Teaching Opportunities and Certification

[Guest Squez0114]

My fiance (wife-to-be on 14 May 05) is getting her secondary ed (English) degree at the same time I'm commissioning. We're going to Sheppard AFB for ENJJPT (my medical came back qualified last week! woohoo!!!), and we're wondering what we should do to try to get her a job there. She has her teaching certification here in AZ. Does she need to get recertified in TX? Also, should she look for a job now in Wichita Falls or should we wait till we have our orders? This if off the subject, but when should we start looking for a place to live in Wichita Falls? I've been told I should wait for my orders to start looking. Also, she really wants to work on her masters degree, but is hesitant to start because she doesn't want to leave in the middle of her education to follow me around. Should she wait to start her masters until after ENJJPT?

[Guest kimszath]

Hey Squez--what's she want to get her masters degree in? There are several on-base universities at Sheppard offering varying degree programs, and most of them are universities that will be at your follow-on base, too. If she's an aviation-type at all, of course Embry-Riddle is there and just about everywhere else you'll ever go--outstanding program. Of course, I think they have Wayland Baptist, Webster, and a couple of others. Or, if she's working on an advanced Education degree, she could start an online program like Northcentral University offers--totally online, and totally accredited (I'm working on my Ph.D. with them right now--they're great!) E-mail the education office there and find out which colleges offer which degree programs--I have taught down there for one semester as adjunct faculty, and they do have several colleges available on the base. Good luck!

[Guest Squez0114]

Thanks for the info. She wants to get her masters in Rhetoric & Composition. She enjoys reading and writing. She found that Valdosta State Univ near Moody AFB offers this grad degree, so we're hoping to end up in GA after ENJJPT. I don't think she was able to find a good grad school in/near Wichita Falls that offered her degree desires, which is another reason why she wants to wait to start her grad studies. Therefore, she'd like to start her teaching at Wichita Falls if at all possible. She's worried she might end up working at a dept store or something not related to her career choice. Unfortunately, she has to turn down a few job offers here in AZ to go with me to TX. I know it bothers her a bit, but what can one do besides suck it up for a year or two or find another job there? Do you think it's even worth the effort to get a teaching job and then have to leave after a year?

[Guest Tweety]

Tell your fiancee to take the PRAXIS exam...it is a certification test recognized by 38 states and is pretty easy to get done. She should take both the PRAXIS I and II and do it soon so her scores will get into the Texas Board of Education as quickly as possible. I'm going through the same thing right now, but headed to Columbus AFB in Mississippi in May. Good luck to you both!

[Guest mrsgoss]

I am currently at Sheppard with my husband. He just graduated Friday from UPT. You are most likely not going to be here long enough for her to complete a masters program. However, if she wasnts to get started, we do have Midwestern State University. You can check them out online. Another option is for her to get her masters online. That is what I am doing. That way when we go to Davis-Monthan in July, I can continue with the same program at the same school. The job market here in Wichita Falls isn't very good. She can check the websites of some of the local school districts in the spring for opening for school in the fall. There is Wichita Falls ISD and Burkburnett ISD. I hope this helps.

[Guest Maike]

I am currently in grad school at Valdosta State, if you need any specific information please feel free to ask.

[Bronco130]

Sorry saw 999 replies... and I had to be the 1,000th