Help Wanted

comp. programming teacher – mellonamin

mellonamin

Member

Posts: 119
From: Maryville, TN, United States
Registered: 11-16-2004
I am thinking about going to college and becoming a computer programming teacher in highschool...anyone have any tips about colleges or anything??

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Vita sine Ieso est mors.
Life without Jesus is death.
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HeardTheWord

Member

Posts: 224
From: Des Moines, IA
Registered: 08-16-2004
Here are my two cents. Search for colleges in your surrounding area and examine their areas of study. Ask your teachers if they know of any good colleges in your state or nearby. Find a place that appeals to you and seems like it could become your home for a few years. You can also search outside your state. There are specialized colleges but often times they are more expensive or have a high drop out rate. Searching for a college is like searching for a job you must do your research.

Try to visit the college before making your desicion. I looked at one college in the winter and they didn't have their streets and sidewalks cleaned off from the snow. The next place I went had everything salted and cleared (guess where I went). Good luck on your search!

mellonamin

Member

Posts: 119
From: Maryville, TN, United States
Registered: 11-16-2004
I'm most likely going to University of Tennessee which is like 15 minutes from my house...they have comp. science and comp. engineering courses.

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Vita sine Ieso est mors.
Life without Jesus is death.
Enter The Circle

graynod

Member

Posts: 17
From: richmond, VA, USA
Registered: 09-28-2004
hi,
One of my professors tried very hard to talk me into going to University of Tennessee, they're reputed to have a top-notch program (he went there too), sounds like you'll do well. If you really enjoy programming & learning about it & frying your brains on problems, you'll love it and do well.

Not meaning to knock teaching in high school, that's a great goal, but have you thought of going further? There's a shortage of professors in CS and just the MS will qualify you for adjunct positions in most colleges; such a position would be a fine launchpad for getting the PhD. I'm thinking of pursuing this route myself. Ask about stipends for graduate work at your University of choice.

I wish you great success with this impending adventure, please keep us updated with what you're going through & maybe some of us 'vets' will have useful information for you. Don't let bad profs (there's some at every school) discourage you, don't let the braggarts fool you (I graded too many projects and tutored too many students along the way... the guys always talking about their skills and running folks down often didn't even get their stuff turned in...). Find some fun fellow hackers to dabble in the science with. It should really be fun, even when it draws sweat out of you, you should want to learn more skills and be able to put them to use.

May God bless you and guide your journey into computer science.
graynod

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graynod -> "my head was feeling scared but my heart was feeling free" -- the Pixies

mellonamin

Member

Posts: 119
From: Maryville, TN, United States
Registered: 11-16-2004
Hey greynod...thanks for that info!

I haven't thought about teaching college...great idea. The reason I said teaching high school is because the school system I am in right now doesn't have a Comp. Programming class because no one would teach it and the school system is too cheap to put the money into a program for it. That really stinks because I know a LOT of kids in my school who program and would love to take a programming class. I have also always wanted to be a teacher and I would love to come back to my highschool as a teacher. Our school isn't very "spirited" either if you know what I mean and I hope to renew that spirit that we used to have by becoming a teacher there...I don't know though...whatever God wants!

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Vita sine Ieso est mors.
=Life without Jesus is death.

Sciuri non sunt boni edere.
=Squirrels are not good to eat.

graynod

Member

Posts: 17
From: richmond, VA, USA
Registered: 09-28-2004
I love your attitude: "Whatever God wants!" You are quite right. I should, of course, have thought to mention that it should be quite possible to teach college _and_ high school. At any rate, many institutions will be happy to see a CS teacher looking for work. A great deal of emphasis was placed on ethics as I went through several programs, by the way, you should really have a leg up in that department. I hope you have great success in your education and in achieving your goals, and in obeying God's will for you.

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graynod -> "my head was feeling scared but my heart was feeling free" -- the Pixies

mellonamin

Member

Posts: 119
From: Maryville, TN, United States
Registered: 11-16-2004
Thanks for the info. graynod! I am sure it will really help me! May God bless you!

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Vita sine Ieso est mors.
=Life without Jesus is death.

Sciuri non sunt boni edere.
=Squirrels are not good to eat.