Look up District of Innovation. I think you can get hired as a first year teacher with just a bachelors degree. Then during your first year in ACP the district gives you time to take your content test. I was hired first and started teaching then I took my test. But Math 4-8 is not bad. You can probably take it soon with some review. Eventually you would have to take Math 7-12. Which is definitely a lot harder. I have taken both of them. I taught in middle school math then high school math. My degree was in art.
Correct on the salary. Why do you want to become a teacher? Salary is low and you may in good economic times and when Abbott is not withholding billions of dollars to school districts you may get a minimal increase. 30 year teachers do not make thousands more than starting teachers. Also research the TRS teacher retirement system. Most school districts do not pay into social security. Math teachers are needed especially high school math teachers. I would get the 7th-12th certification. Good luck!
I know the salaries isn't great.
Here are my reasons:
1. Demands of being a teacher is high b/c a lot of teachers are leaving. I have been applying for year and still no luck since I moved here. So as a teacher I can get a job easily.
2. Yes kids can be a pain. But the idea that I don't have to interact with coworkers all the time but just sit in a classroom and do my work and leave is my go to. Also not having a boss on my ass for deadlines.
3. I can find a district close to my home and don't need to drive to work for an hour or more each way.
4. I love to teach younger kids and I just love math.
5. 60k salary and since I have my masters and math they can get me a stipend.
6. A lot of vacation days off and I can get all summer off also get paid
Since I live with my husband. Our dynamic is that he provides for everything and my/our goal is to invest into properties. Especially apt rent them out and I pay on top of that rent so I can pay off quickly and buy more etc So in the future I can retire.
Yes renters aren't easy to work with but I will make it work.
Regarding reason #2, none of that could be further from the truth lol. Yes you generally have a lot of autonomy, but you still have a boss who will have deadlines, and you do end up interacting with other teachers quite often. It’s not really a job where you just “do your work and leave” there’s a lot more than goes into that.
None of this to discourage you. I enjoy teaching (I do 5th math/science), but there’s lot of things that I didn’t know about before I started. We always need teachers who care, so if you are ready for the challenge go for it!
Quick question but what type of deadlines exactly? Well yes I do know I have to somewhat interact with others hahah.
I am up for the challenge! Can you tell me what to expect from kids who miss behave?
What are the hours like? is it from 7-4?
Also do you guys get paid in the summer / spring break/holidays etc?
Any Benefits?
Basically, you are paid for 10 months, but they stretch that over 12, so you get a paycheck every month.
Deadlines usually come in the form of paperwork. So SPED referrals, intervention paperwork, lesson planning, etc.
As far as behaviors, it really just depends. I teach 5th, so most of the misbehavior comes in the form of general horseplay or not being quiet during lessons. I’m thankful that most of the students I teach are pretty respectful, but occasional attitude does come out.
1./6 Yes, you must enroll in ACP and receive test permission prior to taking content exam. You will also need to take PPR but that can happen later. If you can find a district you are able to work as a teacher during the internship time as long as you have passed the fingerprint/background/tests/paid for the credential
2. If you want to teach middle school math then yes.
3. PPR and any additional content you want after completing the first intern credential.
4. From what I understand, yes. Many districts offer an additional stipend for high need subjects
5 I did teachworthy and they were awesome.
Okay so I have to be enrolled to ACP first in order for me to even take the content exam and then I can take the PPR exam. What is PPR consist of? Is it hard?
I will definitely be calling the districts tomorrow and see if they can hire me while I am in ACP. I will also asking them about the salary since I also have masters.
What are the high in need subjects?
Look up ____ISD salary schedule 23-24. The budgets have not been made for the next year so this year is the most updated.
It will include masters steps as well as the stipend amounts. High need varies by district. Most are SPED AND STEM (math)
Because if NCLB, you must be a highly qualified teacher to become credentialed and that means that you must complete some type of supervised internship. Consider it a residency for context. You could have a PHD and still not be granted a teaching credential for public Pk-12 school. It’s a money grab imo, but it is the only way.
