Potential New Career for Teacher?

[ilovefh]

I'm in a spot where I am thinking I may not want to be a teacher forever, but I'm not really sure what else I would do. Here is what's going through my head...

With the ever growing demands on teachers I take so much work home with me. I have 6 periods of middle school math with 22 kids each. I have to grade each of their assignments for accuracy and provide valid feedback so I can constantly monitor their level of understanding and provide extra help for those that are having trouble.

I have to write two sets of lesson plans, one the district requires and one that I actually use. The one the district uses is useless as far as actually planning.

I have to fill out progress monitoring plans for all students who received a 1 or a 2 on the FCAT. I have to fill these out from a school computer because it's not accessible from home. (this is for all my students, think IEP like form)

I have to make phone calls home daily for many students.

I have to attend meetings on our new evaluation system and common core during planning.

I have to attend IEP meetings during my planning.

I have to attend admin meetings during planning.

I'm about to start a three page document for my pre observation meeting tomorrow. This is an observation where I had to plan a special lesson because I am only being judged on 1 facet of my teaching so I have to make sure that facet is highlighted so the administrator clearly sees it.

I'm also taking classes for my gifted endorsement and have to read weekly for a book study we are doing at school.

So what this boils down to is that I NEVER have time to do anything during my 1 50 minute planning period besides meetings, phone calls and photo copies if I am lucky.

We get out at 4pm and I have to pick DS up from daycare by 4:30. I can't do anything while he is awake and truthfully I don't want to. I want to be able to spend evenings and weekends with him without feeling guilty, like I should be grading or writing lesson plans. DH works evenings and weekends so I can't even pawn him off on DH to go work.

Honestly the after school and weekend work didn't bother me before I had DS. But today I am faced with do I keep DS inside in the living room watching Disney Jr. while I sit here and create lesson plans on a 75 degree gorgeous and sunny day?

My old school in NH was better, we were at least guaranteed our planning daily because we had 7 periods, we taught 4 content classes, one reading class and had two periods off. One was for meetings, one was for planning.

While I love teaching and adore the kids I teach it's getting to be too much. I need to spend time with my own son without feeling guilty. And I don't see the work load on teachers getting any better, just worse.

We're considering moving back to NH at some point and if I could get back into one of the local schools things would be a bit better. They at least get out at 2:30. While an hour and a half doesn't seem like much, it is huge when you have to make appointments and games.

I know people will say in this economy I should just be happy to have a job and blah blah blah, but I don't subscribe to that philosophy. While I would NEVER quit my job without another one lined up, I don't think staying where you're not happy and refusing to look for an alternative because "you should just be quiet and be happy to have a job."

I'd love to be a SAHM but finances just don't work for us. And I have no desire to do it the way some of my friends are doing it, by being on government help.


So my question is what else could I do that would require less work after work and on days off?

 

[JLiz]

I too am a teacher in Florida. And, I taught in an F school for a while so I feel your pain.

I work my contractual hours only. I will never care about somebody's child more than my own. My family comes first, to me, always.

So, read and understand your contract. Do only what it says is required of you. Join your union if you haven't already. Seek their assistance when/if you need it.

Assign fewer practice problems and grade them while the students are working independently. Do they really need to so 25 problems. Can't you determine if they have learned the skill by doing five? Seriously, how many grades to you have per quarter? Forty? You're working too hard. Cut it down to twenty or ten (or whatever your contract [not administration] says is the minimum.)

Stop attending meetings unless they are contractually required. Stop doing anything that is not in your contract. So what if that angers your administration. What will they do? Most likely you will be transferred to a higher graded school with fewer state and district "interventions".

Your son is only little for a short time. You should never have to debate playing at the park with him versus making lesson plans while he watches tv.

 

[HonestAbe]

Project Manager. I work in IT and there's a pretty big demand for PM's. As an ex teacher myself, I can tell you that many of the skills you already have will translate into this type of role. You have to keep "herding cats" so to speak, but essentially you manage projects to completion. There's rare occasions where you might have to work nights or weekends (sometimes very late when most people are sleeping) but that can often be done over a conference call bridge remotely. Even more rare, you might have to come in during those phases.

