So I decided to enroll into a Masters program and at least get one thing out of the way to reach my Professional Certification. However, I had a plan. I was going to stretch out my Masters as long as I can, because right now the only thing that I have going for me is that I am cheap labor. So now I have about two classes left in my Masters, there is nothing left to stretch out. There goes that theory.

My other plan was to complete my Masters in another field to make myself more marketable. Well, since I had already enrolled for a Masters of Science in Music Education, they told me I could switch programs, however in order to enroll into Special Education I would need to re-do my student teaching. This might not be the horror-case with most schools, but with mine, it was. Unwilling to leave my current job and re-do student teaching with no guarantee that I would have a teaching position after the second round of student teaching, I declined the idea altogether.

Remember how I had mentioned for first year teachers, the importance of Networking. Well here is the reason. A coworker decided to make herself more marketable, that she too would apply for a dual certification. She gave me a phone number that had the most amazing person on the other line. It was practically a direct line to the woman who knew everything about everything when it came to my certification. She told me exactly what I needed to know and how to do it. WOW!

So while I thought I only have two classes left to my Masters, it turns out that a few more classes (well maybe more than a few) will get me a dual certification in Special Education. It definitely is a process, there are four SPED classes that are manditory to take, one workshop, and one CST. Meanwhile, you send your transcript to the State and they determine what classes you have taken, and whether or not they are suitable for the degree. They return your transcript within six months and let you know what other classes you need to take. After doing the math, and finding the cheapest school in the area, it is about a $3200 investment (assuming that I only need those classes, workshop and test). However, if it can get me a position, then it is well worth it.