O’Hai!
Herein I shall tell you the tale of my admission to the Multiple Subject Teaching Credential at CSU Monterey Bay (CSUMB) including how I got here (abbreviated), what comes in the coming weeks and summer, next fall and for the next couple of years, and perhaps the next three-five years and beyond.
At the end of this, I will be asking for assistance in raising $$$ for my summer tuition. If you wish, go to the end for the contribution links.
Whether or not you can contribute, please help me by clicking REC, TIP, SHARE and COMMENT down below.
Do it now, you know you want to.
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Backstory: Since my Dad died four years ago, as many of you already know, my life has been in constant turmoil. I had been his caregiver since he had a multi-month coma after a surgical infection following open heart surgery. This was following my own cancer surgery which in turn followed the death of my mother from lung cancer which forced me to drop out of engineering school at Cal Poly University. If I had not had cancer, I might now have experiments flying on the International Space Station and be working with organizations now looking at ways to mine the Moon and Asteroids.
One might think that having twelve college degrees, one BS and eleven associates, would lead to lots of employability, but not so, in part due to being in a region of high unemployment, i.e. Monterey County California, and having not had a steady paycheck job in about 30 years due to being a university student, then cancer patient, then caregiver did not give potential employers any reason to hire me.
During this time I sent out literally hundreds of applications, but most went unanswered. The few interviews I got did not result in any callbacks. Eventually, I took a job working on the graveyard shift of a gas station, which turned out to be the worst job I ever had and the working conditions lead to me getting an infection which resulted in a partial amputation of my right foot.
After several financial crises, many of which you here helped me out of, I stumbled upon the idea of being a substitute teacher. Specifically, a friend, Luis Alejo, told me that he had been a substitute teacher for a while, and suggested I try it.
I went through the process of getting my substitute teaching credential, and this took several months to schedule, take, and get the results of tests.
When I got my substitute credential I applied for several school districts, and I began my first day as an eighth-grade substitute teacher at Chualar School, and from there I got more and more jobs in more and more districts. At this point, I have taught at every grade level from preschool to twelfth grade and I have been in almost every public school in Salinas and Greenfield California.
I am quite popular with students. At this point, I’ve had several thousand students of all ages. When I go out in public to malls, stores, and festivals, I’m often hearing MISTER GREEN as my former students wave and smile and high-five me. I think I’m a success as a sub. My friend Joel said that he doesn’t remember any of the subs he had when he was in school, and yet I’m a bit of a local rock-star.
I decided I was going to get a full teaching credential so I could have my own classroom. I took months to study to take a test called the CSET. After more than a month after taking the three parts, I found out that I had passed and the next step began an application. The next step was applying for a teaching credential program, and I chose to go to my university alma mater, CSUMB. I put in my application, and I waited, and waited, and waited…
Some of you reading this may have seen me vaguely posting about something BAD that happened recently. I shall now tell the story of that BAD thing.
On April 19, I had an interview as part of the admission process. At that interview, I was told that my GPA was too low for admission (!?). I was very surprised to hear this as it was not true as I had already checked my GPA. While if one calculates my GPA solely based upon my time at Cal Poly and CSUMB undergraduate, it was true my GPA was low. This was the era when my mother died of cancer, I had cancer, and Dad nearly died and I became his caregiver. This had a very negative effect on my GPA, and I had told that tale in my application statement. I told the person who was processing my application that she needed to recalculate my GPA based upon my grades at Hartnell College, where I had earned nine associate’s degrees since I had graduated with my B.S. in 2005, with many of those degrees being earned “cum laude”, which means a high GPA. I followed up with a couple of emails reminding her to recalculate my GPA. I had been told I would know the decision of admission in two to three weeks. At the start of four weeks, I started to panic and I sent an email asking what the status of my application was, and I got back an email telling me that I HAD BEEN REJECTED FOR LOW GPA.
This news set me off in a massive depression. For several hours I was crushed. I had found out during the lunch break during a day of particularly difficult students, and I had to go through the rest of the day with definite and disrespectful students while pondering that the last best chance of me not dying in poverty and homeless may have passed me by.
On top of that, my 7-year-old laptop died that afternoon.
That evening I considered all the incompetent bureaucrats I have dealt with in my educational past, and I wrote a long email to the application processor, and sent copies to the department head and the president of the university in which I again pointed out that they either must include my Hartnell GPA in the calculation, or tell me why those units don’t count. I said, among other things, that I intended to take every legal option I had to appeal this decision.