Generally though, PM's can arrange to do that stuff remotely and basically it means running through pre arranged checklists and routines with folks who are on site while you are remote making sure everything is done to completion.

Given your experience, you already do project management. You just need to learn the jargon and maybe get some type of certification to break into the field. The only difference is the kids are older than what you're used to working with.

Also, at least IT PM's make a lot more dough than virtually any teacher.

 

[HonestAbe]

I too am a teacher in Florida. And, I taught in an F school for a while so I feel your pain.

I work my contractual hours only. I will never care about somebody's child more than my own. My family comes first, to me, always.

So, read and understand your contract. Do only what it says is required of you. Join your union if you haven't already. Seek their assistance when/if you need it.

Assign fewer practice problems and grade them while the students are working independently. Do they really need to so 25 problems. Can't you determine if they have learned the skill by doing five? Seriously, how many grades to you have per quarter? Forty? You're working too hard. Cut it down to twenty or ten (or whatever your contract [not administration] says is the minimum.)

Stop attending meetings unless they are contractually required. Stop doing anything that is not in your contract. So what if that angers your administration. What will they do? Most likely you will be transferred to a higher graded school with fewer state and district "interventions".

Your son is only little for a short time. You should never have to debate playing at the park with him versus making lesson plans while he watches tv.

Sorry but part of your post makes me laugh. The principal in the HS would always get so frustrated with me because my lesson plans sucked. Yeah they sucked. I was a music teacher for crying out loud. The arts are qualitative measurement, not quantitative so planning it out in specific detail wasnt possible dummy!

 

[HonestAbe]

http://www.pmi.org/Certification/What-are-PMI-Certifications.aspx is a good place to get some basic info. I don't know of any of the PM's that I work with who actually have a degree.

As far as tools, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_project-management_software gives a good overview but the biggies in the IT biz are Microsoft Project and SAP. Chances of getting to play with SAP on your own are slim to none, but you can buy an academic version of MS project as long as you have a .edu email address. At the least, learning it will give you an overview of what PM is and how it looks in the real world with all those fancy milestones and whatnot.

 

[MrsPete]

I've been teaching for 21 years, and I've seen the work load increase year after year. Even as I've gained experience, I find myself working many more hours than I did in the past. I can pinpoint a few reasons:

- Technology. We are required to maintain websites, incorporate technology into our lessons . . . But we still have to do everything the old fashioned way too. For example, we keep grades online so parents have 24/7 access . . . But we also have to send out paper progress reports every six weeks just in case parents aren't checking or in case they don't have Internet access. So we're required to do the job of informing parents twice. This is just one example.

- Classroom management is much more work than it used to be. So many parents just don't care and actually blame the teacher for the chid's bad behavior. With other options popping up, our best students are disappearing.

- The legislature requires us to give kids chances to make up work been when they've skipped school repeatedly, requires us to give kids second, third, fourth chances for everything. Why should they take anything seriously?

I could give other examples, but the truth is that the powers that be have heaped more, more, more upon our plates . . . And they're giving us less, less, less in return. Some of the best young teachers are leaving -- people like me, who are nearing the end of our careers will stay. But look for big changes in education over the next few decades, and it won't be good.

 

[HonestAbe]

I've been teaching for 21 years, and I've seen the work load increase year after year. Even as I've gained experience, I find myself working many more hours than I did in the past. I can pinpoint a few reasons:

- Technology. We are required to maintain websites, incorporate technology into our lessons . . . But we still have to do everything the old fashioned way too. For example, we keep grades online so parents have 24/7 access . . . But we also have to send out paper progress reports every six weeks just in case parents aren't checking or in case they don't have Internet access. So we're required to do the job of informing parents twice. This is just one example.

- Classroom management is much more work than it used to be. So many parents just don't care and actually blame the teacher for the chid's bad behavior. With other options popping up, our best students are disappearing.

