Grad school...redux

I am applying to grad school.

Again.

When I posted this status on facebook, my nerdy friends ohh-ed and ahh-ed and asked what programs I was looking at. I was ashamed to admit that it's another master's in education. This time in Middle School Social Studies and English.

But wait, one might say, I thought you already had a master's in education!

I do.

But wait, one might say, I thought you already had a license to teach middle school. Science right?

I do. But not in Vermont. Stupid state.

The world of interstate licensure for teachers is a vague and frustrating world. It is built on the premise that you will go to a four year college for education, and that you will stay in the same state for your entire career. Try to take some sort of alternative path or, (NO!) move to another state, and life becomes difficult.

The following is true:
-I want to be licensed to teach. Regardless of whether I need that license for my current job (I don't, although I get paid more when I have it).
-I could do another alternative licensure process and try to get licensed to teach Social Studies by making a ginormous portfolio and paying some committee more than $1000 to evaluate it. Then I would be licensed to teach SS in Vermont. But if I tried to move again, who knows.

The most long-term option is to suck it up, pay tuition, and go through a real master's of education program in teaching. Then, I will get a license from Vermont, and it will be recommended by a four-year accredited institution, which, as I have sadly found out, appears to be the key to this whole mess. Imagine...

Dorothy (Becky) goes up to the gate of the Emerald City (State Department of Ed). "What do you want?" asks the creepy man.

"I want to see the wizard (get a teaching license)," replies Dorothy (Becky).

"No."

"I graduate cum laude from the honors program at a top-twenty university."

"No."

"I have experience teaching. In a low-performing district. I made SIGNIFICANT GAINS!"

"No."

"I have a master's degree in education."

"Oh?"

*mumbles* "Gifted education."

"We don't have that in this place (Vermont)."

"Well, my colleague the scarecrow here has no brain and studied bulletin-board making in his undergraduate program. He has no content expertise, but he CAN create an attendance chart and time-out corner. It took him twenty tries to pass the Praxis, and even then he just squeaked by. But he has a teaching degree from an accredited college/university."

"Well, that's a horse of a different color! Come right in!"

I think that little sketch explains perfectly the problems I have with the education teaching system today (at least as far as licensure is concerned). I'm not saying that there AREN'T good teachers who go through the traditional path. I'm not saying that all teaching programs are bad. And I'm not saying that everyone who wants to teach should be able to just jump right in. But cut me some slack -- I'm not just a bum off the street who's never been in a classroom, here.

The downside to this new option is going into debt for another degree that I don't feel like I need in order to be a good teacher. The upside is having the degree and license that will make me truly mobile and give me career options. And it sucks for the short-term, but in the long-term, I think it's a good decision for us as a family. There are a lot of ifs that have to happen for this to work, however. 1. Andy has to find a job in Vermont so we can stay here. 2. Andy has to find a job that pays what our two incomes currently make so he can support me for the year (and oh, how I cringe to say that). 3. My job has to agree to take me back, because my life will be a sad sad place if this job doesn't exist for me anymore. 4. My three recommenders have to actually WRITE the letters of recommendation.

But, for the time being, the name of the game is keeping options open. And from many angles, this appears to be a good one.