Becoming a teacher. OT a bit.

[luna99]

Someone posted a thread earlier wanting advice on becoming a medical transcriptionist (which I am).. and it got me thinking.. maybe I should post a thread about what it's like to be an elementary school teacher.

I've been pondering it over in my mind lately and just sent for some information from our local college about it. I really love children (especially between the ages of 3-8) and they seem to love me. I just have a natural way with kids that age and typically they will come over and play and talk with me a lot. I know it takes more than that though to be a teacher so I wanted to see if anyone out there could give me more information. Here are a few suggested questions:

1. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?
2. What grade do you teach?
3. Do you love your job?
4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?
5. Am I too old to be looking into this? (I'm currently 32, but my husband and I will be starting to have children next year.... so my plan at the moment is to be a stay at home mommy during the day then take night classes at night and take out a student loan to pay my way - I have a few college courses under my belt already.. but not much).

oh, and this is a weird question but I"ll ask it:
6. How do schools feel about teachers with visable tattoos? I don't have any tattoos right now that are super visable (one small one on my ankle) but have been thinking of getting one but am nervous about putting it somewhere where I can't hide it. Are tattoos not such a big deal anymore in schools?

thanks everyone! I know there are a lot of questions.. sorry about that! For some reason I feel like there are a lot of teachers on these boards.

oh, btw... I'm also considering becoming an art teacher. Are there teachers out there that are strictly art teachers anymore? I just feel like when schools have to make pay cuts it's the arts that always get the shaft.

thanks!!!

 

[OU1247]

. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?
I do enjoy having holiday's and summers off with my children.
I enjoy seeing kids learn something new
I feel like I have made a difference

Cons
MONEY....
The demands that are made for you on your off time and wallet w/ out financial support from the district.
Parents who think their kids are PERFECT

2. What grade do you teach?

I am elementary music Pre-5th grade

3. Do you love your job? After 19 years of being a hard worker, I don't know if I can say that right now...There have been lots of changes and I have ponder..."Is this what I am going to be when I grow up...LOL"
4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?
Oh yes....MOST kids do have a kind heart. Many need you not only for education but there are a lot of kids out there who just do not get the love and attention they need. I have some kids from really rich families who are just not loved like they should be.


5. Am I too old to be looking into this? (I'm currently 32, but my husband and I will be starting to have children next year.... so my plan at the moment is to be a stay at home mommy during the day then take night classes at night and take out a student loan to pay my way - I have a few college courses under my belt already.. but not much).

Being a NEW mom is very hard. I had been teaching 6 years before I had my first child. The demands of a baby are ROUGH! So I don't know if I could of done it...you may not require sleep...giggle.

oh, and this is a weird question but I"ll ask it:
6. How do schools feel about teachers with visable tattoos? I don't have any tattoos right now that are super visable (one small one on my ankle) but have been thinking of getting one but am nervous about putting it somewhere where I can't hide it. Are tattoos not such a big deal anymore in schools

I am sure it all depends on where you live, and who the administrators are. We have teachers with tats on their ankles but nobody with one that sticks out HUGE if you know what I mean. FIrst impressions go a long way....I am not anti tat...just I know how some people think.


Good luck....In my state we are the 2nd lowest paid in the US....It is a lot of work for little cash. Yes, I love it but there are days I think...Is it worth it.

 

[luna99]

Good luck....In my state we are the 2nd lowest paid in the US....It is a lot of work for little cash. Yes, I love it but there are days I think...Is it worth it.

thanks for your honest answers! You know, as far as the money goes.. the way I look at it is I really don't get paid that much right now as it is ... and I'm lucky that my husband has a pretty good job and we could afford to live on his salary alone.... I just feel like I want to contribute to our family financially and help us have a little extra "play" money. I imagine that a teacher just out of college HAS to be making at least what I get paid now (and hopefully more! I honestly don't get much being a medical transcriptionist).

but I do see your point about being a mom and how much work that is.

Maybe I could be a teachers assistant? LOL.

thanks again and have fun on your upcoming trip! You will love CSR!! It's so beautiful!

 

[Drewsmommybear]

I am a Reading Specialist that works with students from K-5th grade. My school is different than most because we only have 145 students and it feels like a family. This year, we were made a School Of Excellence for the second time. I've been doing it for almost eleven years now. Teaching is an interesting career. Money is definitely a con. I work in one of the lowest paid states and sometimes we hurt for cash. But, the summers off (or almost off. I'm always doing conferences and things during the summer) work great for my working mom status. My three year old son gets my undividied attention all summer long.