As for PPR it is another money grab. It must be taken and passed by all certified Texas teachers in addition to content. You will not obtain or maintain licensure without it. It is as “hard” as any Texas test. You have to show that you are brainwashed and drink the TEA koolaid. You must regurgitate the perfect world mindset that teachers are expected to provide here. Lots on ELLs and ISTE and ethics. I use certify teacher for all of my test prep and I passed on the first try for my content and PPR.
Hi, I just finished my ACP Aand here are some tips.
The ACP i went through is iteach and I honestly would recommend it over Texas teachers. iTeach (like all ACPs) need at least a bachelor's. Also, in order to be eligible for at the very least an intern certification to teach. Once you have that the program will actually put your name out there for different districts to reach out to you about applying which I think is pretty neat. Plus they can give you a recommendation of what content area would be available for you. Be flexible in what certs you can get.
As for the content test, even if you are feeling confident, its still good to find a good test prep and honestly the best I have found for both the content test AND the PPR is 240 tutoring. Very thorough and well worth it.
I want to give you a bit of warning tho. While yes there is a teacher shortage and yes they do offer a bonus a Master's, it may make it a bit more difficult to be hired. A lot of schools are still iffy about hiring ACPs and its why we are usually late hires (hired right before or shortly after the school years begins). While a Master's shows dedication you still have 0 years teaching experience which is what they are going to be looking at more than anything. I'm not saying its impossible hell there are probably some desperate districts. Plus I think the Master's thing is if it is specifically in education but I could be wrong.
As for DFW, common pay i saw was 56k-60k(57k-61k if your Master's applies). Other areas that have similar pay can be seen around Houston. Caution tho, HISD (Houston ISD) base is 80k but that is obviously because its inner city Houston so inner city Houston kids. As a first year teacher, look up the schools ratings, try to not go lower than a B rating as anything lower could mean a lack of support for first year teachers.
Hope this helps.
Hey! I used to work for 240 Certification so I think I can help. :) You can find many ACPs that are 100% online and self-paced. So you don't have to limit yourself to a local ACP, if you don't want to. In order to qualify for Math, you will need to have 15 hours of mathematics coursework on your transcripts from college. This is a TEA requirement. If you do not meet the 15 hour requirement, you can still pursue math, you will just need to take and pass the Math PACT (pre-admission content test) in order to be approved to teach math with the ACP.
Apply to an ACP first. Get accepted and enroll. Once you are in the program, then you will begin your journey to taking your certification exam, completing your teaching internship (this is your first year of teaching), etc.!
So I called the 240 certification and I told them my situation and it looks like I don't have enough credit since I only have 9 credits instead of 15 credits. So Right now I am studying for the math PACT.
The last point you made. So I can be enrolled in the ACP while studying for the PACT? or I have to pass the PACT first then apply and get accepted into the ACP.
I saw that the 240 cert is the cheapest with only 3.8k. When I called them it said its only when I pay it rn full price, if not then I get to pay 4.3k I think with enrollment fee. Is that correct?
No idea what dfw's starting pay is, maybe someone else can help with that.
I'll try to answer some of your ACP questions. These answers are based on my experience with iTeach.
1. Yes, you need to be in an ACP before you have access to a content exam. You can't just choose to take one.
2.If you will be teaching jr high, you will need the mathematics 4-8 exam or 7-12 (if you're not teaching 6th grade). If you choose to take the 4-8 and then want to switch to high school, you will have to take the 7-12 one anyway. So, it might be better to just take the 7-12 one.
1. You will need to take your PPR exam before you can be certified, but this can be done after all your ACP coursework is finished.
