I am a substitute in California going through a teaching credential program and it is honestly sucking all the joy out of my life. TPAs, endless tests, worthless assignments, and thousands of dollars spent on classes for what?! Just so I can live in one of the most overpriced parts of the country on a wage that's barely cutting it?! I'm no stranger to hard work but if there is one thing I can't stand it's arbitrary work. I have enjoyed substituting. I have done it for a year now. I often think about all the things I would do with a class but then the mind numbing, frustrating, and time wasting junk that makes up my credential makes me want to scream. It makes me want to go find something else to do. What's worse, I know that if I were living in Texas or Florida or Arizona I would be credentialed by now with a lot less frustration and stress and wasted money. I would leave this awful place but then I would have no way to support myself. Few employers today will hire you unless you live in the area already so getting a job first and moving afterward is out of the question. However, if instead I moved first and then tried to get a job after I could potentially run out of money and be left homeless. I'm stuck with no way to win. I'll say it, I hate California! I hate the people who run this state! I'm so tired and frustrated and I can't take it anymore!
I got through it. And it was worth it. I recently changed states and wish to heck I was back in California, but different strokes for different folks.
I used to dream of teaching in Alaska, but then Rockhubby and I bought a house here in central Ohio. Maybe it's a dream for you instead?
AZ is one of my top two. My cousins live there and I really like it. What do you know about teacher preparation through Teach-Now or AZCTP? I know that they're not the traditional way to get licensed there but they are convenient and they will allow me to get an internship permit.
Thank you. Everybody I talk to seems to think that leaving California is just the worst thing ever. They treat me like a heretic. Your words are encouraging.
Yeah, in California they tell us that RICA and all the TPAs and the extra classes will make us better teachers but I don't think so. My relatives are teachers in other states and they strike me as no better or worse than the teachers here. At this point I just want to work and the added hoops that California makes you jump through have run me down. In my mind places like Arizona and Florida equal freedom which is something I need right now.
Also, I totally agree with you that you can't learn to do this from a book. It's important to know what an IEP is and some of the lingo but this is something you learn by doing. What state do you want to get your alt cert in?
I'm a native Californian, but moved out of state when I was 12 years old, so I ended up going to uni in West Virginia and getting my teaching cert. there. Then, I moved back to CA when I graduated uni and had my WV teaching cert. The teaching prep program in WV was NOTHING to what my friends in California told me about. You are right, there's tons and tons of work. One of my friends told me she got shingles towards the end of her TPAs because of the stress!!! I love California. I truly do. I currently work abroad, but taught in Socal for three years before leaving the country. I worked in a great charter school, but you are right. California is so expensive. When I was home for Christmas I had the realization that there's no way my husband and I could move back and have the same life we have abroad. We can't afford California (specifically the part where I'm from), which makes me sad! I love it and want to be closer to my family one day, but I love to travel. If we moved home we'd be up to our eyeballs in either a mortgage/bills or rent/bills with no money to travel. My husband is just getting his teaching credential this year, so I'm the main breadwinner. If you want to leave California, do it. It's your life. Hang in there and get through your credentialing program. Once done, apply to places you are interested in. You never know! Best of luck.
Yeah, when it started impacting my physical health was when I knew I had to go somewhere else. That was basically rock bottom. I'm not going to finish my credential in California. I will go somewhere else. There is no reason to put up with California's junk unless you're going to stay in California and I'm not going to.
Fiscally, California is one of the worst states to teach in. You lose a significant amount of your income to rent each month, 10% goes towards CalSTRS, state income tax is high, and healthcare costs aren't covered by most districts. I hated seeing 30% of my income taken out through taxes and retirement contributions, and then having to shell over $300/mo for healthcare and $2000/mo for rent. It's impossible to get ahead financially. I moved to another state and fiscally I'm much better off. The only thing I miss about teaching in California is having the ability to strike. This gave the union power which they used to negotiate things that made teaching more effective (90 min of collaboration each week, class sizes under 30, no more than 2 preps).
Thank you, I can use all the encouragement I can get right now. My mom thinks I'm crazy (and she'll take swipes at the idea in her usual way) but I know it's for the best to get out.
"Where were you that you were getting class sizes under thirty and ninety minutes of collaboration?" I know of some districts in LA counties (such as Rancho Palos Verdes, Pacific Palisades, Manhattan Beach, La Canada Flintridge) and in south OC (such as Corona del Mar and Newport Beach) that make sure that classes are under thirty and that teachers receive sufficient release time for training. I've noticed that schools in Palo Alto and Rancho Santa Fe also have these characteristics. As anyone in Cali probably knows, those districts serve students from mostly upper-middle to affluent families with high parent involvement.
I did the ca credential - TPAs, test after test after test, every hoop they could throw at me, including BTSA and other stuff. I did not feel that they made me a better teacher - more power to those that were helped by these things, I wasn't one of 'em. BUT, the paperwork and busy work did help me to realize that I am skilled at just sticking with it and getting it done. Teaching taught me to be better. Reflecting over time on what works, what doesn't. IF you decide to stay in CA, just hunker down and do the work and trust that as you teach, you will reflect and learn. I did k-12, so lots of hoops - but I knew I wanted to be in the area I lived. Don't move because there are too many hoops to jump through, move because you are going where you want to live. Wherever you end up, good luck!
I would say finish the credential then transfer it. Many states will take ca creds.....or move to a less expensive part of the state. I moved to a town in the central valley where cost of living is lower and am paid more than many bay area teachers. Plus we still have the cali teacher unions backing which is nice....
