The Road to Becoming an English teacher at WCU

You are a young, innocent freshman in college again. How exciting. You're beginning your Undergraduate career at West Chester University. The insitution forces you to declare a major immediately. You have always wanted to become a teacher, just not sure of what subject. Maybe English? English seems easy. Or Social Studies, you're good with dates. You can either: [[Begin undeclared because you are only 18 years old and couldn't possibly know what you want to do with ther rest of life already.|Undeclared]] or [[Randomly choose History B.S.Ed as your major.|History B.S.Ed]]

You didn't feel that it was fair of West Chester University to force you to declare a major, so you thought you should stick it to the man and choose "Undeclared" as your declared major. Freshman year didn't go so well for you as the Undeclared major. Unfortunately, you were assigned classes for the fall term that you had no interest in. Including a ballet class. You enjoyed your History and English classes, but you don't feel like putting in the work to change your major. So you... [[Remain Undeclared.|Stay Undeclared]] or [[Quit while you're ahead and drop out. College really isn't your thing.|Drop out]]

Fall semester is finally over. What a drag. You're glad you finally have some time to think things over during winter break. You met with your advisor during the fall, but they didn't help you pick your classes for the spring and left it up to you to figure out based on what's still available. The life of a History major is different than you expected. More reading of seminal documents and analysis of them than you expected. You liked your English classes because it is more writing which is one of your strengths. You had a tough WRT120 professor though. Is this what all English profs are like? So you... [[Continue as a History B.S.Ed student. Maybe you're judging the major too quickly.|Continue History B.S.Ed]] or [[Decide to go with the little voice in your head that is telling you to become an English B.S.Ed student and switch your major.|English B.S.Ed]]

You waited it out for the Spring semester. This time you picked your own classes, finally. Your advisor wasn't very helpful in figuring out what major to choose. History included too many primary sources. English was too much reading. You're feeling down. So you... [[Schedule a meeting with your advisor, who hasn't been very helpful thus far.|Advisor]] or [[Drop out. College is too much pressure.|Drop out]]

Oh well, college isn't for everyone. Get a job and save up some money while you figure out what you really might want to do in the future. Then reenroll someday if you feel compelled! The end! You lose.

Your advisor informs you during the Spring semester that you must declare a major that is not Undeclared before beginning Sophomore year in order to graduate on time. Frustrated, you... [[Call your mom.|Mom]] or [[Drop out. The system sucks.|Drop out]]

Your advisor really pissed you off and wasn't helpful at all. To your disgust, your mom agrees with him. So you... [[Say "fuck it" and hang up. Time to drop out.|Drop out]] or [[Cry and realize they're both right. You shouldn't waste any more of your parent's money.|Drop out]]

It's Spring semester of your freshman year. You decided over winter break that you were going to try another semester of being a History major. Unfortunately though, your hatred for analyzing primary sources has only grown. However, you're really enjoying your English courses. You feel like your writing has really improved in just two semesters. Your advising meeting is coming up soon. So you... [[Head to the Bursar's Office and change your major to English B.S.Ed. It feels good.|English B.S.Ed]] or [[Meet with your History B.S.Ed. advisor. She tells you that your grades don't seem like you're fit to be a History major. "Maybe you should switch to something easier, like English?"|English B.S.Ed]]

Wow! You're so glad to finally be an English major. It was a long road getting here, but you're glad to finally be content. You're enjoying your English classes so far. Haven't had any Education classes yet. They told you they won't start those until later in your career. Your English advisor is pretty chill. At your first advising meeting as an English B.S.Ed student, she hands you a pacing guide for your major that lays out all 4 years of your program. Test of Writing Competency, Writing Portfolio...FATE? Praxis? What even is a Praxis? Seeing the anxiety written all over your face, your advisor talks you down and reminds you to just focus on what you need to accomplish this year. You see that you should have taken the PAPA, a Basic Skills Assessment, your freshman year. So you... [[Sign up to take the PAPA Prep Course. You're not failing, you have no time to waste!|PAPA Prep Course]] or [[Panic and go take the Basic Skills Assessment right away. You gotta get back on track.|PAPA immediately]]

This Prep Course was a joke. You got a few measley reminders of how to do basic Algebra as if you didn't know. You're disappointed that it was such a waste of your time. So you.. [[Talk yourself up and remember that you can do enough basic Algebra to pass the PAPA. You go take the test.|PAPA immediately]] or [[Vent to your roommates for 2 days and sleep off your disappointment. Your roommate tells you to stop bitching and just go take the test. You follow her advice.|PAPA immediately]]

Yikes, the PAPA was harder than you thought it would be. Still not impossible though. Why did they care so much about your knowledge of 9th grade Earth and Space Science? And why were Algebra 2 concepts on there??? You never even got to take Algebra 2 in high school. You're not 100% sure of how you did. 2 days later, you get an email that scores are posted. You either... [[PASSED with flying colors. Thank gosh!|Pass PAPA]] or [[FAILED miserably. Algebra 2 got the best of you.|Failed PAPA]]