I work with some of the lowest of the low children from really poor neighborhoods and while it's hard not to bring their pain home with me, I do find it rewarding to see these little sparks happen. It's nice to see things click. What's really neat is that I've been at this long enough now to see some of my students actually start to graduate from high school and move on to college. When you help a child who never would have thought of taking that road actually get there, it's an amazing feeling and that's what keeps me keeping on.

Over the past few years, I've thought about getting out of education because the beaucracy and the testing is getting overwhelming. It's getting harder and harder to focus on the kids and their needs. But, I stay with it because I love my school and I love my kids. Plus, I can't for the life of me figure out what I would be able to do with a Master's degree in reading. If anyone has any suggestions, let me know. I think when my son is older, I may move on.

I don't think that it's ever too late to follow your dreams. JUst know that it's hard to go to school and also have a child at the same time. But, if you want something badly enough, anything is possible. Plus, as I pointed out earlier, teaching is great when you have kids.

As far as the tattoos, it depends on where you live. The people in my area still think of teachers as being stuck in the 1900's so open tattoos wouldn't fly. If people in your area are more tolerant, you may be able to get away with it.

Good luck. I hope this was helpful. It was also realllllly long

 

[Minnie_me]

1. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?

Pros -- if you love kids and love to be creative and work really hard, then you'll love teaching. It's great to have the vacations and summers off, but remember two things about that: you don't get to choose your own vacation time, and you don't get paid in the summer (in most districts).

Cons -- the pay is relatively low. And by that I mean compared to other professionals with master's degrees.
You'll work your butt off and still get told "it must be nice" to work 5 hours a day and get your summers off (which isn't true, but is a relatively widespread notion).
You have to learn to deal with parents who are VERY difficult. The kids are the easy part -- even the difficult kids. Parents can make your life miserable.

2. What grade do you teach?
I taught Kindergarten for 20 years, and last year switched to pre-K.

3. Do you love your job?
Absolutely!

4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?
It's extremely rewarding to teach young children something that they didn't know before, or to watch them discover it on their own -- that's even better! I can be creative and fun and silly all day long, and I'm absolutely adored by 16 little children.

5. Am I too old to be looking into this? (I'm currently 32, but my husband and I will be starting to have children next year.... so my plan at the moment is to be a stay at home mommy during the day then take night classes at night and take out a student loan to pay my way - I have a few college courses under my belt already.. but not much).

No, not at all! You still have over TWENTY years to teach before retiring - maybe even THIRTY!!! There are lots of teachers who start teaching after their kids are in school, or after another career.

oh, and this is a weird question but I"ll ask it:
6. How do schools feel about teachers with visable tattoos? I don't have any tattoos right now that are super visable (one small one on my ankle) but have been thinking of getting one but am nervous about putting it somewhere where I can't hide it. Are tattoos not such a big deal anymore in schools?

My SIL teaches in an extremely upscale community in Connecticut and has about 11 tattoos -- mostly visible. I'm not sure that it's such a big deal these days, although it probably does depend on your area.

Good luck to you!

 

[Minnie_me]

Luna -
I just realized that you are from Central New York -- - whereabouts? I live outside of Rochester.

 

[FairyGodmotherJen]

I teach fourth grade at a suburban (used to be rural) school. I've been doing this for 11 years now, and have three children of my own. Let's see...

Pros -
1. the summers/holidays off are definitely perks.
2. It is a job where you get a fresh start every year. No matter how bad a year it is, you get a new chance next year. I don't know of any other profession where that is the case.
3. The progress you see in the kids is humbling at times. Yes, there are a lot of times when you're tearing your hair out because the progress is NOT there, but it's worth it when you finally see it.
4.The relationships that you form with students and their families - last year I had four students who all had siblings in my previous classes - is a lot of fun.