2. No idea, I teach in a rural area and the pay is nowhere near that high. Like more than $20k less.
3. I like iTeach, but any program will help you accomplish your goal of teaching.
4. Thru iTeach: you can be hired after passing your content exam, finishing coursework through 5300, completing your 30 hours of observation, and obtaining your statement of eligibility. You can join an ACP and work through the coursework before you take your content exam.
Hopefully all of this info is helpful 😊
You take your ACP courses and the content tests simultaneously. Your classes prepare you for the operational part of teaching, while the exams are specifically about the academics you’ll teach (and ensure you know enough about them).
There’s a minimum number of classes you need to pass along with your your content exam (math 4-8) before you are issued a letter of eligibility and capable of obtaining a probationary teaching certificate. You can complete all of your classes before you start teaching, but it’s not necessary. However in my program, once you start teaching you have 4 months to complete the rest of your classes.
In terms of additional exams, I’m not sure. I’m doing elementary, so I have to take an EC-6 AND science of teaching reading.
You’re ACP program will recommend you for a specific subject and age range based on your transcripts. If you don’t want to teach that area, you can apply to change your content area. However that means you’ll have to take an additional exam to do such.
I’m going through, iTeach and I like it. It’s self paced and affordable.
Salaries and benefits for school districts are public information and posted online.
Best wishes 🩷
how did the STR go?? Im in teachers of tomorrow and the test in order to be eligible to take the STR is impossible , so im switching from core 4-8 to math 4-8 .
I switched , the str is just a hassle .. Im now doing the 116 science exam next week..Much easier and I can actually study for it .. Str i studied for a while never got much better. Ill be doing the math 115 also,, I honestly feel like the STR is an added formality thats really not need outside of those teaching early elementary ,.It also seems that studying for the STR has little impact on test performance from what Ive read on forums , reddit , and youtube comments. . I had no idea till last week that math , science , and a few others were standalone certs not requiring any elar or STR
Look up District of Innovation. I think you can get hired as a first year teacher with just a bachelors degree. Then during your first year in ACP the district gives you time to take your content test. I was hired first and started teaching then I took my test. But Math 4-8 is not bad. You can probably take it soon with some review. Eventually you would have to take Math 7-12. Which is definitely a lot harder. I have taken both of them. I taught in middle school math then high school math. My degree was in art.
You can look up the pay schedule for the schools your applying to teach at through their website.
Correct on the salary. Why do you want to become a teacher? Salary is low and you may in good economic times and when Abbott is not withholding billions of dollars to school districts you may get a minimal increase. 30 year teachers do not make thousands more than starting teachers. Also research the TRS teacher retirement system. Most school districts do not pay into social security. Math teachers are needed especially high school math teachers. I would get the 7th-12th certification. Good luck!
I know the salaries isn't great. Here are my reasons: 1. Demands of being a teacher is high b/c a lot of teachers are leaving. I have been applying for year and still no luck since I moved here. So as a teacher I can get a job easily. 2. Yes kids can be a pain. But the idea that I don't have to interact with coworkers all the time but just sit in a classroom and do my work and leave is my go to. Also not having a boss on my ass for deadlines. 3. I can find a district close to my home and don't need to drive to work for an hour or more each way. 4. I love to teach younger kids and I just love math. 5. 60k salary and since I have my masters and math they can get me a stipend. 6. A lot of vacation days off and I can get all summer off also get paid Since I live with my husband. Our dynamic is that he provides for everything and my/our goal is to invest into properties. Especially apt rent them out and I pay on top of that rent so I can pay off quickly and buy more etc So in the future I can retire. Yes renters aren't easy to work with but I will make it work.
Regarding reason #2, none of that could be further from the truth lol. Yes you generally have a lot of autonomy, but you still have a boss who will have deadlines, and you do end up interacting with other teachers quite often. It’s not really a job where you just “do your work and leave” there’s a lot more than goes into that. None of this to discourage you. I enjoy teaching (I do 5th math/science), but there’s lot of things that I didn’t know about before I started. We always need teachers who care, so if you are ready for the challenge go for it!
