Calling all teachers.... (changed the name)

[DMickey28]

I am really thinking about becoming a elem. ed teacher. I would do this in Indiana since we will be moving there shortly and I honestly doubt we will move away anytime soon. At IU I would need to take a 18 month program T2T in order to get a Masters in Elem. Ed with my current bachelors degree (Hospitality).

I am looking for real life input as to what the job is really like. I love kids, have works as a camp counselor my whole life and I miss the kids so much. My desk job right now is above a daycare center and though I wouldn't like to do that, I love hearing them. I also love to learn and to teach to other, I was a swim instructor since I was 16, for children.

Please share real life stories, experiences, hardships and stories of love and devotion to the job. Also, I know NE has an over aboundance of Elem. ed teachers, but how is the rest of the country? any ideas where to find this information.. projected increase or decrease in needs... etc...

thanks, I know this was long.... but hey it's an important topic... our children.

btw i am 25 and in my second career in insurances from the rest. business...

 

[nativetxn]

I am not a teacher and have no advice for you. I truly admire our teachers, though. Good luck with this.

 

[gepetto]

There is a teacher shortage in NC. The starting salary is around $25K. Good luck.

 

[Cindy B]

All I can say, is that I am doing this very same thing.

I never finished my bachelors, so I fortunately was able to tailor it toward Elementary Education without any duplication of courses and only one course deemed unacceptable for the course track! (Hey, its only one course, so thats not so bad!)

As for the kids, I can tell you I am now an Educational Assistant in a 6th grade. I am a Special Education Aide, which means I work with a three Special Ed Teachers, and their caseload. ( I have a total of 22 students that I work with!... up from 13 last year!)

Just from an aides standpoint: I assist in the clas, contribute to the class discussion, even sub when the teacher is out. I also help admisiter the testing.

But, its a tough road. My kids are very needy.. there are multiple disablilities, and the challenges are many. This past week was very bad.. I was cursed at by a student. I've had other kids that need more than I can give them! There are many needs, and I am constantly moving from kid to kid and I take many notes.

The paperwork is immense even for me. (as an aide, more than most aides). I write notes for each class, help my students do notes, behaviour modification notes for multiple students, plus my checklist for all 22 kids! And all the while, I am circulating in the class, making sue the kids are paying attention, on task, and working hard in the class. I am a sight in the classroom with three notebooks, class materials, and walking around. I also help with discipline, like telling the kids to sign detention log if they are late, not prepared, no homework, etc.

This is what I do, and I am not even the teacher. I do more than most of the aides in my building. This position has me in the classroom every day, and seeing what it truly is like.

I see the massive amount of paperwork the teachers have. I see the frustrations from lack of parental involvement.

But what makes me come back is the joy I receive. I have seen some downtrodden special ed kids who feel that they are no good, get answers right on tests... Also getting an A in a mainstream course (a "regualar" classroom with special ed kids in it).

I love watching them learn. I love watching an idea form in their heads and realizing that it clicks.... I love watching a student change from disorganized to a decent student. (but it truly doesnt happen often)

THere is good, bad and ugly in teaching. I try to focus on the good.. and not worry about the bad and ugly.

 

[Patricia]

Hmmmm. This is a tough one. The best advice I can give you is not to consider it if you truly do not love kids and love the idea of working with ALL types of children. I have taught middle school for 12 years with a 7 year break in between. I can't say how much I love my job, there are just no words to describe it. BUT, I see so many people who do it for the wrong reasons and the kids suffer. If you are really interested in seeing the development of children through all the ups and downs, listening and finding a way to help parents be involved in a posititive manner, following administrators and boards of education and laws that accompany them, completing tons of paper work all for less money than you would make doing many other jobs, and still loving what you do and the kids you do it for, then you might be a candidate for teaching. I feel blessed that I traveled the right road and I hope you do too . We need more positive and child-loving teachers. BTW NJ has a shortage of math, science, and Special Ed teachers and the starting salaries are pretty good now. When I went back to work, I opted to teach in a private school, but public school teachers are starting at around 40,000 here. Good Luck in your decision!

 

[amid chaos]

I've had some really special teaching experiences.

I team taught 3rd graders in Williamsburg Virginia.

I taught kindergarteners in a very small town called Pomfret in Vermont. There were 4 one room school houses....4 teachers, one being the principal...it was really great!

I taught at a private school in St croix inthe Virgin Islands, just after Hurricane Hugo destroyed the island. it was a difficult but special time to be there.

now, that being said...I don't think Massachusetts makes it easy to be a teacher...I don't think they are respected here and I admire those who teach my children a great deal.
So, I won't be going back to teaching...i am a SAHM now, but not sure what I'll be in the future.

I'm not sure about teaching in Indiana...we were only involved in the schools while Norah was in Kindergarten.

 

[bekkiz]

Teaching is very, very, very hard. It requires you to be "on" for up to eight hours a day (often with no break as you need to supervise the library, playground etc). You're often with the same 25 kids for those whole eight hours, and your job is to entertain them that whole time. I'm not sure if you have kids, but you can imagine that challenge! Add to that 3-5 hours (at least your first year) planning and grading.

Is it impossible? No. Can you love it? For sure. I taught 11th grade US history last year (only 2 classes) and I was burnt out (I was doing at the same time I was completing my masters and credential) I'm taking this year off, coaching etc, but I am starting to miss the classroom. I love teaching, and it can be an amazing experiance, but I would never reccomend it to someone without explaining just how much work it can be.

A friend is co-teaching 2 six grade humanities classes through an internship--he's just observing and doing some in-class stuff, and he's already complaining how much of a time commitment it is I told him to wait a few months until he actually has to plan a week of lessons And then grade the homework

 

[Megan's Mom]

Before you start any of the course work you might want to talk to some principals or even superintendants in the area they will be able to tell you more about whether there is a surplus of teachers or not. Here in Alabama there is going to be severe cuts in education and massive teacher layoffs. With the new NCLB act the paperwork and expectations are great on teachers. It can be a great job in the right situation or it can be miserable. I don't mean to be a wet blanket but the kids are great and working with them are great but it is the other stuff that makes it depressing at times. Good luck in whatever you choose to do. Keep us informed.

 

[mrsmom]

I am not a teacher but just from moving away from Indiana , the school my kids went to wanted teachers really bad ,elementary and high school. ( Putnam County) if thats close to where you want to live.
Kim