Would it be worth it to you?

[ColtCrazy]

Okay, I'm in the middle of my training for the University of Phoenix online and I can tell you I hate it. Every session seems to be just a bunch of people trying to outdo each other in their attempt to kiss up to the facilitator. I love to bullshit with the best of them and I've done very well so far, but it's getting old fast. That, and the more I hear about the headaches of teaching online, the more I'm thinking about just stopping it now.

But two things have kept me going. One, I'm too damn competitive...I've never failed at something I've gotten this far in. And two, the teaching job market is horrible and my wife has only had one interview and found out today that the school district liked her and wants her to apply again if there's another opening...but she was passed up for someone else. Couple that with the fact our school district has zero openings and the only local one that does hasn't even called her in for an interview (basically, if you aren't related to someone in the school...you are screwed)

My wife wants me to stop, I'm on the computer a lot anyway to fun, but with this I'm only constantly at night now. We are fine financially, we just won't get ahead on some bills till she gets a job or I find something like this.

It wouldn't be so bad if I enjoyed this process at all, but one can only bullshit so long. So...I was wondering, would any of you think it's worth it in a similar scenario for yourselves???

[MacroGuru]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

Okay, I'm in the middle of my training for the University of Phoenix online and I can tell you I hate it. Every session seems to be just a bunch of people trying to outdo each other in their attempt to kiss up to the facilitator. I love to bullshit with the best of them and I've done very well so far, but it's getting old fast. That, and the more I hear about the headaches of teaching online, the more I'm thinking about just stopping it now.

But two things have kept me going. One, I'm too damn competitive...I've never failed at something I've gotten this far in. And two, the teaching job market is horrible and my wife has only had one interview and found out today that the school district liked her and wants her to apply again if there's another opening...but she was passed up for someone else. Couple that with the fact our school district has zero openings and the only local one that does hasn't even called her in for an interview (basically, if you aren't related to someone in the school...you are screwed)

My wife wants me to stop, I'm on the computer a lot anyway to fun, but with this I'm only constantly at night now. We are fine financially, we just won't get ahead on some bills till she gets a job or I find something like this.

It wouldn't be so bad if I enjoyed this process at all, but one can only bullshit so long. So...I was wondering, would any of you think it's worth it in a similar scenario for yourselves???

I hated U of P because of what you exactly stated, the best online experience I have had so far has been with Ashford University.

[Chief Rum]

Originally Posted by ColtCrazy

Okay, I'm in the middle of my training for the University of Phoenix online and I can tell you I hate it. Every session seems to be just a bunch of people trying to outdo each other in their attempt to kiss up to the facilitator. I love to bullshit with the best of them and I've done very well so far, but it's getting old fast. That, and the more I hear about the headaches of teaching online, the more I'm thinking about just stopping it now.

But two things have kept me going. One, I'm too damn competitive...I've never failed at something I've gotten this far in. And two, the teaching job market is horrible and my wife has only had one interview and found out today that the school district liked her and wants her to apply again if there's another opening...but she was passed up for someone else. Couple that with the fact our school district has zero openings and the only local one that does hasn't even called her in for an interview (basically, if you aren't related to someone in the school...you are screwed)

My wife wants me to stop, I'm on the computer a lot anyway to fun, but with this I'm only constantly at night now. We are fine financially, we just won't get ahead on some bills till she gets a job or I find something like this.

It wouldn't be so bad if I enjoyed this process at all, but one can only bullshit so long. So...I was wondering, would any of you think it's worth it in a similar scenario for yourselves???

Wait, you're the teacher in training, right? Put your foot down--don't let the bullshitters get away with it, and when they complain, point out to them that their work wasn't up to scuff, no matter how nice they seem. Reward quality--let everything else go away.

[thesloppy]

I thin it seems fair to say that if you really hate the training, (in pretty much any organization), that it's pretty safe to assume that the job itself isn't going to be much better. I think it's unlikely that they're going to encourage culture and behavior that you despise in the teachers in training and then discourage that same stuff once you've passed muster.

[lordscarlet]

As a student at UOP I have to say that the place is a complete piece of shit nightmare.

[Izulde]

U of P is a parasite, as most online universities are.

Now, online education from brick-and-mortar universities is a different matter altogether.

[oliegirl]

I was at U of P for awhile and had the same experience, my husband also left them recently and is now with Kaplan University and is very glad he did. It seems to be more focused on education/learning than U of P ever was.

Regardless, if you are that miserable, then definitely leave. Or at least have a serious talk with a professor or advisor about the situation and if that doesn't accomplish anything, then leave.

[ColtCrazy]

Thanks for the responses. They've echoed the people I know locally as well. I withdrew from training today (for Chief Rum...I was being trained to become a "facilitator") Maybe it's the teacher in me, but I never felt like I would actually be teaching anything...but more acting like a moderator for a chat group. I was being told to do this and that. However, my first training session I was watching people time and time simply regurgitate what the person before them had said and get credit for it. Needless to say, my opinion of UOP has gone down considerably after this. I don't see how you can learn from their classes with the model they have in place. Thanks again everyone for what you said!!!

For now, the dream of teaching online is shelved. I guess things happened for a reason. Today both middle school tennis coaching positions in our district were posted. I applied for both and hopefully will get at least one. I used to coach the boys team before we had our first child. It'll be extra money, and I always loved getting out there with them and playing and working on fundamentals. I think this will be more rewarding in the long run.

Thanks again.

[Cringer]

Hope you get one of the coaching gigs man, good luck.

[RendeR]

Last I heard they were begging and pleading for teachers here in Buffalo/western NY

Move where the jobs are.

[Raiders Army]

How do you kiss ass over online training? Those guys are doing a lot of "LOL"s and "ROTFLMAO"s?