I want to be a teacher..

[DMickey28]

I have a bachelor's in Hotel, Restaurant and Travel Administration but I want to be a teacher.

I have worked with kids my whole life. Babysitting and being a camp counselor for 5 years teaching swimming lessons and being the head counselor for 8 year olds. I miss it soooo much.

I am not doing anything in my field right now. Just a misc. job to pass the time and make some money. Not unhappy, just not happy with it....

I have thought about being a teacher for a long time, but in New England the jobs are few and far between and I was discouraged from it in college.

Now in the midwest, the market looks slightly better and I found a few programs that I could get a teaching license for elem. ed and then get a job. One program is with Ball State and they work with Carmel Clay School, the town next to me. It's a year program and I would apply for the 2005-2006 year, giving me time to take the Praxis I and II... they only take 10 students and it's really tight.

I am afraid of taking forever to figure out what I want to do because I will be looking for something that leaves me with no doubts, but that won't happen in real life. Teaching and working with kids is something I have always loved, but I am scared of taking the time off work and not making any money! I should just take the plunge and do my best on the application and keep my fingers crossed.....Teaching fits a lot better into the plans my fiance and I have for our future well too... better that Law school...

What are your thoughts? If you are a teacher what would you say to someone who is seriously thinking about it???

 

[Blueeyes101817]

well im going to school now to be able to teach preschool to third grade..right now i am an assistant teacher at a preschool in a 4 year old classroom..i love it!

 

[KristaTX]

Congratulations! It sounds like you have identified your passion. I don't have any advice except for find a way and follow your dream .

 

[Lewski709]

I suggest trying some substitute teaching and seeing what you think. I went through school to do student teaching and find it wasn't for me at all. K-3 were the grades and I liked 3rd grade the best. It takes a lot of patience to teach and they aren't paid well, but it sure is great to have the summers off.

BTW....I am not teaching now and got out of it and got my degress in Business Admin. I work as a Manager in Sales. I like my job.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

See post below. I double posted.

Lori

 

[JulieWent]

I'm a teacher, and I love what I do. I'm not sure that I agree that substitute teaching will let you know if it's right for you. I think subs have it a lot harder than those of use who get to know the kids. (You get to know them, and their behavior makes sense, even in a strange way.) But... I agree with Lewski that it's hard to get all the way through your studies to find that it's not right for you. If it IS, though, it's wonderful. If you've decided that it is and have no children right now, aren't married yet, have no major financial ties, now's the time to try, I would guess. In my opinion, teaching is tremedously rewarding and challenging. (It's easy to say that now that classes have been out for a couple of weeks and I've been to WDW already! You should have seen me on May 22!) Seriously, if you feel it might be for you, consider it. But don't go into it without knowing that it is challenging. We get to love the kids, yes, but we deal with so much. Sometimes we go home very tired. By the second week in June, that usually passes though !

Julie

(I teach 9th graders!)

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

I recommend to anyone that tells me they think they want to be a teacher to shadow one for about a week. It will give you good insight to all of the things required of a teacher that has absolutely nothing to do with teaching children.

It is a rewarding profession.

Lori

 

[Kallison]

Do it NOW before you have kids and start a family. It may be tight, but it will be worthwhile if you get a contract you have unlimited job security. It's the perfect job when you have kids too.

 

[tar heel]

There's a huge shortage of teachers in North Carolina. Our district recruits heavily out of state, especially at SUNY. I don't know if this program is open to nonresidents, but we have a lateral entry program for people who are college graduates in another field. in which you start teaching the first year. You go to summer school, then you teach that school year while taking, I think, one education course per semester. Then you go to school full-time again the next summer. I believe you have a mentor while you're in the classroom, but you actually teach before you finish your education degree. The priority for this program, I think, is middle school, though, since that is where much of the shortage is. There might be some information on the NC Department of Public Instruction website.

Since Kallison mentioned contracts, I will add that teachers in
North Carolina -- and actually pretty much the entire South -- are not unionized. Here, teachers get tenure after three years and have fantastic job security at that point and can retire with great benefits after 30 years -- fewer if you start when you are older.

 

[Sirius]

Get a Master's Degree. It's the only way to make any money in teaching. I have a BA in English, a BA in Theatre, an MAT (Master of Arts in Teaching), and an EdS (Educational Specialist). This year I'll be making what my brother makes. He's in computers and has no degree.

As for teaching, I love it. I wouldn't change careers for anything.

 

[DMickey28]

Tar heel ~ I would love to go to N.Carolina to teach but DFiance's job limits us to where we can move. We are stuck here now!

Thanks for the advice... I think I will do this program at Ball State, or at least try to get in, then continue to work towards my Masters. I know what the starting teachers make in my town and it's not too bad... it's not for the money though. DFiance makes enough that we can be comfretably without my working so I should do what I enjoy for slightly less money than what I make now, but I dislike my job now....

Thanks for the advice and any more would be more than welcome!

 

[olena]

Spend time at a school as a volunteer to get a feel for an actual classroom.

Best of luck!