Cons -
1. I know I said a pro was all that time off, but you have to understand that you spend a lot of your own time working. I spend lots of weekend/evening time during the year grading papers, planning lessons, even attending extra activities.
2. This is NOT a 9-5 job. When you leave school, you're still thinking about your lessons, your kids, their situations. When you know a kid is going through a rough divorce, you think about them over dinner. When you don't get work back from a kid because you know his/her parents couldn't care less, you worry about them while you're at home and hug your own kids so tight they ask you to lay off. Even if you don't bring that work home from school, the kids or your next set of lessons are on your mind.
3. I am loosing a decent amount of creative license at the present time. Don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with people telling me what I have to teach in order for them to be ready for the next grade. Right now, though, I'm being told WHEN to teach, and I'm afraid it might not be too far in the future that I'm told HOW to teach it. Some of my fellow teachers who've been at this a while keep telling me to hang tight, because in education it always swings the other direction after a while. I hope they're right. And the amount of beurocracy and red tape can be staggering.

So, am I glad I'm doing this? I can honestly say that there's nothing else that I can see myself doing. I'm currently on maternity leave until October, but I am starting to put things together for my fill-in, and am getting a bit of the old excitement again even though I won't be there on the first student day. I will tell you that the first year is tough - please be ready to spend a lot of time doing this the first year. That may be harder with small children. I've done it on a small scale (when switching grade levels) with my kids, and you always feel like you're not doing what you need to be for someone. But if you really do like kids, and want to see them grow, go for it!

ps - the tattoos? It will depend a lot upon your school. Several of the teachers in my building have them, but they've all made sure they're "coverable." I don't think they'd go over really well at my school!

 

[mlraabe]

Pros:
I teach in the same school as my kids - that is worth a million. We have the same days off, are there the same hours and I get to see them during the day!

I love what I do ( I currently teach in our district's Pre K 3 program). I can not imagine doing anything else and I am excited to go to work each day.

Cons:
$ - however, like you, my DH makes far more than I will ever make. My pay definately helps but it could never be our main source of income. Dh was just upset at me yesterday about the new things I was buying for my classroom AGAIN! I do spend quite a bit of my own $ on school stuff.

Hours - Since I work in the new preschool program we are required to offer parent workshops in the evenings, add after school meetings, conferences 3 x a year and all of the other things that come up along with the planning and preparing for the school day - it adds up to be a lot of time. Expecially when we have 4 kids of our own and all of their activities. I spend many late nights working on school stuff at home.

By the ages you listed I would sugggest you look into Early Childhood Ed. In PA Pre K counts is a huge initiative with many districts jumping on board to collect the grant $. Our district got alomost 1/2 million for preschool last year and the gov. just passed the budget with more $ to be handed out. I think it is growing everywhere - not just Pa. In our district you can not teach preschool, Kind or 1st grade without an ECE degree. I have both Elem., ECE and Reading.


Tip: I taught reading part time for 7 years. It was the ideal situation for my family. I could still do what I love and be home with the kids by lunch time. Now that they are all in school full day I am full day. It is alot of work with four kids but the pros above are worth it!

I did my graduate work when we had 2 kids and through being pg with #3. It was hard but doable. I actually missed my last class session of my last grad class because I was in labor with DS6!

 

[Aliceacc]

Another NY teacher chiming in, though I teach HS math.

Be very cautious about planning to teach elementary &/or art in NY State. Jobs in either area are incredibly hard to find.

Since you and your husband aren't in a position to relocate to where the jobs are (say, Vegas), you might want to consider more than one certification. Some possibilities are special ed, literacy- I'm sure there are others that might make that first job easier to find.

For what it's worth, I just finished year #22 teaching, and there's not another job in the world for me (aside from International Jet Setter.

 

[srwarden1928]

I am a high school teacher, but some issues are the same K-12. I was 34 when I went back (for my third degree) to get certified to teach. It was the best decision I could have made. I love what I do each and every day. I have fabulous working conditions. I teach in the same county as DW (in fact we moved here) so we have the same calendar. Few married couples have the time off together that we do. I get regular time off for rest and fun--I never work longer than 9 weeks without time off. But the most important thing is that what I do is internally so rewarding. I make a difference. Sometimes even without realizing it. I am so thankful that I decided to become a teacher.

 

[DawnM]

1. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?

Well, I cannot comment on Elem. school as I have always worked in Middle and High Schools, but the pros are about the same.

A. Same schedule as your own children.
B. In some parts of the country the pay and benefits are quite decent.
C. Rewards with working with kids is endless.
2. What grade do you teach?

