Can someone please answer some questions about Foodstamps for me?

[Anjelica]

Does she have to keep the summer camp job to be guaranteed a spot in the fall? If not I definetly think she needs to find a better paying summer job (with more hours) if at all possible.

Since she is a preschool teacher she could watch children during the summer for parents like my hubby/self. My sister-in-law watches them during the summer at our house. She gets paid a daily rate along with reimbursement for expenses such as food/gas.

 

[csharpwv]

You know, a lot of times it's not that people don't know how to apply, but they don't want to. They feel ashamed (which they shouldn't) or believe it or not, they always feel that someone else may be less fortunate or need the help more than they do.

I doubt very seriously this person WANTS to apply for public assistance - I imagine that they would much rather be self sufficient - and hadn't even thought about applying because they are ashamed, or once someone affirmed that they do need help, and actually qualify for public assistance - I would imagine that they thought about it a little differently.

I grew up in an area where out of a Middle School class of around 80, I was one of 4 students that did not qualify for free or reduced lunch. Often times, the people who need the most help always see others as needier than themselves.

 

[LoveBWVVBR]

I would also look into local food banks and soup kitchens. Even if she gets the food stamps, she could possibly get something from the local food bank until the food stamps come in.

I'm a really good couponer so I've got her covered until the Foodstamps come in. She's not going hungry now...that stopped as soon as I found out what was going on. I donate a lot of my free-after-coupon stuff to the foodbank, so I figure that this is just cutting out the middleman.

At this point it looks like she should apply online. I'm going to see if she can sit with me on Friday and get it done.

 

[CdnCarrie]

A suggestion for your friend.....check into the local/county school system...to maybe become a substitute teacher.

Our county requires a certification from a class at the local community college(I had a garage sale last yr to raise the $125 for class).

The class took 10 weeks (3hrs one day a week)....which felt like forever, but at the end I was able to sub-teach and the daily pay is pretty good. Of course I had to find a second job for income during the summer.

I will continue to work two jobs forever.....if I can. As we have yet to recover from DH's job elimination over 2 yrs ago.

Good luck to your friend.

(maybe just putting the word out that she needs some help....a $20 grocery store gift card would make my week....I'd stretch it to feed all 7 of us if I had to....and I've had to)

Don't you need a Bachelor of Education degree to be a substitute teacher?

You do in Canada.

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

Don't you need a Bachelor of Education degree to be a substitute teacher?

You do in Canada.

I know of at least one school district here in Texas where you only have to have a high school diploma. They pay differently based on your level of education. An actual teaching degree would pay higher for subbing than someone with just a HS diploma, obviously. But you can still sub with only a HS diploma.

 

[mum4jenn]

Don't you need a Bachelor of Education degree to be a substitute teacher?

You do in Canada.

Around here you just have to have graduated for HIgh School, have a drivers license, and pass a back ground check.

Oh and there is a test you have to pass...I think it has basic math skills, language skills, etc. on it.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I know of at least one school district here in Texas where you only have to have a high school diploma. They pay differently based on your level of education. An actual teaching degree would pay higher for subbing than someone with just a HS diploma, obviously. But you can still sub with only a HS diploma.

Wow. Really? Here you have to have a 5 year teaching degree to get any kind of teaching job in a public school including subbing. Subs are usually retired teachers and new grads.

Not sure how I would feel about my kids being taught by someone with only a HS diploma.

Is it more common in states where teachers are not unionized? Our teachers are all in a super strong union.

As for preschool (daycare) teachers they either have to have a degree in child development or a 2 year college diploma in child care.

 

[dawson5]

I went to an informational meeting two years ago for bus drivers. There were potential substitute teachers there also, thought they were required to hold a degree. I didn't pay attention, not what I was interested in.

OP glad you are helping her. I am guessing she can do it, just needs a shoulder for support. This must be a low time in her life. I can't imagine anyone wanting to do this. I would think that is apparent as she was starving herself, instead of seeking assistance. Good luck with those forms, we all know how straightforward and easy-to-understand any government forms are.

On a side note: When I was in HS, my Algebra teacher was going through a nasty divorce and custody battle. We had a retired teacher for a sub (we called him secret squirrel--he would hide the bathroom stalls to bust guys smoking in the bathroom). I would have loved to have had someone/anyone in there who actually taught and knew/understood the materials. He handed out papers, didn't explain anything. I was lost after having him. I had no idea how to do the problems and on my final exam, that was the only part I failed (sine, cosine and tangent I believe).

 

[mum4jenn]

Wow. Really? Here you have to have a 5 year teaching degree to get any kind of teaching job in a public school including subbing. Subs are usually retired teachers and new grads.

Not sure how I would feel about my kids being taught by someone with only a HS diploma.

Is it more common in states where teachers are not unionized? Our teachers are all in a super strong union.

As for preschool (daycare) teachers they either have to have a degree in child development or a 2 year college diploma in child care.

For a long term sub they normally have a retired teacher or a grad student. BUt for one day because a tacher is out ill..its just a regular sub who is there to make sure the kids do the work prepared for the sub. THey don't really do any actual teaching...just providing supervision,

 

[CdnCarrie]

For a long term sub they normally have a retired teacher or a grad student. BUt for one day because a tacher is out ill..its just a regular sub who is there to make sure the kids do the work prepared for the sub. THey don't really do any actual teaching...just providing supervision,

That does make sense if all they are doing is supervising I guess.

Sorry to get off topic. It just kind of popped out at me and I had noticed it mentioned around here before and kind of wondered.

