Hi there. I'm coming here for help. I am trying to obtain teacher certification in California and I am feeling very overwhelmed and helpless. My background is I have a BAE from ASU, my major was "Selected Studies". What is that you ask --- basically I got half way through my classroom experience and decided I wanted to teach abroad so I never finished it. Selected Studies is basically an education degree w/o classroom experience, it is meant for international education. I also obtained a minor in History. After I graduated I taught ESL in a Korean Public School. I taught for two years and then some thing unexpected happened -- I got homesick. So I came back to the United States. But now I am finding it very hard to obtain certification. I have found programs costing 10,000 USD!!! This has me feeling very depressed and upset as I still owe 30,000 for my BAE. I feel like all my education was for nothing. Surely, there has to be a better way? Which Is why I am coming to you. Please help me.
Contact your local adult school if you would consider teaching ESL. Certification is usually simpler and they are always looking for ESL teachers, even as the rest of us are losing our jobs.
Have you done any research on the state of education, particularly in California? Have you specifically looked into the field of social studies? I'm not trying to discourage you, but I am hoping that you are being realistic about your future job prospects if you go into this field.
But Caesar is right--the state of education in CA is pretty awful right now. And social science jobs are, even in the best of times, some of the hardest to come by. That being said, a program at one of the CSU schools will undoubtedly be the least expensive. You can find more intensive single-year programs at places like Pepperdine, but the cost will be considerably more.
Consider finishing up your classroom experience at ASU and getting an Arizona credential, then transferring it.
As has been mentioned, it will be hard to get hired as a social science teacher. CSUs are the cheapest but also I feel that the quality of their program is dismal, and the tuition is at least going to be 7-8K, not counting books, living expenses, etc. I would think about teaching a higher need subject like Math or Science or SPED, or finding something else you can do.
Sure, I realize it is not good but it is worse elsewhere. My main goal is just to get certified. If I can not find a job in the states then i can always go to Dubai or another Gulf country to teach which is my fall back plan. Thank you for all the links. Is the CSET timed? They won't allow me to do that.
I'm less than surprised that returning isn't allowed, releasethedogs, but it's always worth mentioning just in case. CSET Social Science is still paper-based, so it's given every two months in odd-numbered months. It consists of three subtests: (1) world history and geography, (2) US history and geography, and (3) civics, economics, and California history. The CSET test session is five hours. In those five hours, you may take one subtest, two, or all three subtests (and there's nothing to prevent a test taker from tackling, in the same session, CSET Social Science Subtest 2 and, say CSET Math Subtest 1, aside from the demands of the subtests themselves). You'll find some discussion of various states' teacher tests on the Examinations for Teachers forum here on A to Z. CSET exams loom large, but the discussions of other states' exams can be useful too.
You need a BA plus a credential program (30 units, I think), pass CBEST and your CSETS and do student teaching.
You have 5 hours for the CSET. You can do all subtests, or the whole exam in one sitting. I suggest breaking it up.
I think I may have a job at a private school so it is something while I get my certifications. I am so, so glad geography is on the test. Being not from California I'm not sure about the California history part, I know what would be the basics I guess from American history classes. Is there a study book I can buy from Barns and Nobel or something? I'll take a look at the other forums and see if I can get a good idea what is on the tests. I'll need the whole thing for math for sure. lol. Here is hoping I can use scratch paper. EDIT: Thank you TeacherGroupie and TamiJ
Unless you intend to teach math, release, you don't need CSET Math Subtest I: that was merely an illustration. You might need to pass CBEST, the basic-skills test, but the math in that is a good deal simpler. To find out what's on the test, don't neglect the CSET Web site, www.cset.nesinc.com. The Test Guide page for CSET Social Science shows the breakdown of topics for each subtest and offers sample questions to give you a sense of how the test works. California history is tested in about seven multiple choice questions plus one constructed response. Kevin Starr published a number of books and articles on California history; his longer and more definitive works are probably overkill for your purposes, but he has a short one-volume history whose name begins with "California" that may help. Roughly where in California are you? If you're not in California, with what part of California are you most familiar?
Thanks for all the help. I am in and hope to stay in San Diego (or the surrounding area) but I would go wherever the jobs are.
I also went the CSU route and found it challenging and respected by employers when I was looking for a job.
