A New Year, A New Journey

It has been FOREVER since I have posted to my blog. Life happened and the next thing I know it is over a year later and I haven't posted anything new. In the last year I have graduated college, and I now can say that I have a Bachelor's of Science in Mathematics. (My boyfriend always laughs at the idea that I have a "BS" in Mathematics.)

Now I have embarked on that journey called "Finding a Job," also known as "Starting a Career." I took a long time to complete my degree. (I graduated high school 20 years before I graduated college.) When I first started college back in 1992, I thought I would teach elementary school. Twenty years later, I had decided that I would much prefer teaching high school mathematics, and eventually collegiate level mathematics. My educational journey has not ended. Because my degree is not an education degree with a mathematics concentration, I need to go through some kind of alternative certification program to teach in the state of Texas. Most educators-to-be choose to go through the regional education service center in their area. I had planned to go through Region III (my local education service center) for my alternative certification. While I was researching the criteria and steps I would need to take to enroll in the program, I learned of a new program being offered at my university. As a student at the University of Houston - Victoria (UHV), I was able to make use of the Career Services office to help me look into options for alternative certification. My Career Services officer told me about the Victoria Online Initial Certification for Educators (VOICE) program through UHV's School of Education. The awesome thing about getting my alternative certification via the VOICE program is that by the time I have my teaching certification, I will ALSO have 18 credit hours towards a Masters degree. This is a perk that is not available through the regional education service centers.

I have completed the first step towards enrolling in the VOICE program, but now comes the scary part. Now I have to find a job at a high school. I have been privately tutoring high school Algebra for the last couple of years, in addition to being a mathematics and statistics tutor at the university. I have experience teaching mathematical concepts. I have even written a few basic algebra handouts 
that have been published on the university website. I have put together an awesome portfolio to impress the high school principals. I have spruced up my resume, and now I am searching the internet for local school districts with high school mathematics openings.

I am looking forward to starting this part of my journey. I am hoping to chronicle my journey through The Inner Nerd, and I would love for you to follow along.