Student Profile: Jed Miley, Alternative Route to Teacher Certification

Teacher by day, flamenco guitarist at night, CityU student Jed Miley is passionate about everything he does. He has been a full time teacher for several years now but knew it was time to take his knowledge and credentials to the next level. As a full-time teacher at a school for non-traditional learners, he is always trying to find new and innovative ways to connect with his students. We caught up with him to learn more about his experience in CityU’s Alternative Route to Teacher Certification Program.

City University of Seattle (CU): Can you tell us about yourself? What did you do before enrolling at CityU?

Jed Miley (JM): For the last ten years I’ve been splitting my time between teaching and performing as a Flamenco guitarist.  When I moved to Seattle from Brooklyn, NY in 2012 I decided that I was going to make teaching my main gig. I currently work at Yellow Wood Academy, a private non-profit K-12 school on Mercer Island that caters to all types of learners.

CU: What made you decide to enroll at CityU?

JM: I researched a lot of programs and found that City U’s Alternative Routes program was exactly what I needed; it’s for teachers with experience but no certificate.  After speaking with some of the Everett staff I decided it would be a perfect fit with my job and my schedule so I enrolled.

CU: You’re already an established teacher, why did you decide to pursue your certification?

JM: I work with kids who have special needs, and I’m always looking for new ways to connect and reach my students.  I look at this process as an opportunity to hone my skills, learn some new approaches, and gain some credentials. The Alternate Routes program will be the middle step to my Masters in Teaching.

CU: What has your experience been like in the Alt-route program?

JM: In a word, awesome.  The classes are challenging and the course content is just what I was looking for– I can apply it immediately to my lessons in my classes.  Also, it’s been great to get to know the members of my cohort. Very cool, passionate people.

CU: Do you have any exceptionally memorable moments from your time so far in the program?

JM: I truly have enjoyed the conversations with my table group and my cohort.  I actually look forward to waking up at 7 on Saturdays to see these people! We all come with different experiences and strengths but we all have our passion for our students in common. I have learned so much from the individuals in my cohort as well as the program itself.

CU: Give us an example of how you’ve been able to immediately apply your coursework into your classroom.

JM: Assessment and lesson planning have made the biggest immediate impact for me.  I’ve been using the City U template for lesson plans and it’s made my classes run much more smoothly. As far as assessment, I’ve been able to adapt my formative assessments into more useful tools for me and my students.

CU: Do you have any advice for students considering the Alt routes program?

JM: Go for it.  But be prepared for a challenge.