Middle and High Schools.....I taught English for 12 years and then was a school counselor for 4 and a half years.

3. Do you love your job?

I loved it in CA, not in NC.

4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?

Yes, to see a kid "get it" after trying and trying is the best feeling ever! And working with high school kids, having them come back and visit you after graduation is incredible.
5. Am I too old to be looking into this? (I'm currently 32, but my husband and I will be starting to have children next year.... so my plan at the moment is to be a stay at home mommy during the day then take night classes at night and take out a student loan to pay my way - I have a few college courses under my belt already.. but not much).

Good plan! I went to grad school after having my babies and they were indeed babies (and I was working during the day too!) DH watched them most of the time.

6. How do schools feel about teachers with visable tattoos? I don't have any tattoos right now that are super visable (one small one on my ankle) but have been thinking of getting one but am nervous about putting it somewhere where I can't hide it. Are tattoos not such a big deal anymore in schools?

We had quite a few teachers with tatoos in California! Not so many in NC. I really don't know how to comment on that one. It could take away from the professionalism a bit, but it would depend on your area of the country. That might be local question more.
thanks everyone! I know there are a lot of questions.. sorry about that! For some reason I feel like there are a lot of teachers on these boards.

oh, btw... I'm also considering becoming an art teacher. Are there teachers out there that are strictly art teachers anymore? I just feel like when schools have to make pay cuts it's the arts that always get the shaft.

 

[sk!mom]

Another NY teacher chiming in, though I teach HS math.

Be very cautious about planning to teach elementary &/or art in NY State. Jobs in either area are incredibly hard to find.

Since you and your husband aren't in a position to relocate to where the jobs are (say, Vegas), you might want to consider more than one certification. Some possibilities are special ed, literacy- I'm sure there are others that might make that first job easier to find.

I strongly agree with this advice. In my area, there are still art teachers but not many. Those jobs are few and far between. In your position, I would get certified for Art and something that makes you more employable. For example, I was originally certified for Early Childhood, Elementary Ed. (grades 1 - 8), and Elementary PE. Several years ago, I added ESL certification.

I would advise against visible tatoos unless they are very common among the professional community of your area. As with any job, you are subject to the prejudices of the interviewer. I wouldn't want to chance it just in case.

Good Luck!

 

[cameron'smom]

1. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?
Pros:
-Having summers 'off' and being able to be off when your own children are
-The feeling of making a difference
-The creative element of getting to do things the way you want and every day is different
-Watching children learn to read
Cons:
-Dealing with parents who think that their children can do no wrong
-Dealing w/parents who refuse to see that their child has a problem
I have been teaching 17 yrs and have notice a dramatic change in parenting over the years.
-Paperwork

2. What grade do you teach?
Currently first grade for 7 years; taught 2nd grade for 8 years

3. Do you love your job?
I absolutely love my job.

4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?
To me it is the most rewarding job there is. First graders still love their teacher and have respect (for the most part.) It's rewarding b/c I feel like I am making a difference in the world for the better. It's rewarding b/c I truly feel like each of us have different God-given talents and this happens to be mine (don't mean to sound egotistical ).

5. Am I too old to be looking into this?
If it is what you really want, then you are not too old. I have had a lot of student teachers over the years and some have been older than you. (They usually have more maturity and patience.) My assistant is going back to college right now and she is 50! She is in her 3rd year. You might try substituting to see if you like it or try to get an assistant's postion.

oh, and this is a weird question but I"ll ask it:
6. How do schools feel about teachers with visable tattoos?
I don't know. I don't know any teachers that have them...or they might just be hiding them.

Hope this helps.

 

[nessz79]

Another HS teacher here (English).

I totally agree that it is great for the hours/vacation time. Although you aren't technically paid for the summer, you can plan your paychecks accordingly. Where I teach, I get smaller paychecks during the year and then one large check in the beginning of summer to help me budget.

I work when my kids are at school/preschool and am off when they are. We spend almost all our days off together, except some teacher work days when they go to their grandparents. However, most public schools and county governments offer programs for these days.

The $ isn't spectacular, but it's enough, depending on where you work and what your DH is doing. DH and I are both teachers. We live on a modest income in an expensive area and we do just fine. We live within our means in a small house with a large property, have 2 older cars, eat out once a week or so (nothing fancy with kids), can give some $ to our church, and have some decent money for vacations. We don't have a lot of designer clothes (or very little really), new cars, or as much vacation luxury as some. That's ok with us.

