Long Distance Competition/Ultracycling, Randonneuring and Endurance Cycling - Degree ...... FINALLY complete!!

This doesn't have a whole lot to do with long distance cycling ... except that going to University full time, and working 1-2 jobs has really eaten into my long distance cycling time. The further into the program I got, the less long distance cycling I could do ... the less cycling I could do at all. Last year my longest ride ended up being a 300K because I simply did not have the time to do more while working ~60 hours a week in the summer.

However as of today ... things have all changed .......

Today, April 17th, 2009 ... I have finally finished my Bachelor of Education degree.

Roughly 5 years ago I made the decision to quit my job, give up my apartment, give away/sell/pack & store my things, move two provinces over in order to pursue my dream of getting my Bachelor of Education. I've had that dream since I was about 8 years old.

It's been a lot of work and a huge challenge for me for many reasons ........ but today, I completed my final practicum, and I am DONE!!! No more practicums, no more classes, no more assignments ... completely and utterly finished. :D :D :D :D :D

Let the cycling begin!!!!

My official graduation is June 9th. :) And then I embark on a whole new and different life. :love:

Congratulations!!! :thumb:

Congratulations!

I love stories where people go and actually do things.

Congratulations!

Congratulations!

I'll be joining you in celebration soon... I have 5 weeks until I finish my graduate degree.

Now get out there and teach those young 'uns!!

Great job!!!!!! Glad you're going to be able to spend more time riding.

Congrats on a big decision......

Congratulations!!!

That's excellent! CONGRATULATIONS! :thumb: I'm sure it was worth the sacrifice of time off the bike but now get back out there and ride- is your snow finally gone?

Awesome!!!!!!!!!!!

That's excellent! CONGRATULATIONS! :thumb: I'm sure it was worth the sacrifice of time off the bike but now get back out there and ride- is your snow finally gone?

The snow is gone and the temperature is warming up!! :) I've got a lot of packing to do over the next 7 weeks, but I'm also hoping to get a lot of cycling in there too.

Congrats! My wife is actually starting an EDD (EDucation Doctorate) program in the fall. This will free me up to do more riding. :)

Fourteen years ago I gave up a career as an electrical engineer, went to the UW and got a degree in education. I am completing my 11th year as a teacher this year. My only regret is that I did not do it 5 years sooner. I plan on teaching until I die. I have no interest in retirement. Teaching is a great career. Congratulations - the world needs more motivated teachers. And on a bike related note...the kids will love your stories about biking.

Well done, Teacher! I know how hard it is to study and work long hours... Enjoy the change, and reward yourself for your achievement!

Can't we transfer this to the education forum?:rolleyes:

Seriously, way to go! Very few people even know what they really want, and fewer still pursue it, especially when it requires such a sacrifice. I hope you enjoy your new career, and your riding.

Bravo! Are planning to edumacate some Australians?

Congratulations!! Good for you for saying YES to life.

Congratulations!

Now you are qualified to teach Long Distance Bike Riding.

What now to do with all That Free Time?

Congrats from a fellow teacher. Time for a Master's degree now?

Bravo! Are planning to edumacate some Australians?

Quite possibly ... I've already been looking at what it takes to register as a teacher there.




Congratulations!

Now you are qualified to teach Long Distance Bike Riding.

What now to do with all That Free Time?

Oh good, there's something I can do with my degree! :D

And there won't be free time for a little while ....... there's too much packing, sorting, etc. etc. to do. I've got to take approx. 800 sq. ft of stuff and reduce it in half and pack it to get ready for shipping.



Congrats from a fellow teacher. Time for a Master's degree now?

NO!! No masters degree!! I've been in school pretty much steadily since I was 5 years old. Time for non-school life for a while. :)

As a 55 year old guy set to get his masters in June, I know exactly what you are talking about. Congrats! And ride on!

Machka, this is great news, congratulations!

Looking forward to the rest of the story!

Congratulations. May your graduation not mark an ending - but a start to a new and rewarding career.

Congratulations, Machka! Away from your husband, lots of working, lots of school ... lots of courage, LOTS of perseverance! It only gets better now. :thumb:

Fantastic!! Congratulations on your achievement. Sacrifice and hard work win out again!!!

Congratulations Machka!!!!!!!!!!!!

Now let the riding begin......

Congratulations.

This December i finished a nursing program. Since then i now work only three days a week, no more studying...and lots of time to ride!

Good luck finding a job and settling in.

That's awesome. Congratulations!

