Alan & Brenda Leonard

1/29/03 16:43:

> NOT ONCE has any of my employers or clients asked, "Do you
> have a degree?" (This always amazes me actually.)

I run into this all the time. I teach music lessons (violin, viola, cello,
bass, and beginning piano).

I get referrals from schools, music stores, and other people who know I
teach. Most of those folks know I teach because I told them so. Some of
them *may* have heard me play one of those instruments.

The two questions parents ask when they call is, "Do you have room for
another student", and "What times to you have available?". I've had maybe
five people *ever* ask for my credentials. I've been teaching for 17 years;
over half my life.

Fact is, I have great credentials. I can do what I say I do, I have
reasonable success as a teacher, and I'm not a child abuser. . BUT NOBODY
ASKS!!! I think it's wierd, and a bit frightening.

brenda

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I just wanted to put in my 2 cents about having a degree.
Although I don't plan on using my master's in Ed anytime in the near (or far
actually) future... it does give me an option of a career if our family
situation ever changes and I need to find good employment that would (barely)
support us. And it's at least a career that allows time off at holidays, out of
work by 2:00 every day(school starts early here), and summer home with the
family.
btw, most of our course work in Ed was about paperwork, classroom management,
and lesson plans. Never actually learned how to "teach" anything anyways,
that stuff is common sense. Also, that woman might not of had to leave her
child in daycare to get the degree. I did mine at night, it took 2 years part
time of 1-2 nights a week. Seems most grad classes around here aren't in a
typical all day M-F setting like undergrad.
I wonder what she would think if she knew how much we've been discussing
this? Now that would be interesting for a thesis.
Amanda


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

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In a message dated 1/1/04 7:01:41 PM, Mattamandab@... writes:

<< Never actually learned how to "teach" anything anyways,
that stuff is common sense. >>

I wish!

I don't think there was objection to college degrees in general, just to the
idea that getting a master's degree in education so that one could homeschool
was somewhere between goofy and overkill.

Sandra