Teaching is probably one of the most rewarding jobs out there. If you love kids, it's not even a job. It's actually fun. A lot of people don't believe me on that one

 

[DawnM]

Very good advice. I have an MA in TESOL and am certified in English, ESL, History and School Counseling.

I will say that ESL has been a bit of a detriment in some ways....I did it for 8 years and loved it but even now, when I apply for a counseling job I am immediately asked if I would be willing to take ESL instead (or sometimes English) as those are harder to fill than counseling.

But, I am thankful I got it.

AND, HINT, HINT, HINT......the ESL kids are typically very sweet and their parents are just grateful you are helping their children!!! It wasn't until I taught "regular ed" kids that I dealt with irritating parents!!!

I also taught inner city most of my career....let me deal with a gang kid over snotty parents any day!

Dawn

I strongly agree with this advice. In my area, there are still art teachers but not many. Those jobs are few and far between. In your position, I would get certified for Art and something that makes you more employable. For example, I was originally certified for Early Childhood, Elementary Ed. (grades 1 - 8), and Elementary PE. Several years ago, I added ESL certification.

Good Luck!

 

[tink2]

I am a second grade teacher and have been teaching for 11 years- this will be my 12th.

1. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?

Pros-
- same school where my kids are
- time off (but that is getting less and less)
- rewarding- I love helping children learn and grow
- I love 2nd grade- they still love you for the most part and respect you
- The children- that is why we are teachers anyway, to nurture and love children
Cons-
- time off is getting less and less- for the past 5-6 years we've had 1 and 2 week workshops every summer, the required days of school keeps increasing, plus all the extras- report card days, meet the parents days, PAPERWORK, planning, etc. etc.
- dealing with parents who think their child is perfect and you should give them perfect grades regardless of what they earn and that they should never get in trouble regardless of the way they behave
- my fellow teachers and I talk about this all the time- children are getting less respectful and behavior is getting worse every year- school is not like it used to be. More and more parents do not support you any more and are rather 'against' you from day 1- instead of questioning their child's behavior when you send a note home, they question you and if you are the one that is at fault
- Pay- dh just went to work in a factory job running a machine on third shift one year ago and makes the same thing I do without the stress and pressure and no college degree. B/c of the stress and pay of my job, he has begged me to find something else. But, I will teach until my kids graduate high school at least, probably college (which will then be time to retire anyway!)
- the gov.- they are telling us more and more how to teach. I have another 2 week workshop starting tomorrow on how to teach science. Now, I am all for prof. dev. and bettering yourself as a teacher. However, we seem to be headed more and more into everyone has to be on the same page in every subject on the same day and teach it the exact same way. We are not robots and that takes the personality out of teaching. That is major for me.

2. What grade do you teach? 2nd

3. Do you love your job?
Most days- when I am with my students I love my job. When gov., paperwork, and some parents (most are supportive- but you always have one or two) step in, I definitely question my career. I love the children.

4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?
Absolutely, that is why teachers keep on. Nothing can touch making a difference in the life of a child. In our society, you are not only the teacher, but sometimes, you are the only loving, nurturing figure in their lives. Kids have so many problems these days and to help them is an unbelievable feeling. To see them smile when they understand something- it's what keeps me going.

5. Am I too old to be looking into this? (I'm currently 32, but my husband and I will be starting to have children next year.... so my plan at the moment is to be a stay at home mommy during the day then take night classes at night and take out a student loan to pay my way - I have a few college courses under my belt already.. but not much).
No- you're never too old to pursue your dreams.

As others have said, it is NOT a job that you leave at 3:30 when the bell rings. There are parent conferences at all hours to accomidate their schedule, family nights, etc. etc. And yes, you constantly worry about your kids. The majority of kids now have major things going on at home and it really makes it hard on them.
Teaching is a wonderful and rewarding career and I don't see myself doing anything else. Would I recommend it to my daughter....... I don't know- she'd have to REALLY want to (like I did)

 

[Snow Shoe]

Hi there. I'm a reciently retired teacher. I was a H.S. teacher for 23 years, and then became a college teacher for another 18 years. I taught mechanical engineering, AutoCAD and Solidworks to my college students, and vocational technology to my H.S. students. I loved teaching, my classes, and especially my students. Teaching is a profession that chooses you, not you it. We teachers are very passionate about our profession. Teaching is 24/365 job. Your always on the lookout for something new to present to your students, or a new way to show something "old". You teach because you love seeing that "light bulb" go on in the student, or helping an adult learn to read for the first time in their lives.

