Robin Said:

Switching careers from a video journalist to a teacher. Do I need a Master's in Education?

We Answered:

If higher pay is something you are looking for, here's some advice that might help you. In the state I live and work in, the only difference in pay between a bachelors and a masters is typically $500.00 to $3000.00 per year. This is not a very good payoff for all that you have paid for a masters (and may potentially pay in the future should you go for another one). This is for just plain jane teaching jobs. However, there are some positions in the teaching area that require or prefer masters degrees - school counselors, diagnosticians, curriculum coordinators, administrators. But this doesn't necessarily sound like what you are looking for. So as for obtaining another masters, it all depends on whether or not you want to obtain another degree. Obtaining teacher certification can be done without getting another degree. You can do this by going through alternative certification. These are programs designed for people who have degrees that are not in teaching but want to become teachers. They help you prepare for certification classes and provide you with the "meat" of teaching degree programs by having you observe in schools and teaching you how to be a teacher. The one I went through lasted about a year and a half, but I was employed by a school for a year of this.

Should you choose to go for another masters, you need to make sure the degree program offers you what is called "initial certification." Many but not all masters in education programs do. This will make sure you are qualified to teach. Believe it or not, having an education degree is not automatic qualification - you have to be certified.

One other suggestion, have you thought about teaching at the college level? Even junior college level? To be qualified, you have to have 18 graduate hours in the field you want to teach in. Just another option to think about!

Feel free to email me if you have more specific questions.

Perry Said:

Is this a strong list of extra curricular activities for college?

We Answered:

Wow. That's a long list there. It's a strong list. You don't have to worry about extra-curriculars at all.

Arnold Said:

Your Knowledge and View About Credit Cards?

We Answered:

1. I learned about personal finance from school. There was a class called Consumer Finance that was required to graduate. To be honest, I really did not learn anything that stuck. It was all about making sure you did not max out your new credit card once you turned 18 and received one. I still did it. I just paid it all off and I am about to be 22 years old. My parents never really talked to us about credit. I signed up for my first credit card and the APR was really high but my mom let me sign up for it anyway. I think it started at 25%. I have since lowered it to 10.

2. Once my cards are paid off, which should be in about a week (finally), I think I will only need those credit cards for emergencies. For example, I go to school about 700 miles away from home. If needed to get home for an emergency, I can buy a plane ticket and put it on my credit card. That is only if I am broke (which is likely) or will have the money later but need to get home sooner than that. I don't own a car yet but if I did, then I would use the credit card for emergency repairs that I don't have the money for yet but will have it soon. For me, I will not use it to go shopping. I did that earlier when I first got the card and I am just paying it off. I also think I need it because it teaches me to be responsible with my money. I don't want to pay a company fees because I used my credit card instead of my regular debit card. That makes no sense

3. Well, all those credit card commercials has definitely played a role in wanting a nicer credit card or one with more benefits. However, at the same time, I really dont want another credit card to have to deal with while I am still in school. Family members have not. My mother really does not want me to get another credit card until I finish my Bachelors and even my Masters. So, in about 4 years I will be able to get a new card. By then, I can assess how much I am making after graduating, how much my student loans are, and if I need yet another credit card. I currently have two so I doubt I will get another one.

4. What I would like to know about credit cards is how they evaluate giving their customers credit increases. Also, what if you do not want the credit increase but you get it anyway. For example, around the 1st of the year, my credit limit doubled. I really did not need this extra credit. I understand they want to make more money by increasing my credit limit they think I will spend more. However, all I wanted to do was not use it because it gave me more room for the emergencies. It just made me want to pay it off more. Another thing is why do credit inquiries stay on your credit for up to 7 years. To me that seems a little excessive. I can understand bankruptcy staying that long but a couple of credit inquiries should leave after a couple months.

5. When I signed up for my first credit card, I knew a little about them. I understood that you could charge something on your card but the fact about paying it back did not really come with that same thought. I did not really think about paying the card off when I was using it. I never thought about how it would affect my credit report and that I would get denied for other credit cards because my credit was trashed because of that one credit card. I honestly think that schools need to require a class be taken in the senior year of school. I took my required class as a freshman to get it over with. Therefore I totally forgot about everything I had learned when I signed up for that first cred it card.

Pedro Said:

Is this a good business plan?

We Answered:

Yes this sounds like a great idea. although you are going to have to do a lot of planning & research (not as hard as it sounds!)

Firstly, check for other community programmes going into schools, i live in Derbyshire and Derby County Football Club run a community team to go into schools throughout Derbyshire.

Secondly don't undersell yourself! You need to make the business profitable whether you just trade as self-employed or set the business up as a limited company or social enterprise/community project/charity etc. I pay for after school and holiday clubs - £8 for after school and £22 per day for holidays so check out what's on offer near you and ask local parents what they'd pay for something like what you're offering.

Also ensure anyone else working with/for you is police/CRB checked.

Best of luck with your idea
Rebecca