PHEW! You're glad you were able to pass on your first try. A lot of your colleagues didn't and have to retake it. But not you! You're awesome. So you pull out your pacing guide again. Next on your list is to take the Test of Writing Competency. WCU wants to make sure their future English teachers have solid writing skills, determined by them, apparently. You remember getting an email about the Test of Writing Competency. Ugh, it's only offered ONCE a semester? Realizing the date is this Friday already, you... [[Decide not to go. You already have plans!|No TOWC]] or [[Cancel your plans and go take the test.|Yes TOWC]]

Damn, this sucks. Maybe you should have studied and prepared more. But c'mon, they were testing you on the most random subject matters. Who really remembers all that stuff from high school? Upset with yourself, you... [[Study harder this time and retake the PAPA. 2nd time's a charm, right?|Pass PAPA]] or [[Get upset with yourself and the system that is forcing you to take such ridiculous assessments. You're just not smart enough to be an English teacher.|Drop out]]

A few weeks go by and you realize that most of your peers in the same program went and took the Test of Writing Competency last Friday. Wow. Maybe you should have went and taken it right away. So you schedule a meeting with your advisor. She tells you it was really stupid of you not to go take the test then because it is only offered once a semester. This bad decision could cause you to get off track to graduate on time. So you... [[Kick yourself in the head and wait until next semester to take the test. You'll never put off something like this again.|Yes TOWC]] or [[Panic and call your mom. She yells at you for being stupid and not taking the test on Friday like everyone else. She tells you she isn't paying for you to go to college anymore, forcing you to drop out.|Drop out]]

Those prompts were easy. What a pain in the ass it was that you had to HAND WRITE an ENTIRE 5-paragraph essay. Are they trying to torture you? You even made an outline of your essay before you starting writing it, which you never do. You're hoping that helps you out. After weeks of anxiously waiting, you get an email that the results are posted in Main Hall. You sprint from your dorm to the 5th floor of Main where you realize... [[YOU FAILED. Turns out you can't write as well as you thought you could.|Fail TOWC]] or [[YOU PASS! YAY!|Pass TOWC]]

You can't believe you failed what seemed like such an easy writing assignment. You meet with the committee of three who scored your paper. They described your writing as, "Disorganized, confusing, and off-topic." Wow, how rude. So you decide to... [[Prove them wrong and retake the test. They don't know what they're talking about.|Retake TOWC]] or [[Accept defeat and realize that they are right. You're a terrible writer. You'll never be good enough a writer to become an English teacher. Time to drop out.|Drop out]]

Congratulations! Your writing skills thus far have been deemed English-teacher acceptable. Nice work! Your classes have been going really great sophomore year. You're learning a lot and it is exciting to work with students and professors who have similar interests to you for the first time ever. You're ready to start taking field classes next semester, but first, you have obtain 4 clearances: PA Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History, FBI Fingerprinting, and a TB Test. You'll need to do this every year until you graduate. Oh, and you have to pay for them all out of pocket yourself. So you... [[Don't mess around and get all 4 of your clearances done ASAP.|Finish clearances]] or [[Panic because you realize you have a record. You won't pass any of the clearances. You didn't know that you needed clearances to become a teacher. This sucks.|Drop out]]

You took those 3 professors' feedback about your first attempt at the Test of Writing Competency and feel better about this time. Waiting to get your results this semester feels even longer than it did the first time around. Why do they take so long to grade? Suddenly, you receive the email that scores are posted. You once again sprint to the 5th floor of Main Hall and realize... [[YOU PASSED! 2nd time definitely is a charm.|Pass TOWC]] or [[YOU FAILED...again. This time you really accept defeat. You're not taking this thing a third time. You're just not cut-out to teach English...|Drop out]]

That clearance process was some expensive bullshit. And you have to do it every single year until you graduate. What a pain. Oh well, you've got another thing checked off your list. Next is Formal Admission to Teacher Education (FATE) that all Ed. Majors have to obtain in order to take higher level courses. Why do they make it so hard to just take some classes? Whatever. You go to your advisor's office and get the FATE application that also lists all the requirements. The only item on the list that you have to do is the 10 hour Community Service Experience (CSE). So you... [[Make some calls and get your hours done in 2 weeks. Go you!|Complete CSE]] or [[Put it off until next semester. You have time!|Fail CSE]]

Nice job. You feel all the warm and fuzzies that one should feel after completing service with children. The reflection was the easiest paper you have ever written in your life too. You finally apply for FATE! You either... [[PASSED! This major milestone is finally on your record.|Pass FATE]] or [[Failed :( Maybe that reflection wasn't as easy as it seemed?|Fail FATE]]

You did not have time. You should have learned from your previous mistakes about putting things off. Now it is time to schedule classes for next semester. MyWCU will not let you enroll in 2 classes that you need because you do not have the FATE milestone. So you... [[Beg for forgiveness and apply for a FATE delay so you can still enroll in the classes. You get the Community Service hours done over break.|Complete CSE]] or [[Yell at yourself for being an idiot and putting off 10 hours that you could have gotten done in a week. There's no way you can graduate on time now. You're over it.|Drop out]]