I wouldn't give up my teaching experiences for anything! I taught for a very long time, went through many changes, most for the better, some not so. I witnessed new teachers start their careers, only to have them leave the profession several years later because "teaching just wasn't for me, it's not what I expected" as their main reason for leaving. You have to be passionate about it!!!

 

[tigger813]

I am a former teacher. I left last year to start a new career as a massage therapist. I never thought I'd do anything else nor did any one think I'd ever do anything else.

The pros were having the summer's off.

The cons for me were less time with my family, a constant weight on my shoulders and new curriculum every time I turned around, etc.

I began to feel I was only working to teach to a test that is not appropriate for students to take. I taught 5th grade for 7 yrs with a year off after year 5. When I heard students wrote an essay for the test and took 4 hours in order to complete it I just got fed up. As a parent, I felt so sorry for that child. I'm a perfectionist so I didn't feel I could continue to give all I had and be a good parent and wife.

Teaching has changed since I graduated from college in 1992. I feel that it was a good thing for me to be a teacher as I have a lot of respect and insight into what my child will experience and how to deal with their teachers.

I still stay in touch with a lot of my colleagues and my bf is a teacher. For me it was just not right for me and my family. It's different for everyone.

I hope I don't sound negative. It's important to hear all sides. What's right for one person may not work for another. I have been able to spend so much more time with my girls this year and actually volunteered and chaperoned with my oldest daughter's class. It has been the right change for me. I love my new career (only 2 months so far) but it's giving me a rewarding feeling that had gone out of my teaching.

Best of luck to you!

 

[SmallWorld71]

1. What are the pro's and con's to being an elementary school teacher?
The hours are great for me because I have kids in elementary school. (They actually attend the school I teach at.) So, no looking for day care, easy to take vacations etc... On the downside, the salary for a teacher is low for the amount of work and education involved.
2. What grade do you teach?
1st grade
3. Do you love your job?
Depends on when you ask me. Seriously, most of the time I think my job is the best. Sometimes, I feel like I need my head examined.
4. Do you feel it's rewarding and on what levels?
I can't even begin to tell you how rewarding teaching 1st grade is. Watching them grow over the year and the little lightbulbs go off as they become readers, mathematical thinkers, problem solvers etc... is incredible. It's like witnessing little miracles over and over. The road to these miracles has a lot of frustrating (for them and me) bumps along the way though.
5. Am I too old to be looking into this? (I'm currently 32, but my husband and I will be starting to have children next year.... so my plan at the moment is to be a stay at home mommy during the day then take night classes at night and take out a student loan to pay my way - I have a few college courses under my belt already.. but not much).
I don't think you are too old. I am 36 and although I got my teaching degree right after high school, I didn't start teaching at my current school until 5 years ago. Lots of people enter the profession later. I will say, however, that it is VERY HARD to teach and have a baby at home. I didn't work as much when the boys were little, but was full time with DD. I was lucky that my mom was able to care for her, but to this day she will tell me that she loves me ALMOST as much as Grammy.

oh, and this is a weird question but I"ll ask it:
6. How do schools feel about teachers with visable tattoos? I don't have any tattoos right now that are super visable (one small one on my ankle) but have been thinking of getting one but am nervous about putting it somewhere where I can't hide it. Are tattoos not such a big deal anymore in schools?
Can't help you here. I can't think of any teachers at my school with visible tattoos.

thanks everyone! I know there are a lot of questions.. sorry about that! For some reason I feel like there are a lot of teachers on these boards.

oh, btw... I'm also considering becoming an art teacher. Are there teachers out there that are strictly art teachers anymore? I just feel like when schools have to make pay cuts it's the arts that always get the shaft.

thanks!!!

We have a full time art teacher at our school. But, this varies widely from place to place.

 

[disneymomof2boyz]

I am also studying to be a teacher, I have 2 more years to go.

I have a particular question regarding private school teaching. Basically all the question from OP, and any added benefits or disadvantage.

Thanks.