any experience renewing teaching license?

[WatchingThemGrow]

I just called our state dept. of educ. to check on the status of my license. It expires in June 2011, so in the next several months I need to take a bazillion credits to keep it and my counseling license current. Surely some of you have done this as a SAHM with 3 small DC. How in the world am I going to be able to get this done? It will be like 3 courses plus a conference...yikes. What did you find was manageable, fun, cost effective, etc.?

[niccig]

My SIL did some classes online, so she didn't have to turn up anywhere. She had to get it back after letting it lapse, and I think it was more than if she had kept it current - and she wasn't able to take a teaching job she was offered, and they really needed her to work. It might be worth it to keep it current rather than let it lapse and cause more problems later on if you ever need to be back in workforce sooner than you expected.

[almostamom]

I'm about to do this. I need 180 hours in the next 2 years, but I'd like to finish them all before the end of this school year. I'm hoping to do either weekend courses or online as the nearest university is more than an hour away from me.

Linda

[jse107]

I take classes online through Walden University for certification renewal--they have some great, really practical courses that are affordable.

I'm now looking into working toward getting licensed. Those courses are more expensive because they are part of a regular graduate degree (though I'd just be taking them piecemeal to fill in what I need to sit for the exam).

How many credits do you need? In MD, we need 6 credits every 5 years. An online Walden course is 3 credits. Two courses and you're done. Plus it's online!

[ourbabygirl]

I'm in your exact situation (almost)- not that I have 3 little ones (I have 2), but I'm a SAHM & my teaching license expires in June. Unfortunately, I only have like 10 credits/ clock hours towards my 125 or whatever it is, so it's really not possible for me to renew it by then unless... I don't know what. I guess the only thing I can think of that would be feasible (I have a 2 y.o. and a 1 month old) is taking an online class or two.
Sometimes your (or a neighboring) school district will have parenting workshops that they offer for free to parents in the community. Ours has one each month this fall; they're about 1.5 hours long and you can pay $5 for the clock hours, which is a steal.
I feel stupid for not keeping updated but I didn't realize it until it was too late, and I don't honestly know that I want to go back to my old job when my youngest is in school. I'd rather switch gears and go into a different area of education, so I'd rather focus on getting certified for that.

Good luck! Hopefully some other people will have some good & helpful ideas. :)

[boltfam]

I just called our state dept. of educ. to check on the status of my license. It expires in June 2011, so in the next several months I need to take a bazillion credits to keep it and my counseling license current. Surely some of you have done this as a SAHM with 3 small DC. How in the world am I going to be able to get this done? It will be like 3 courses plus a conference...yikes. What did you find was manageable, fun, cost effective, etc.?

I'm in the exact same boat! Ugh! I'll be keeping my eyes on this thread. Mine expires May 2011, and I have two kids...those are the only differences. Although online courses seem easier to swing, I'm much better when I have someone holding me accountable, so I'm thinking to actually take classes. We don't have extra $ lying around, though, so DH joked (thought there's some truth to it) that I'll have to get a job to pay for my classes. That means I'd go from SAHM to SAHM working PT and going to school. GL!

[boltfam]

I take classes online through Walden University for certification renewal--they have some great, really practical courses that are affordable.

I'm now looking into working toward getting licensed. Those courses are more expensive because they are part of a regular graduate degree (though I'd just be taking them piecemeal to fill in what I need to sit for the exam).

How many credits do you need? In MD, we need 6 credits every 5 years. An online Walden course is 3 credits. Two courses and you're done. Plus it's online!

So, Walden University has graduate courses online? In my lovely state, I need 9 credit hours in a planned graduate program.

[happymom]

I am in middle of renewing my license, but have been teaching all along so I have my hours. The only thing I had to do was take an autism course, which was just a few hours long. I hope you can take courses online- that would certainly be the easiest solution. Good luck!

[Roni]

I've recertified twice as a SAHM. I usually wait until the last year of the 3-year cycle to cram in most of my hours. I have done a couple 30-hour PBS Teacherline courses. If you do that, make sure you choose one that doesn't require you to have access to students. Also, if your state lets you, you can do some reading. I went to a one-day Teacher Learning Center Seminar, which was fantastic but probably not the best bang for your buck. But, they have many excellent books, so I have been able to get in some hours that way. Check out www.tlc-sems.com for more info. (Their books & workshops deal with discipline, dealing w/ difficult parents, etc. One book is called "The Taming of the Crew," for example.) Also, your school system may allow you to participate in in-service days. Good luck!

[Karenn]

The co-op preschool I had my kids in was through a community college so I got all of my credits that way. It was such a nice surprise when I figured that out!

Also, in the state where I live, you can let your certificate lapse. Then to renew it again, you simply have to meet the same requirements you would have to keep it up the the first place. So I let my certificate lapse 5 years ago instead of getting my 15 quarter credits. Now that I've gone back to teaching, I still only needed 15 quarter credits to reactivate my certificate (and thankfully, I earned those by doing preschool!)

[zag95]

Try to see what online courses are available in your state- esp if there is a school that specializes in education. You might see if there are any opportunities (classes, trainings, where you could earn grad credit, in addition to PDU hrs, etc). Example- I did writing scoring in the spring- for about 45 bucks, I could earn 1 grad credit by writing a paper. Very easy! Also, are there some easier weekend seminar type classes that you could attend? Such as, dealing with the difficult child, etc.....

[WatchingThemGrow]

Ok, these are some great ideas so far! I totally forgot to mention that I have my Master's in School Counseling as well and live within walking distance of our state's flagship school. You'd think I'd be able to find stuff, right??? I guess I should take some in elem educ, plus some in counseling.

We have a HUGE autism program a couple miles away, Schools Attuned is here (they work out at my gym, lol), and two of my main professors live a short bike ride away. I started to email them to get some ideas, then I checked our state counseling conference info. Sure enough, today was the main day. Yesterday is when all the CEUs could be earned. Argh. I ended up emailing the wife of one professor since she's the one who told me to move here, she convinced me to work at her school, and I see her when yard-saling. :) I bet she'll help me find something great for some counseling credits.

I need 15 CEUs or 150 contact hours. That seems pretty overwhelming, and pretty expensive if I try to find a way to get a babysitter so I can attend some classes/workshops or whatever. Not totally sure I'd have the quiet or space or motivation for an online course, but I guess I need to try. Ugh, Ugh, Ugh.

I should look at the lapse option. I called a grad school friend now SAHM this afternoon to see what she was doing, and she's burned out from our field. She said to just 1) evaluate the offerings and determine if it is even possible. 2) consider the added stress on our already stressed family situation and 3) determine if the complete renewal would be easier at a time when all my DC are out of the house for at least a FEW hours each day (so when our 1yo is in the 4yo class at preschool). She also said I should just trust God to provide the time, the opportunities, or the bigger house we need and not fret about jumping through these hoops. I like that idea.

[jse107]

Yes, almost all of Walden's classes are online. This is pretty much the only way I could do it now!

I do get some reimbursement from our county, so that helps with the cost.