No way our super duper strong teacher's union would allow a non teaching professional to be in charge of a classroom. Even when I worked in a school library it was made very clear to me that I was not allowed to do any kind of teaching or be in charge of a class.

 

[nunzia]

I'm glad you're helping your son's preschool teacher and passing on ideas to help her not be in this situation forever. If her finances are tight all year and the summer hour cutting pushed her over the top, she may want to look into a part time job year round after hours (pizza, retail, food service, child care)..if she is creative she could do craft fairs (as I did during rough years) or search for things to sell on ebay/craigslist. Maybe this can be a wake up call for her to have a plan for this type of thing..rainy days always do seem to come.
New Mexico is pretty loose with subs..they keep changing what is needed..it used to be 60 college hours, then 30 and I think they had for a time not required any, but a class and background check. We do have unions..when I was a teacher I did not join. I was allowed to teach with a different degree for a time and when the time came to decide if I wanted to go for a quickie type masters plan to be fully certified I decided that wasn't what I wanted..at all..
I also agree with food pantries or church help for immediate need..we give vouchers all the time for asistance and hopefully it's just for a rough patch and not a way of life. Super easy to get food stamps in NM..in fact they seem to encourage it by calling it something else and encouraging folks to apply.

 

[puffkin]

Sorry to get off topic. It just kind of popped out at me and I had noticed it mentioned around here before and kind of wondered.

No way our super duper strong teacher's union would allow a non teaching professional to be in charge of a classroom. Even when I worked in a school library it was made very clear to me that I was not allowed to do any kind of teaching or be in charge of a class.

Yeah, I have learned from these boards that location does matter! Here in PA the teachers are heavily unionized. Most of them get paid pretty well for degreed profession...I believe the average teacher pay in my district is $55k. They also get very good benefits packages. That is why there is always such an uproar at school budget time because our school taxes are insane. Subs are degreed teaching professionals that either are retired, laid off, or fresh out of college. For only working 185 days a year, getting all holidays and "weather" days off, very low employee contributions to health insurance, pensions, etc, that is a pretty good job!

In other parts of the country, it is a COMPLETELY different story. It is a very low paid profession with little benefit and reward. Our old neighbors moved to SC and they couldn't believe the difference in the public schools. But then again their taxes are about 1/4 of what they had been in PA for a bigger home.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Around here you just have to have graduated for HIgh School, have a drivers license, and pass a back ground check.

I think I'd be moving. Hope your kid's teacher doesn't come down with a long term illness.

 

[mum4jenn]

I think I'd be moving. Hope your kid's teacher doesn't come down with a long term illness.

As I already said any teacher out for a long time has a long-time sub which is normally a retired teacher. For example we had a teacher out for 1/2 the school year because of cancer...she had a teacher in there that had just retired the previous year. Another teacher went out on maternity leave at Spring break and they had a a teacher in that had taken some time off to stay with her kids while they were young and planned on returning to teaching this coming year.

 

[JamesMom]

...

 

[NYEmomma]

Wow. Really? Here you have to have a 5 year teaching degree to get any kind of teaching job in a public school including subbing. Subs are usually retired teachers and new grads.

Not sure how I would feel about my kids being taught by someone with only a HS diploma.

Is it more common in states where teachers are not unionized? Our teachers are all in a super strong union.

As for preschool (daycare) teachers they either have to have a degree in child development or a 2 year college diploma in child care.

Here in Ohio (public schools, at least) you have to have a bachelor's degree in ANYTHING to substitute teach. And pay $90 or so for a subbing license -- you have to pass a background check in order to get that.

Long-term subs (subs for longer than one or two weeks, though I forget the exact number of days) are required to be licensed teachers.

It's what all of us Ohioans with useless education degrees do these days.

 

[m&m's mom]

I am in Texas and in reality all of the substitutes at both my DD's schools have a minimum of Bachelors. There are so many people - either previously laid off or SAHM's looking for a little extra $ that we have a surplus of qualified teachers.

 

[a1tinkfans]

OP how nice of you to offer your help!
Good Luck to your friend, hope it works out for her.
I agree, though, she needs to be better prepared for next year. somehow make ends meet thru the summer..as I personally do not see things getting better any time soon, so many struggling!

 

[quentina]

Also, what about unemployment? If hours are reduced and she is able and available for work, she would qualify (assuming this is preschool/daycare setting). I spend hours each week filling out forms for people with reduced hours.

 

[Mom_Rides]

When I was out of work 2 years ago, a friend of my SIL let us know that her church offered food boxes to anyone who came to the church on a certain day, until the food was gone. I went to the church about an hour before the distribution began and got a number and then waited. The church was very generous and asked when we got our number if we were in need of clothing as they had a room full of all kinds of clothing. Then they took me and my DD to a little kids area and let her pick out a couple of little donated toys. They had refreshments while we waited and had a bookmobile set up where my DD was able to pick 2 books out.

It took several hours for them to call our number but when we finally got to the boxes, we were able to pick one of this and one of that. In our box we got:

A whole ham
A turkey
Fresh Carrots
A bag of potatoes
Canned soup
Canned veggies
Canned fruits
A bottle of juice
A bag of rice
Shelf stable milk
Bagged salad
Bread
Two bakery items donated from the local Meijer and Kroger store

There were other things in our box too but those things I remember. I was very appreciative of what we received from the church and the way we were treated. It helped to feed our family for at least a week. I know there are two churches by my work that do this type of thing as well. Perhaps there is a church in your area that does this type of thing. Good luck to your friend, I hope she gets the help she needs. You're a very good person for assisting her