AYOOOO YOU DID IT! The angels of MyWCU heard your prayers and you can take all higher level education classes from now on. Your FATE is no longer in anyone's hands besides your own. Consider another hoop jumped through. It's spring semester your junior year. Classes are tougher than before for sure as they're all above the 300 level now. The next item on your course sequencing guide is the BSED portfolio. You need to turn this in 1 year before student teaching. Luckily, it is only a pass or fail assignment. Your advisor came in clutch and warned you about this portfolio when you entered the program, so you have been collecting papers to use for it ever since. So you... [[Compile all the materials needed and write your Self-Assessment Essay. You turn it in 3 weeks early because you're an overachiever these days.|Yes portfolio]] or [[Wait until the night before to get everything together. You know you already have all the papers and just have to write the Self-Assessment one. You'll be fine.|No portfolio]]

Ouch. You didn't expect this at all. Now you're confused as to how you didn't fulfill the requirements. So, you ask for a meeting with Mrs. MacDonald, the woman in charge of your FATE. [[She hears you out and helps you work on the requirements you didn't meet. She grants you FATE on the condition that you check-in with her next semester. Not all heroes wear capes.|Pass FATE]] or [[She reams you out and deems you unfit to be an educator. How dare you waste her time scheduling a meeting to discuss your FATE application, it was a joke! No, the devil does not wear Prada.|Drop out]]

Good decision, now you're getting the hang of things. The system is your ally now. It takes 3 weeks for the BSED panel to review portfolios. You either... [[FAILED. Try again next semester.|Fail portfolio]] or [[PASSED! Check it off your list, homie. Keep grinding.|Pass portfolio]]

Bad move, dude. You're having a hard time determining which mode of writing each of the papers you've saved classified as. It's now 4AM, you've been working on this since 8PM. Morale and motivation are both scarily low. So you... [[Pull an all-nighter and get that shit done. Turned in on time and everything.|Yes portfolio]] or [[Fall asleep at your computer and don't wake up until 12PM the next day. The deadline to submit was 10:27AM exactly. You wasted your entire night and the last 3 years of your life. When will you ever learn?|Drop out]]

You meet with the 3 members of the BSED panel who reviewed your portfolio. Although you still think the whole thing is ridiculous, you once again choose to give into the system and resubmit the next semester. You either... [[Failed, again. What the actual fuck. Now you can't student teach and complete your program. Your writing just is not good enough.|Drop out]] or [[PASSED. FINALLY.|Pass portfolio]]

Awesome work! Saving all those papers really paid off in the long run. Shout out your advisor for giving you the heads up, a lot of other people were not as lucky. It's the end of your Junior year. Next spring you only have student teaching. You'll finish up the rest of your classes in the fall. Before student teaching you have to at least attempt your Praxis exam. You don't have to pass right away which is good to know. Oh but, you again have to pay for it out of your own pocket. $120 bucks. So you... [[Pay the wad of cash for the Praxis Preparation Guide and study your ass off. You aren't paying $120 to take a test more than one time. |Pass Praxis]] or [[Wing it. English is your native language, right? Wrong.|Fail Praxis]]

Well, you failed. You probably should have studied. Now that's $120 dollars and 3 hours of your time wasted. This time you study using your colleague's old prep book. The information definitely looks familiar fromw when you took the Praxis the first time. So you... [[Keep studying. Pay another $120. You feel confident this time.|Pass Praxis]] or [[Call your mom. She's pissed that you wasted so much money to fail a test you could have studied for. She cuts you off, forcing you to drop out because you can't afford to pay for your last semester out of pocket.|Drop out]]

What a relief! You never have to take another test in your Undergrad career EVER again. Now all you have to focus on is student teaching. You take time to relax over winter break and prepare for the spring semester like a good egg. You're stoked. You get along with your cooperating teacher really well and she helps you transition into teaching full-time. The 7th graders you're with are total squids, but in the best way. They dig your lessons and you become attached to the class. Before you know it, the 14 weeks flies by. You either pass or fail student teaching. So you... [[Failed! Your cooperating teacher was fake the entire semester and gave horrible feedback to your supervisor. You are not allowed to graduate from West Chester University of PA with a teaching certificate.|Fail student teaching]] or [[Passed with flying colors! Your supervisor said that your cooperating teacher raved about you and recommended you for a full-time position in her district. Next stop, GRADUATION!|Graduate]]

Unfortunately, the past 4 years of your life were a waste because you failed student teaching. You jumped through every hoop that West Chester University's BSED program required of you, but it still was not good enough. You're lost and not sure where to go from here. You sign up for therapy to begin figuring out the rest of your life. Good luck! The end.

Happy Graduation Day, English BSED student! The past 4 years are finally worth it! Although you hated all of the unnecessary hoops you were required to jump through by West Chester University's English BSED program, you're glad you did. You were offered a full-time position in the same district teaching 8th grade ELA. You made it, congratulations! YOU WIN!