CONGRATULATIONS!:thumb:

Well done, congratulations!

Encouragement, thank you.

Congratulations....lucky.

[head slams back onto desk beside endless math exam review sheets]

Congrats!

I'm sure you will find your education to be a life changing experience. I completed my Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University at age 49. Everything changed for the better.

Michael

Congrats, at least you have a degree where you can work if you want.

I finished my MBA 2 years ago and still haven't been able to find a job. I haven't had an interview in 18months. Back before the internet I got jobs easily when I could meet face to face. Now I just get sucked into cyberspace...:cry: I take my frustration out in the gym and on the bike. I am pretty strong now :thumb:



Today, April 17th, 2009 ... I have finally finished my Bachelor of Education degree.

I specifically chose the Bachelor of Education because I wanted to travel.

I looked at those "Learn to Teach English and Get a Job in China in One Week" courses ... went to several free information sessions ......... but just didn't feel comfortable with them. A lot of money for very little education, resulting in very low qualifications. So I decided to go with the full Bachelor of Education so that I could teach in other countries ... or my own.

It turned out to be an especially good choice because there is a decent chance of getting a teaching job in Australia. I'm collecting the information to register as a teacher there ... I've got all the qualifications, I just need to go through the process.

Machka, is it recognized in the United States?

Congrats!

I'm sure you will find your education to be a life changing experience. I completed my Bachelor of Science from Northwestern University at age 49. Everything changed for the better.

Michael


Go you Northwestern, hold that banner high!!!

Class of 1981, age 28, McCormick Technical Institute, BS, major EE

That it was!

Road Fan

I used to live in Rogers and Highland Park!!! :love:


Go you Northwestern, hold that banner high!!

Machka, is it recognized in the United States?


I could have taught in the US with one of those "Learn to Teach English and Get a Job in China in One Week" courses ... so yes, a full 4-year Bachelor of Education is definitely recognized in the US. :D

I could have taught in the US with one of those "Learn to Teach English and Get a Job in China in One Week" courses ... so yes, a full 4-year Bachelor of Education is definitely recognized in the US. :D
Really?:twitchy: I can't teach grades 1-12 with my masters degree in the USA, but a "Learn to Teach English and Get a Job in China in One Week" would let me?!?
On the other hand I can teach undergrad classes, if any were available within 1000 km(or 620miles) of me...:rolleyes:

Little bitter, guess I'll get stronger...:innocent:

Really?:twitchy: I can't teach grades 1-12 with my masters degree in the USA, but a "Learn to Teach English and Get a Job in China in One Week" would let me?!?
On the other hand I can teach undergrad classes, if any were available within 1000 km(or 620miles) of me...:rolleyes:

Little bitter, guess I'll get stronger...:innocent:

Apparently it depends on the area of the US ... but from what I've been told, in some areas you can teach with any old degree, plus a very brief teaching certificate. So in my case, since I already had one Bachelor's degree (but not a B-Ed), a 1-week teaching certificate would have validated me to teach .......... had I any desire to teach in the US.

In places like Canada and Australia, however, a specific four+ year teaching degree is required, including at least 45 days of a practicum.

I ride with a converted teacher, she was a chem E who decided to go into teaching and now is in
her 3d year as a HS chem teacher. Last year grad school was very busy and things did not get a
lot better when she started teaching her first year. Yack!! lesson plans, homework, both hers and
the class, worse than getting the BEd in the first place. Things a bit better the 2d yr and much
better the third as lesson plans tend to carry over. Teachers have more homework than the students
for awhile. Biggest problem in US is the disruptive student, which is why large city school systems
are such a disaster area. Idiotic bureacracy doesn't help either, a major problem in the US where many
school systems have less than 50% of personell actually teaching, rest are drones in the office.
Australia and Canada may be better, don't know.

Certification requirements for teachers vary from state to state in the US. Within those states emergency certifications are offered to teachers who have degrees in their chosen fields. It is generally expected that those teachers work with a master teacher for six months and complete course work that leads to full certification.

Those emergency teaching jobs tend to be in inner city areas where regular teachers will not apply. Even for the most idealistic teachers, teachers leave those jobs within 5 years. Generally speaking, teachers in the inner cities are working against impossible odds. Unfortunately, the kids classrooms become revolving doors for people who lack the skills to teach.

None of that occurs in most school districts in the US where certification requirements are very high.

I just rode a 300K with a guy who used to teach bicycling at U of Florida -- how fun!

