.
Posted by airmanfour (Member # 6111) on :
That is incredibly cool, you are lucky woman. I wish I had awesome mathing skills.
Posted by Dr Strangelove (Member # 8331) on :
That is really neat that he's able to do that. I tutor math at the local college, and there is no feeling better than a student 'getting it'. Teachers should definitely get paid more .
Posted by Synesthesia (Member # 4774) on :
Wow. If he could drum math into my math phobic head he'd deserve a nobel prize. As I am just horrible in math. Good luck to you!
Posted by Tresopax (Member # 1063) on :
quote:It's really sad that we pay teachers so little in this country. We need good math teachers, but there's no way we can support our family on a teacher's pay.
No way? Many teachers do support families on their pay. I know some of them.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
We manage here as well. We manage, that is about it.
Belle, the thing is, you might well be wrong. Since the need for teachers who are able to teach higher level math has skyrocketed, so have some of the salaries. Not necessarily in public schools, but I know that my dad's prep school waived the whole pay scale hierarchy in order to attract anyone who could tech that math.
This was a while ago, but I am sure it is even worse. There will be a teacher shortage very soon. We have been seeing the beginning of it for the past decade. Look at your kids' school. How many veteran teachers are retiring this year? At our school, NINE are.
The thing is, as you know, there is more to teaching than teaching. A lot more.
Posted by jeniwren (Member # 2002) on :
If you move to Alaska, they pay teachers very well. Heck, they pay people just to live there.
I don't advise it though.
Posted by breyerchic04 (Member # 6423) on :
I'm so looking forward to the teacher shortage (ok that was only half tongue in cheek, I'm an El Ed major).
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Belle, Wes sounds like a great guy. I tutored math at the literacy centre where I lived in Canada, and the guy I tutored had very low math skills - we started on adding and subtracting two digit numbers. I loved seeing the progress he made and how proud of himself he was when he got fractions for the first time in his life. It's exciting!
I have another friend who's been taking university math courses. For fun. She's already got one degree (education, special ed), but will probably wind up with a second one in math just because she loves it so much. Serious. Calculus for fun. It's all cool.
Good luck! You can do it!
Posted by King of Men (Member # 6684) on :
My father is a good math teacher too. He stepped in to teach us in my third year of high school, when the teacher got sick. He was much better than the regular teacher. The school wanted him to stay on, but it didn't pay as well as the Naval Academy; he was only doing it because I was in the class. [/randomness]
Posted by Irregardless (Member # 8529) on :
Having a background in chemical engineering, there are all sorts of science & math classes I could teach... but aside from any pay issues, I am prohibited from teaching in public schools because of their ridiculous certification requirements. The schools, education colleges & teacher unions cannot abide the thought of anyone actually learning anything, especially outside their monopoly.
Posted by Oviratptor (Member # 9323) on :
Calculus is simply the most fun out of all math. Period. I took it in high school (and now college is making me retake it, but it's so much fun, I don't mind!).
Then again, I always found math to be fun.
Posted by Icarus (Member # 3162) on :
Good on you both! Posted by ClaudiaTherese (Member # 923) on :
That is totally awesome, Belle. He sounds like an amazing guy.
Posted by Elizabeth (Member # 5218) on :
"but aside from any pay issues, I am prohibited from teaching in public schools because of their ridiculous certification requirements. The schools, education colleges & teacher unions cannot abide the thought of anyone actually learning anything, especially outside their monopoly."
Wrong. Many schools have waived the certification requirement to get high school math teachers.
Belle, does Wes LIKE teaching, or do you just like him as a teacher? He could make some swrious cash as a tutor, and still keep his "day"(night, and weekend) job.
Posted by Irregardless (Member # 8529) on :
quote:Originally posted by Elizabeth: Wrong. Many schools have waived the certification requirement to get high school math teachers.
It's my impression that such waivers are only temporary, especially with the 'highly qualified' standard in the NCLB act. No?
Posted by ricree101 (Member # 7749) on :
quote:Originally posted by Irregardless: Having a background in chemical engineering, there are all sorts of science & math classes I could teach... but aside from any pay issues, I am prohibited from teaching in public schools because of their ridiculous certification requirements. The schools, education colleges & teacher unions cannot abide the thought of anyone actually learning anything, especially outside their monopoly.
On the other hand, knowing the material isn't really enough to teach a class. Personally, I easily know enough to teach most high school math classes. Despite that, I wouldn't really be able to teach it because I'm not really that good at teaching. I don't really know enough to comment on specific policies, but I do believe that there is more to it than just a strong familiarity with the subject.
Posted by Will B (Member # 7931) on :
Congratulations to both of you.
Posted by Belle (Member # 2314) on :
quote:Belle, does Wes LIKE teaching, or do you just like him as a teacher? He could make some swrious cash as a tutor, and still keep his "day"(night, and weekend) job.
Wes already has two jobs, he certainly can't take on another one. He tutored the neighborhood kids at the fire station because he was already there.
I should have qualified my statement - we couldn't continue the lifestyle we have now on a teacher's salary. I'm sure we'd find a way to survive, but it would most likely require us to sell our house and move into one much smaller in a less-than-ideal neighborhood and we don't want to make that sacrifice.
I'm still leaning strongly toward teaching (English, not math) but Wes' second, part time job pays him more than a beginning teacher makes in Alabama, so there's no guarantee that even with me working as a teacher he could quit one of his jobs. Of course, by the time I finish we'll be out of a lot of debt too, so it might be possible. Would be really cool if he could only work one job, I hate that he works so hard now, but then that's the sacrifices you make for one parent to stay home with the kids.
quote:It's my impression that such waivers are only temporary, especially with the 'highly qualified' standard in the NCLB act. No?
You're right, Irregardless, it's temporary, I think you have a set number of years in which to get the certification or you'll lose the job. I have a friend whose husband is teaching math right now at a middle school, and he's already begun his certification work so he can keep doing it. In Alabama we have what they call a Fifth year alternative trac, that allows people with a bachelor's degree to get hired by a school system, but then they must complete the fifth year coursework to get certified.
In fact, that's the route I'm going. I'm getting my bachelor's in English, with a minor in secondary education - that minor does not lead to certification but it does cut down on some of the classes I'd have to take in the fifth year program. The reason I'm doing it that way instead of just getting my bachelor's certification is that the bachelor's program requires a double major in English and education, and I can actually finish the English degree and get the master's level certification in less time than I can complete the double major.
![[Frown]](frown.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I don't advise it though.
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
I tutored math at the literacy centre where I lived in Canada, and the guy I tutored had very low math skills - we started on adding and subtracting two digit numbers. I loved seeing the progress he made and how proud of himself he was when he got fractions for the first time in his life. It's exciting!![[Cool]](cool.gif)