GED Teacher
Career review from a person working in the job
How I Got The Job
My Education: BA in Liberal Arts, UMass Lowell, M.Ed in Education from UNH
My Prior Experience: I work as a pre-GED teacher at a center in NH as well as work as a Mentor Teacher and Learning Disabilities Consultant for the Department of Ed in NH.
My Job Profile
My Company: I work for continuing education through a school district that offers GED classes. I also work for the Department of Education in NH for mentoring teachers within adult ed and also acting as a disabilities consultant for the teachers in adult ed.
Job/Career Overview: My role as an educator is varied day by day. I teach two nights a week in a pre-GED program that offers reading, writing, and math skills for those students who are seeking to earn the GED. My primary function is reading comprehension skills for those students who are close to achieving the GED, and also working with beginning readers on skills they need to start to begin the reading process.
My other function as a teacher within this setting is to act as a mentor teacher for new teachers within adult ed, whether they have been teaching for one class or 20 years. This opportunity allows me to constantly hone my skills and strategies since I know that teachers may be calling on me for assistance.
Lastly, my last job function as a teacher in adult ed is to be a learning disabilities consultant for teachers within the adult ed area. I am called upon for ideas about behavior, classroom management, types of disabilities, and accommodations. Once a week I reach out to all of the teachers that are on my email newsletter list and blog to get an exchange of ideas.
My profession is quite rewarding.
Love It? Hate It?
I rate this career 10 out of 10.
What I Love or Hate
The best parts of my job are working with the students and engaging them in the learning process. I truly love working with learners who want a "second chance". I enjoy working with the staff throughout the State of NH and seeing how all of the programs work together for the common benefit of all learners in NH.
Worst part: The lack of programming to meet the needs of all students. Our program meets two nights a week, and that is great, but some students would love to come more often, but budgeting constraints do not allow for this.
My Career Tips
Believe that all people are capable of learning, despite what they may think, feel, or say.
Be creative and think "outside of the box".
Don't base your judgments on your students by what others say. Learn for yourself what they are capable of doing.
Be willing to invest yourself completely in the learning process and engage with the students in the process.
Be willing to change your lesson plans to meet the needs of the students.
