Certifications You Need But Don't Want to Use

[NotDesperate]

Has anyone been in this situation? You get a certification for work because it looks good on your resume, but don't neccessarily want to use it?

This is my situation. I am going to school to be a teacher. I will be regular ed. But being certified for special ed (which you can get your cert just by passing the exam) looks really good on your resume.

I do want to work with special ed kids eventually but would feel more comfortable starting out regular ed, or maybe even in an inclusion class with some special ed kids.

So I am thinking of getting the special ed cert just so it looks good on my resume.

Is that bad?

What do I say if they want to offer me a special ed classroom?

TIA ;)

[roberta]

Being an educator is hard and special education is hard. I wouldn't do it if you don't want to teach special ed. What about certification in another area like reading, ESL or math?

[j*east]

I'm certified to teach English and history. I added the history in my masters of education program on the advice of my professors. English teachers are a dime a dozen. I do think it has made me a more attractive candidate, esp. in the first year.

I've never had to teach history, but I have interviewed for some history and combination jobs. At this point (after teaching English for 8 years), I hope never to teach history, but I do think having that on my resume at least piques some interest. I'd be willing to teach history in the right position and if I couldn't get an English job.

OTOH, I've also taught SAT prep and I leave that off my resume because I never want to do it again, and I know schools are always looking for someone, anyone to teach it.

Bottom line: I'd get certified in whatever you would actually be OK teaching. The job market is tough for teachers, so I'd keep an open mind, but reserve the right to turn down any position that's really not for me (as I have done when ppl wanted me to teach ancient history, which is not my thing).

[WisWis]

In Pennsylvania, I am certified to teach Earth Science, General Science, and Environmental Science (K-12). Earth Science is the only subject that I would ever want to teach, but having the other two certificates made me a more attractive candidate for the jobs to which I was applying, and showed that I had a broad science background. I moved to Virginia for my current job and when I applied for certification here I only applied for an Earth Science certificate. I didn't want to be put in a situation where I would have to teach something other than ES. The extra certifications may have helped me get this job, but I don't plan to ever use them.

[NotDesperate]

Thank you for your replies.

I do want to teach special ed, eventually. I wouldn't feel comfortable doing it until after teaching regular ed for a couple years.

But I know nowadays many regular ed classrooms have one or two special ed mixed in them so having a special ed certification would be good but I don't want to be put in the position where I am asked to teach all special ed...

How do I say no gracefully without looking like I don't like special ed kids?

[PookiePrincess]

Apply for regular ed positions and gear your objective on your resume toward a regular ed position. Then hopefully you wouldn't get called for a special ed position. If it comes up in an interview or phone call, tell the truth. Tell them you'd like to move to special ed but would like to have a few years teaching regular ed.

I agree with you though. Having a spec ed cert is great, but it's a hard thing to jump into. I think I'd want to work up to it, too. Teaching is hard and teaching special ed takes a special kind of person.

[NotDesperate]

Thank you!

[scout]

I'd be careful about putting certifications on your resume, unless you REALLY want to teach in that area. At my junior high, they often move people around to fill hard-to-place areas if they're short staffed. A coworker of mine is certified to teach math, but she doesn't like math. She just found out that she has one section of math next year. She is not happy. Special ed is one of those things that's needed so much in schools. If you have that on your resume, you're probably going to get a special ed placement.
Apply for regular ed positions and gear your objective on your resume toward a regular ed position That would be my recommendation.