To Stand and Deliver in Massachusetts?

March 26, 2008 11:20 AM

What does the hivemind know about teacher licensure in MA?

I took an MTEL practice test and it seemed quite doable. Any experience with the Boston Teacher Residency Program? Teaching in the Boston Public School System Generally?

posted by MasonDixon to Education (3 answers total)

I used to be a teacher in MA and here's what my experience was:

Got the job first under the basis of "significant professional experience." Essentially, if the district wants you badly enough, they'll just hire you, credentials be damned.

Took the English literacy test and the subject test all in one grueling day. I found the language test to be very easy. I don't know how it has changed in the past 6 years (the DOE web site claims that it was initiated in 1998, so I suspect that it hasn't changed much). Beware though - it has several short response questions which are looking for very specific forms and you don't get credit if you don't hit the form. If I recall, one of my questions was "What is an adverb." No, seriously. To top it off at break time I eavesdropped on a group of UMass education students and heard the following, "...is what I put down for 'adverb'. It is? Really? Oh I got that wrong then." If you can knock out a coherent five paragraph subtopic essay, it's hard to fail the writing.

I took the subject test in 'Technology', which was a freakin' joke. It can be summed up in the phrase, "I'll take obsolete drafting terms for $400, Alex." I've never taken drafting. I think I missed one question.

Relax - bring lots of pencils and bring your lunch with you.

Once you're hired, you need to accumulate a certain amount of PDP's (Professional Development Points) which you will exchange for Pepsi Gearthe privilege of continued employment in the state. A good district will help provide programs to make it easier for you, but you should immediately look at on line courses that you can take in your copious spare time, because if you don't have enough PDP's by then end of your third year, they'll give you the boot. Expect to have to take summer courses as well.

You are allowed to teach one subject outside of your specialty. If you're in a big district, that's no issue. If you were in a tiny district like me, it was vital - in fact, they encouraged me to get an additional certification (math) so they could leverage my skills more.

I did not teach in the Boston area, so I can't offer you any advice about that.
posted by plinth at 12:05 PM on March 26, 2008

You might also want to look at private and charter schools - they need teachers just as badly, and certification often isn't a requirement.
posted by NotMyselfRightNow at 12:44 PM on March 26, 2008

I took and passed a number of the subject tests in addition to the English comprehension test (whatever it is called), which I think I got a perfect score on, or maybe missed one point on a dictation. This was 6 years ago. I think I took the High School English subject test on the same day - I passed it but it was extremely difficult - bizarre really, with a lot of ambiguous questions and some really obscure stuff about non-English ethnic literature (Chinese and Creole, for example), I think designed to give a boost to High School English teachers who do not speak English. I have also taken the Junior High Math test and the Middle School General knowledge test (whatever it was called) - very easy and a lot of fun.

I applied for a slot in the MINT program and even did a sample lesson on an "audition" day with a bunch of other candidates. I really thought I was going to participate in that program and was stunned when I was not accepted, so much so that I abandoned the idea of becoming a teacher. I came to realize that (in 2002 at least) the supply of potential teachers far exceeded the demand.

I also went to a career fair held at Emmanuel College for open positions in the Boston system and passed that screening test, but nothing ever came of it (no subsequent interviews).
posted by thomas144 at 12:59 PM on March 26, 2008