Opinions on Teaching as a Career

[bulls**t]

Any teachers here?

A close family friend recently became the principal of a local school, so occasionaly on my days off (I work in fitness) I will fill in as a substitute to help him out.

I usually teach 2nd 3rd 4th graders, and I am really enjoying the experience. I find it rewarding, and I dont mind getting home at 330, with a 90 min break in the middle of the day.

How do you guys that have careers in education feel about what you do? Ive substituted maybe 15 times at most, and have enjoyed it, but Im sure year after year its not the same.

I just want some feedback about life as a teacher. I am 23, and its not too late for me to go back, get a masters in education, and enjoy helping some kids learn while working 10 months a year.

Its a damn good feeling when a child doesnt understand something, and you enlighten them. In that one moment you have just made their life a little better.

 

[Rodja]

Depending on were you live, a masters is not reallu necessary, but I think that if you are enthusiastic about teaching, then I say go for it. My GF is a teacher and, although there are some days that are better than others, she enjots he career. Also, teachers have a very, very important element that most people forget - job security. Don't do anything stupid an you will always have a job.

 

[sweet-physique]

I am a high school guidance counselor and have been one for 13 years. I was never a teacher. My masters is in school counseling and I have an advanced degree in school psychology (Ed.S.) I worked one year as a school psychologist and didn’t care for it but I really have enjoyed being a guidance counselor in high school.

The positives for being an educator (which I consider myself one as I am primarily an academic advisor) are
if you like kids and believe in Education as a value and vehicle for change you'll love your job.

Job security.

Work schedule that is family friendly.

Good benefits that are generally guaranteed.

Pension

For me flexibility

Negatives are
Demanding Parents who want to be the kid’s advocate and not their parent

Lower pay compared to other people in different fields who posses an equivalent or similar educational level

Bureaucracy from the top down DOE that sometimes lacks common sense

Too many procedural safeguards that disallows Darwinism to take its natural course

Too much political correctness and liberally bent ideology within the system

 

[Iron Warrior]

I love teaching. I teach Physical Education and coach the football team. I work with high schoolers and they're a blast to work with because they get my sense of humor. There are those kids who are just bad no matter what and you have to deal with them. Teaching is all about being able to manipulate different personalities and having patience since you have some VERY slow learners LOL. I got my undergrad and master's in Kinesiology along with a state credential. That coupled with my coaching duties don't make me complain about $$$ The job security is great unless you choke a student. I do plan on moving into administration and boosting my salary. I wouldn't mind making 85K doing something I believe in.

Many states just require a teaching credential and a bachelor's in a related field. If you plan to move on to administration then you need a master's of education and administration credentials. The PC issue is out of control to say the least. You do work with quite a bit of hippies so just be prepared to hear teachers ramble about some protest and make them think you care. I think only History and PE teachers are the few non-liberals on campus LOL

The bad side is the bureaucracy (burocrazies). I'm a very disciplined teacher who believes in hard work, surprisingly, not all parents feel this way and then they cry to the principal and the principal talks to me about and I say "yes sir". No Child Left Behind has created more problems then it can solve IMO, and we teachers carry a big chunk of that burden.

All in all, I love it. I've learned to deal with the BS and there will be BS in just about any field you enter.

 

[jomi822]

I can give you some advice from the perspective of someone who has been a student all of his life up until the past year.

Having a career in teaching in america is not a highly regarded position. i have heard the phrase "well for those who cant work and cant teach there is always welfare/crime/etc".

I have seen many an idealistic teacher make a complete turnaround once they see that their students arent actually interested in learning, but only making it to the next level, which was the case for me and many of my highly motivated friends. It is painfully bureaucratic, for both students and teachers, and has been made even worse by the "no child left behind" act. you will also see that worn out teachers and administrators will concentrate more on the "rules" then education itself.

some teachers i have worked with have informed me this act essentially states that if a child cannot pass the class, either dumb down the class, or just pass him. If a child in your class does not pass, you will be labelled as an unqualified teacher.

the hours are nice, as are the months off during the summer, but i have yet to meet a teacher than can make ends meet without a summer job of some sort.

i mean no disrespect to those in the teaching profession, but overally it seems very fruitless and dead end. The only truly respected teachers at this point in time are college and graduate school professors.

 

[toughchick401]

I say go for it, we could use more good teachers. There are days I prefer my job to others, but its never the kids, its the parents, the BS that I deal with but all in all I love it... preschool special ed, something about helping a child, esp one who needs a little extra help achieve something..

I just completed my masters in education, and am now going back for a RN in nursing....

Good luck and whatever you chose, make sure to have fun..)

 

[Iron Warrior]

I say go for it, we could use more good teachers. There are days I prefer my job to others, but its never the kids, its the parents, the BS that I deal with but all in all I love it... preschool special ed, something about helping a child, esp one who needs a little extra help achieve something..

I just completed my masters in education, and am now going back for a RN in nursing....

Good luck and whatever you chose, make sure to have fun..)

That takes a lot of dedication :clap2: Like you said, sometimes the BS can be annoying but all in all it's not a bad job if you like helping others

 

[motive]

my mother, father, grandfather, uncle, sister, etc etc... are teachers. if your ok with not makin to much but having summers off then its great.