Janice Maschue is a reading intervention teacher in the San Marcos Unified School District. As with all new educators holding a Preliminary California Teaching Credential, she had to clear her credential while also juggling a busy teaching schedule. Janice found the Teacher Induction Program at SDSU Global Campus, which helped her clear her credential on her own schedule.
“Having the program online and video chat meetings with my mentor made this program ideal for a well-balanced work/school/family life,” says Janice. “I recommend this program to everyone that tells me they need to clear their credential.”
We asked Janice about her experience with the Teacher Induction Program and how those experiences helped her become a stronger, more well-rounded educator:
What made you choose to join the Teacher Induction Program at SDSU?
I choose the SDSU Teacher Induction program due to the flexibility in scheduling of work and for what they offer for us teachers that do not teach in a typical full-time classroom. As a working mom that needs to get my credential cleared, I wanted to be in a program that would not only help me be a better teacher, but also one that is flexible and useful to my teaching position as well as flexible in time. I wanted to be in a program that understands the value of my time and does not load me up with busy work, but a program that provides me with high-quality, helpful assignments that I can use in my daily teaching. I appreciate that the SDSU Induction program offered me exactly that.
What was your favorite part of the program?
I love the connection that I have with my mentor and how SDSU was able to match me up with someone perfect for helping me in my position as a reading intervention teacher. I was worried when I first started about the mentor not understanding my position, but they found someone who is an expert in this field to support me and knows exactly what I am doing in my classroom. She was extremely beneficial to me in this program and was able to give me solid and knowledgeable advice to take with me every day.
What was the most valuable aspect of the program?
I appreciated that I felt like everything I was doing was beneficial to me in my own teaching position and not just busywork. The program is flexible for those of us that do not teach in a typical full-time classroom or have other time commitments, like work and family. As a reading intervention teacher, I appreciated that this program was able to not only help me grow as a teacher, but it was accommodating to my teaching position.
How did the program help you in your career as an educator?
This program gave me the support that I needed for my specific teaching situation, as well as any future teaching positions I may have. As a reading intervention teacher, I needed something that can provide support for my current position as well as something I can take with me into future positions. I feel like my time was valued, and I was not loaded down with fluff and busywork. I was supported exactly where and how I needed it for my current teaching position. It also provides me with BA credits that help me move up the pay scale more quickly.
From convenient, online coursework to our mentor-matching program, the Teacher Induction Program has helped new educators build stronger communities in classrooms across California. If you’re a new educator, please visit the Teacher Induction Program page to learn more about our program.