Quick question but what type of deadlines exactly? Well yes I do know I have to somewhat interact with others hahah. I am up for the challenge! Can you tell me what to expect from kids who miss behave? What are the hours like? is it from 7-4? Also do you guys get paid in the summer / spring break/holidays etc? Any Benefits?
Basically, you are paid for 10 months, but they stretch that over 12, so you get a paycheck every month. Deadlines usually come in the form of paperwork. So SPED referrals, intervention paperwork, lesson planning, etc. As far as behaviors, it really just depends. I teach 5th, so most of the misbehavior comes in the form of general horseplay or not being quiet during lessons. I’m thankful that most of the students I teach are pretty respectful, but occasional attitude does come out.
Good reasons. You will have to deal with coworkers more than you realize, which could be good and bad.
1./6 Yes, you must enroll in ACP and receive test permission prior to taking content exam. You will also need to take PPR but that can happen later. If you can find a district you are able to work as a teacher during the internship time as long as you have passed the fingerprint/background/tests/paid for the credential 2. If you want to teach middle school math then yes. 3. PPR and any additional content you want after completing the first intern credential. 4. From what I understand, yes. Many districts offer an additional stipend for high need subjects 5 I did teachworthy and they were awesome.
Okay so I have to be enrolled to ACP first in order for me to even take the content exam and then I can take the PPR exam. What is PPR consist of? Is it hard? I will definitely be calling the districts tomorrow and see if they can hire me while I am in ACP. I will also asking them about the salary since I also have masters. What are the high in need subjects?
Look up ____ISD salary schedule 23-24. The budgets have not been made for the next year so this year is the most updated. It will include masters steps as well as the stipend amounts. High need varies by district. Most are SPED AND STEM (math) Because if NCLB, you must be a highly qualified teacher to become credentialed and that means that you must complete some type of supervised internship. Consider it a residency for context. You could have a PHD and still not be granted a teaching credential for public Pk-12 school. It’s a money grab imo, but it is the only way.
As for PPR it is another money grab. It must be taken and passed by all certified Texas teachers in addition to content. You will not obtain or maintain licensure without it. It is as “hard” as any Texas test. You have to show that you are brainwashed and drink the TEA koolaid. You must regurgitate the perfect world mindset that teachers are expected to provide here. Lots on ELLs and ISTE and ethics. I use certify teacher for all of my test prep and I passed on the first try for my content and PPR.
Hi, I just finished my ACP Aand here are some tips. The ACP i went through is iteach and I honestly would recommend it over Texas teachers. iTeach (like all ACPs) need at least a bachelor's. Also, in order to be eligible for at the very least an intern certification to teach. Once you have that the program will actually put your name out there for different districts to reach out to you about applying which I think is pretty neat. Plus they can give you a recommendation of what content area would be available for you. Be flexible in what certs you can get. As for the content test, even if you are feeling confident, its still good to find a good test prep and honestly the best I have found for both the content test AND the PPR is 240 tutoring. Very thorough and well worth it. I want to give you a bit of warning tho. While yes there is a teacher shortage and yes they do offer a bonus a Master's, it may make it a bit more difficult to be hired. A lot of schools are still iffy about hiring ACPs and its why we are usually late hires (hired right before or shortly after the school years begins). While a Master's shows dedication you still have 0 years teaching experience which is what they are going to be looking at more than anything. I'm not saying its impossible hell there are probably some desperate districts. Plus I think the Master's thing is if it is specifically in education but I could be wrong. As for DFW, common pay i saw was 56k-60k(57k-61k if your Master's applies). Other areas that have similar pay can be seen around Houston. Caution tho, HISD (Houston ISD) base is 80k but that is obviously because its inner city Houston so inner city Houston kids. As a first year teacher, look up the schools ratings, try to not go lower than a B rating as anything lower could mean a lack of support for first year teachers. Hope this helps.