I think what happened is that most of my transcripts were sent to CSUMB electronically, but not Hartnell’s. Because my first semester at Hartnell was fall 1977, those records were not entered electronically and as a result, the whole massive Hartnell transcript was sent as a printed hard copy via postal mail. I think that someone didn’t want to go through the work of entering all those units into a computer and simply put them aside not thinking or not caring whether they made any significant difference.
So my threat of legal action, combined with the CCs to persons above her on the chain, got her to finally process my Hartnell GPA, which as I expected raised my GPA to far above the lower limit.
After a few more days, I got the email from CSUMB saying “CONGRATULATIONS”.
When someone gets around to making the mini-series docu-drama of my life, that moment of me discovering that I had been admitted must be in there as a key scene. I was in a state of disbelief that finally, I had achieved that goal. In my life, and especially in recent years, I have often cried in grief, fear, frustration, and pain. This was the first time in my life ever that I cried with happiness.
So the next step is I begin classes this summer at CSUMB. Then I need to find a position as an intern teacher. As an intern teacher, I will be the “teacher of record” and I will be paid a salary as I continue my credential education.
Tuition is $3300 per semester, and to answer a question I know some will have, THERE IS NO FINANCIAL AID AVAILABLE FOR SUMMER CLASSES at CSUMB. In addition, I will need about $300 for books and materials, as anyone who has been to college lately knows that school books are expensive. I will be driving back and forth to the CSUMB campus five days a week, which I figure will be about three gallons of gas per day for eight weeks. Gas is currently about $4 a gallon now and is likely to go much higher, so I’m approximating about $500 for gas for the summer.
So I’m asking for $4000 to cover the educational tuition and costs for this summer. I have to do these summer classes in order to be eligible for a paid internship in the fall. If I don’t raise the money for tuition, I will be dropped from the program and I will have to wait until next year to try again.
Anything you can contribute, even $10, would help. There are a lot of you out there who have been supporting me with words, and if you support me with a few dollars that will carry me over the line.
THIS IS THE BIG GOAL
I’VE BEEN WORKING TOWARDS
ALL THESE PAST YEARS.
Independence is within sight
and one day I will be able to help others
as you’ve helped me.
Please don’t think of helping me now as simply charity, think of it as an investment. Many of you have been reading my stories over the past years and see what an effect I’ve had as a substitute. Just imagine the effect I could have over a whole classroom I have daily contact with over a full school year. Think of whether I’ve informed and/or entertained you personally as well.
You can help with a direct one-time contribution via GoFundMe or PayPal, but if you can give even $1 a month to my Patreon account, that would help. $1 might not seem like much, but if I can get several thousand people who have been following my stories and appreciate my creativity to each contributes $1, my financial situation will be solved.
Finally, and this is another big ask, I need my laptop replaced. I do have an ancient MacMini desktop computer, but it’s had multiple problems, crashes often, had multiple repairs, and could go out for the last time like it’s sibling laptop at any time, not to mention that it limits me to working at home and not in a classroom or other remote and more productive locations.
I have set up an Amazon Wishlist for a Macbook Air. If someone out there has the resources to invest in sending me a new laptop, that will help me a LOT. Note, the list is set so that if someone orders a laptop, it will disappear from the list, so I won’t get five laptops…
Looking to the future, I may need to do more crowdfunding asks for July, August, and September living expense, and perhaps tuition for Fall depending on financial aid availability for fall.
(-: • • • • • • • • • • • • • :-)
Please Support my Diaries, Creativity, Activism and Activities
No Cost Ways to Support: REC, TIP, COMMENT, SHARE This Post
• Patreon • GoFundMe • Ko-Fi • Kickstarter •
• PayPal (James at JamesThomasGreen.com) •
Kosmail me for Postal Address to mail checks
Sending me Pet Supplies means I don’t have to expend my scarce funds
Amazon Wishlists: Pet Supplies • Clothing •
• LAPTOP REPLACEMENT • Random Gifts
Follow Me: DKos • YouTube • Facebook • Twitter
Saturday, May 11, 2019 · 6:25:33 PM +00:00 · jtg
The deadline is June 17, which is the first day of classes.
I might be able to go another week or so after that, but I’ll have to check.
