Which describes your path to becoming a teacher most closely?
Lateral Entry--NC Teach Program at NC State
What did you major in in college and what college degrees do you have?
BA in American History, and an MS in American History
Did you have other full-time jobs before you became a teacher? If so, what were they?
Lots and lots! Barnes & Noble (6 months), U.S. Navy CTR (4 years), temp work in Dallas and Blue Cross Blue Shield NC (about a year overall while I was looking for a teaching job). It's hard to get hired when you have no experience or certification.
When in your life did you decide you wanted to become a teacher?
My Dad was a college professor for 30+ years, and my Mom was a schoolteacher before she became a stay-at-home Mom, so I had plenty of exposure to teaching. I saw clues that perhaps I should be a teacher back in college; I took a course on the History of India, and one assignment was to give a lecture. I did very well, and I enjoyed it (I've always enjoyed talking about history). I wanted to serve the nation in the Navy, though, and I would have stayed in the Navy if I hadn't gotten married. The Navy is great if you're single, and teaching is nice if you're married.
Did you complete student teaching before becoming a teacher? If so, describe that experience.
I completed an online teacher certification course which didn't have student teaching, but North Carolina didn't accept it. So I had to redo my training the summer after I started teaching.
What are the pros and cons of being certified in the method you used?
These are generalizations of course, but I think the benefit to lateral entry is that you have other life experiences outside academia that you can bring to the students. The downside is that you won't be as well prepared to handle a class when you first start. My understanding is that education majors have to observe a lot of classes, and I didn't have to observe any before I started.
Would you recommend your path to becoming a teacher to others? Why or why not?
I think I am a much better teacher of American History after earning a bachelor's and master's in the subject. My military experience has definitely helped as well. You need to be flexible and ready to learn in any case. An education major still needs to do a LOT of studying in the subject matter in order to excel, and I had to do a LOT of education coursework and on the job training to learn how to teach. It doesn't ultimately make a difference on who is a good or bad teacher, but I wouldn't change anything I did.
How many years of experience to you have in the classroom? Do you plan to remain a teacher or do you have other career aspirations?
I have 7.5 years of experience. I'll be here until they kick me out, I retire, or (possibly) if they take away AP US History (I love teaching that class).