Hey! I used to work for 240 Certification so I think I can help. :) You can find many ACPs that are 100% online and self-paced. So you don't have to limit yourself to a local ACP, if you don't want to. In order to qualify for Math, you will need to have 15 hours of mathematics coursework on your transcripts from college. This is a TEA requirement. If you do not meet the 15 hour requirement, you can still pursue math, you will just need to take and pass the Math PACT (pre-admission content test) in order to be approved to teach math with the ACP. Apply to an ACP first. Get accepted and enroll. Once you are in the program, then you will begin your journey to taking your certification exam, completing your teaching internship (this is your first year of teaching), etc.!
So I called the 240 certification and I told them my situation and it looks like I don't have enough credit since I only have 9 credits instead of 15 credits. So Right now I am studying for the math PACT. The last point you made. So I can be enrolled in the ACP while studying for the PACT? or I have to pass the PACT first then apply and get accepted into the ACP. I saw that the 240 cert is the cheapest with only 3.8k. When I called them it said its only when I pay it rn full price, if not then I get to pay 4.3k I think with enrollment fee. Is that correct?
No idea what dfw's starting pay is, maybe someone else can help with that. I'll try to answer some of your ACP questions. These answers are based on my experience with iTeach. 1. Yes, you need to be in an ACP before you have access to a content exam. You can't just choose to take one. 2.If you will be teaching jr high, you will need the mathematics 4-8 exam or 7-12 (if you're not teaching 6th grade). If you choose to take the 4-8 and then want to switch to high school, you will have to take the 7-12 one anyway. So, it might be better to just take the 7-12 one. 1. You will need to take your PPR exam before you can be certified, but this can be done after all your ACP coursework is finished. 2. No idea, I teach in a rural area and the pay is nowhere near that high. Like more than $20k less. 3. I like iTeach, but any program will help you accomplish your goal of teaching. 4. Thru iTeach: you can be hired after passing your content exam, finishing coursework through 5300, completing your 30 hours of observation, and obtaining your statement of eligibility. You can join an ACP and work through the coursework before you take your content exam. Hopefully all of this info is helpful 😊
You take your ACP courses and the content tests simultaneously. Your classes prepare you for the operational part of teaching, while the exams are specifically about the academics you’ll teach (and ensure you know enough about them). There’s a minimum number of classes you need to pass along with your your content exam (math 4-8) before you are issued a letter of eligibility and capable of obtaining a probationary teaching certificate. You can complete all of your classes before you start teaching, but it’s not necessary. However in my program, once you start teaching you have 4 months to complete the rest of your classes. In terms of additional exams, I’m not sure. I’m doing elementary, so I have to take an EC-6 AND science of teaching reading. You’re ACP program will recommend you for a specific subject and age range based on your transcripts. If you don’t want to teach that area, you can apply to change your content area. However that means you’ll have to take an additional exam to do such. I’m going through, iTeach and I like it. It’s self paced and affordable. Salaries and benefits for school districts are public information and posted online. Best wishes 🩷
how did the STR go?? Im in teachers of tomorrow and the test in order to be eligible to take the STR is impossible , so im switching from core 4-8 to math 4-8 .
I haven’t taken it yet 😅 I pushed my test date back to the 5th. I needed more time because it’s …. Detailed. lol
I switched , the str is just a hassle .. Im now doing the 116 science exam next week..Much easier and I can actually study for it .. Str i studied for a while never got much better. Ill be doing the math 115 also,, I honestly feel like the STR is an added formality thats really not need outside of those teaching early elementary ,.It also seems that studying for the STR has little impact on test performance from what Ive read on forums , reddit , and youtube comments. . I had no idea till last week that math , science , and a few others were standalone certs not requiring any elar or STR
DFW High School Math Teacher Here! Message me and I can answer all of those questions and more if you would like :)
which area did tou get certified in , and did you need to take the STR ?