The earlier I get the money the earlier I can sign up for classes.
#jtg
Friday, May 17, 2019 · 4:19:20 PM +00:00 · jtg
Running Total:
Raised: $ 929.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $3070.00
Note:
I now have a P.O.Box If you want to send a check or other contribution via postal mail
JTG
1101 Post Dr., P.O. Box 3166,
Salinas, CA 93907-3166
Thursday, May 23, 2019 · 2:22:57 AM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total:
Raised: $ 979.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $3020.00
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition.
Note:
I now have a P.O.Box If you want to send a check or other contribution via postal mail
JTG
1101 Post Dr., P.O. Box 3166,
Salinas, CA 93907-3166
Saturday, May 25, 2019 · 5:42:26 PM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total:
Raised: $ 989.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $3010.00
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition. It would be a big shame and a personal tragedy for me if after all I’ve gone through to get to the point of admission and I can’t enroll due to lack of tuition, and thus have to wait for another year, at least.
Note:
I now have a P.O.Box If you want to send a check or other contribution via postal mail
James Green
1101 Post Dr., P.O. Box 3166,
Salinas, CA 93907-3166
Sunday, May 26, 2019 · 9:49:29 PM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total Raised so far for Teaching Credential from all Sources:
Raised: $ 990.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $3010.00
Donations have slowed in recent days. I hope that with the coming of the new month people can afford to chip in and push me over the top.
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition. It would be a big shame and a personal tragedy for me if after all I’ve gone through to get to the point of admission and I can’t enroll due to lack of tuition, and thus have to wait for another year, at least.
Please help if you can, even $10 would help as I know there are many of you out there that have supported me in the past.
GoFundMe • Paypal (James {at} JamesThomasGreen dot com)
#jtg
Tuesday, May 28, 2019 · 4:32:28 PM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total Raised so far
or Teaching Credential
from all Sources:
Raised: $ 1110.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $2890.00
Donations have slowed in recent days. I hope that with the coming of the new month people can afford to chip in and push me over the top.
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition. It would be a big shame and a personal tragedy for me if after all I’ve gone through to get to the point of admission and I can’t enroll due to lack of tuition, and thus have to wait for another year, at least.
Please help if you can, even $10 would help as I know there are many of you out there that have supported me in the past.
GoFundMe • Paypal (James {at} JamesThomasGreen dot com)
#jtg
Friday, May 31, 2019 · 6:21:16 AM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total Raised so far
or Teaching Credential
from all Sources:
Raised: $ 1240.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $2760.00
Donations have slowed in recent days. I hope that with the coming of the new month people can afford to chip in and push me over the top.
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition. It would be a big shame and a personal tragedy for me if after all I’ve gone through to get to the point of admission and I can’t enroll due to lack of tuition, and thus have to wait for another year, at least.
Please help if you can, even $10 would help as I know there are many of you out there that have supported me in the past.
GoFundMe • Paypal (James {at} JamesThomasGreen dot com)
#jtg
Thursday, Jun 6, 2019 · 1:57:20 AM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total Raised so far
or Teaching Credential
from all Sources:
Raised: $ 1500.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $2500.00
Donations have slowed in recent days. I hope that with the coming of the new month people can afford to chip in and push me over the top.
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition. It would be a big shame and a personal tragedy for me if after all I’ve gone through to get to the point of admission and I can’t enroll due to lack of tuition, and thus have to wait for another year, at least.
Please help if you can, even $10 would help as I know there are many of you out there that have supported me in the past.
GoFundMe • Paypal (James {at} JamesThomasGreen dot com)
#jtg
Saturday, Jun 8, 2019 · 4:48:50 AM +00:00
·
jtg
Running Total Raised so far
or Teaching Credential
from all Sources:
Raised: $ 1525.00
Goal: $4000.00
Remainder: $2475.00
Donations have slowed in recent days. I hope that with the coming of the new month people can afford to chip in and push me over the top.
I start my teaching credential classes on June 17, so that’s the deadline for raising tuition. It would be a big shame and a personal tragedy for me if after all I’ve gone through to get to the point of admission and I can’t enroll due to lack of tuition, and thus have to wait for another year, at least.
Please help if you can, even $10 would help as I know there are many of you out there that have supported me in the past.
GoFundMe • Paypal (James {at} JamesThomasGreen dot com)
#jtg