My very own paperwork

Already December! How fast time has passed …

Living in the US on J visa as we do requires a lot of paperwork. Additionally, it really takes its time to arrive in “the US system” – and so far we haven’t. Especially the thing with building up some credit history and earning a good credit score is something completely out of our minds. We both were taught to buy only what we can afford and not live on credit … However, if there comes a time we need a good credit score, we should have one. But we still have to work on that.

Our status in the US is based on a form called DS-2019. It permits us to stay here in the country. We need the visa only for re-entry. Having moved from Houston to Rochester recently, we both got a new DS-2019 from Mayo. Therefore, we are allowed to re-enter the US until mid-February, but can stay in the US until November. For some reason, both institutions decided to limit the DS-2019 to one year. *sigh*

Therefore, I also have to re-apply for my work permission every single year and pay 380 bucks for that. Even if I don’t have an employer at the moment (though working on that) … however, who wants to hire a teacher who is only allowed to work until mid-February? Well, the German Saturday School in Houston did. And I really enjoyed working there, teaching German as a foreign language without having had any experience in language instruction before. Unfortunately, all similar schools here in the north are located in St Paul and I am not up to a 90 minute commute one way every day or at least once a week – especially not since the winter has finally arrived here.

Last week, I had my first job interview as a tutor, mostly for math. Math is on shortage in secondary schools here, too, but I think tutoring would be a good start for getting to know the US “math in school” system before seriously applying for a job in the private or public school system.

Anyway, before teaching in school, I need a Minnesota Teaching License. My brother has already called me “more than qualified” for that. Unluckily, he isn’t to one to decide. But here are the facts:

In Germany, licensed teaching at secondary school level usually requires:

-         five years of studying two subjects and educational sciences (including student teaching) at university level, ending with passing 1. Staatsexamen or “Master of Education”

-         one to two years (the time has recently been downsized due to more obligatory student teaching at university) attending some kind of “teacher’s college” (Studienseminar in German) with both supervised and self-reliant teaching – summing up to a part time teaching job (0.5)

In Minnesota (or maybe the US in general?), that is required – as far as I know –:

-         Bachelor’s degree from college in one subject

-         Granted teaching license after passing a test in reading, writing and math knowledge – a teacher’s college is optional!

Of course both countries require a background check and no criminal record. Germany (for teacher clerks or “Beamte”) also required a positive health check including a BMI lower than 30. (I failed at that point.)

However, I am currently in the process of foreign credential evaluation – by an organization charging me another 80 bucks. All I hope is I’ll receive the equivalent for a Minnesota teaching license. My alma mater wasn’t that helpful regarding confirming my study plan. That’s the weird thing about the German Staatsexamen. Being a federal exam by the state I studied in, at no point the (good to very good) grades I got in university classes were taken into account! Therefore, except for the written thesis, all grades are based on a one day performance … And that is not among my greatest skills.

However, ten more days until I head home (to Germany) for Christmas! I hope all paperwork will be done by then, including my evaluation ...