I used to live in Rogers and Highland Park!!! :love:

PM me, let's chat!

Certification requirements for teachers vary from state to state in the US. Within those states emergency certifications are offered to teachers who have degrees in their chosen fields. It is generally expected that those teachers work with a master teacher for six months and complete course work that leads to full certification.

Those emergency teaching jobs tend to be in inner city areas where regular teachers will not apply. Even for the most idealistic teachers, teachers leave those jobs within 5 years. Generally speaking, teachers in the inner cities are working against impossible odds. Unfortunately, the kids classrooms become revolving doors for people who lack the skills to teach.

None of that occurs in most school districts in the US where certification requirements are very high.

My question was too general. My experience is with the teachers in my family, my dad and Mrs Road Fan, are with states and districts that do require either Bachelors' of Ed or equivalent professional conversions: Illinois, Colorado, Texas, and Michigan. Except for Texas, a public school teacher can earn quite a good living in these states. Most favor education students from their own states, and require a special transcript review for teachers educated in other states. All of these, if I recall, require applicant qualification examinations on general knowledge, education knowledge, and any special skills to be offerred, such as math in my dad's case, and music in my wife's case.

Machka, I'd assume it's possible and of course totally regrettable, that your degree might not be recognized in some states, as the basic element of teacher qualification.

Michigan was actually pretty tough. My wife, as a music teacher with a not-common K-12 general, vocal, and instrumental cert, had to take a math test that was a stiff workout on all math through third year high school. She thought she'd fail it, but she was nearly perfect on that one. She was perfect in all her practice problems.

Machka, I'd assume it's possible and of course totally regrettable, that your degree might not be recognized in some states, as the basic element of teacher qualification.



I can't imagine why my degree wouldn't be recognized ... but no worries ... I have no plans to teach in the US. I'm headed for Australia! :)

It's funny: Mrs. Octopus is a tenured law professor. She can teach law students -- which in the U.S. is a 3-year graduate degree -- but it's very unlikely that she would ever be hired to teach at a community college (which here offer 2-year, post-secondary "associates" degrees) and at any 4-year college or university, forget about it. If she wanted to teach at a public K-12 school in most places in the U.S., she'd have to return to school and take undergraduate classes, get certifications, and pass various tests.

Education in the U.S. is a funny business -- one of the rare areas where American exceptionalism (both good and bad) really rings true. Hopefully the Australians are more pragmatic and flexible than us Yanks.

It's funny: Mrs. Octopus is a tenured law professor. She can teach law students -- which in the U.S. is a 3-year graduate degree -- but it's very unlikely that she would ever be hired to teach at a community college (which here offer 2-year, post-secondary "associates" degrees) and at any 4-year college or university, forget about it. If she wanted to teach at a public K-12 school in most places in the U.S., she'd have to return to school and take undergraduate classes, get certifications, and pass various tests.

Education in the U.S. is a funny business -- one of the rare areas where American exceptionalism (both good and bad) really rings true. Hopefully the Australians are more pragmatic and flexible than us Yanks.

The Australian system is very much like the Canadian system.

In Canada and Australia you have to get a 4-year degree including a minimum of a 1-year teaching component (the curriculum classes, assessment classes, psychology classes & ethics/law with regard to teaching children), and including a practicum. The required length of the practicum varies slightly from province/state to province/state. My practicum was 70 days, I need those 70 days if I wanted to teach here in Alberta or BC, but I only need a minimum of 45 days to teach in Victoria, Australia. Here in Canada a degree like that is called a Bachelor of Education, and I believe it is called something similar in Australia.

Without that specific degree, you cannot teach K-12 in Canada. There are rare exceptions in very remote communities where there just isn't anyone with that specific degree. In those cases they'll take someone with an official 4-year degree, and certify that person on a temporary basis ... they'll usually link that person up either in person or virtually with someone who is a qualified teacher for support, etc.

And without that degree, or a comparable one, you cannot teach K-12 in Australia either. With similar rare exceptions in remote communities.

Now, between provinces in Canada (because each province has their own specific qualifications), or when heading to another country, there is always the chance that I may have to take an additional course or two, or may have to write a qualification test, or something like that. But as it happens between here and Victoria, no extra courses are required.

Very exciting to be able to start your new Australian life!!

Congratulations, again!

Very exciting to be able to start your new Australian life!!

Congratulations, again!

48 days to go!! :)

And because I won't be able to work in Australia right away anyway ...... I'm hoping to do a lot of walking and a lot of cycling!!! :D :D