- The legislature requires us to give kids chances to make up work been when they've skipped school repeatedly, requires us to give kids second, third, fourth chances for everything. Why should they take anything seriously?

I could give other examples, but the truth is that the powers that be have heaped more, more, more upon our plates . . . And they're giving us less, less, less in return. Some of the best young teachers are leaving -- people like me, who are nearing the end of our careers will stay. But look for big changes in education over the next few decades, and it won't be good.

Amen. My wife and I both taught for 2 years and saw the writing on the wall. Are you sure you're not from the future and have come back in time as a harbinger of doom? If so...can I borrow your Delorean?

 

[PollyannaMom]

I absolutely feel for you. Teaching seems to be taking up more and more time, for less and less reward.

I don't know if it's a financial possibility for you, but I substitute teach and I love it! I get the best part of the day with the kids, but very little of the background work - no grading to take home, I rarely have to speak to a parent, and I walk in to lesson plans magically on the desk.

The money's not good, of course, and I don't get to design my own classroom, but I do get to watch the kids grow from year to year - and that's wonderful to see! I still do a bit outside of school - reading up on ideas in education, etc. - but there's no pressure to do it at a certain time, so it's not the same at all.

 

[ilovefh]

I too am a teacher in Florida. And, I taught in an F school for a while so I feel your pain.

I work my contractual hours only. I will never care about somebody's child more than my own. My family comes first, to me, always.

So, read and understand your contract. Do only what it says is required of you. Join your union if you haven't already. Seek their assistance when/if you need it.

Assign fewer practice problems and grade them while the students are working independently. Do they really need to so 25 problems. Can't you determine if they have learned the skill by doing five? Seriously, how many grades to you have per quarter? Forty? You're working too hard. Cut it down to twenty or ten (or whatever your contract [not administration] says is the minimum.)

Stop attending meetings unless they are contractually required. Stop doing anything that is not in your contract. So what if that angers your administration. What will they do? Most likely you will be transferred to a higher graded school with fewer state and district "interventions".

Your son is only little for a short time. You should never have to debate playing at the park with him versus making lesson plans while he watches tv.

This is part of the problem at our school. We no longer have tenure and we were told while we don't have to attend the meetings admin does take notice of who does come and who doesn't come.

As for work assigned, I try to not assign too many problems...normally in the 5-10 range, but providing the proper feedback still takes quite a long time.

My friend just called and said they're going to go to the park. I think I may join them for a bit just to get out. Although, if I wasn't DISing right now I could be doing school work!

Project Manager. I work in IT and there's a pretty big demand for PM's. As an ex teacher myself, I can tell you that many of the skills you already have will translate into this type of role. You have to keep "herding cats" so to speak, but essentially you manage projects to completion. There's rare occasions where you might have to work nights or weekends (sometimes very late when most people are sleeping) but that can often be done over a conference call bridge remotely. Even more rare, you might have to come in during those phases.

Generally though, PM's can arrange to do that stuff remotely and basically it means running through pre arranged checklists and routines with folks who are on site while you are remote making sure everything is done to completion.

Given your experience, you already do project management. You just need to learn the jargon and maybe get some type of certification to break into the field. The only difference is the kids are older than what you're used to working with.

Also, at least IT PM's make a lot more dough than virtually any teacher.

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look into it.

http://www.pmi.org/Certification/What-are-PMI-Certifications.aspx is a good place to get some basic info. I don't know of any of the PM's that I work with who actually have a degree.

As far as tools, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_project-management_software gives a good overview but the biggies in the IT biz are Microsoft Project and SAP. Chances of getting to play with SAP on your own are slim to none, but you can buy an academic version of MS project as long as you have a .edu email address. At the least, learning it will give you an overview of what PM is and how it looks in the real world with all those fancy milestones and whatnot.

Thank you! I will look into those links!

I've been teaching for 21 years, and I've seen the work load increase year after year. Even as I've gained experience, I find myself working many more hours than I did in the past. I can pinpoint a few reasons:

- Technology. We are required to maintain websites, incorporate technology into our lessons . . . But we still have to do everything the old fashioned way too. For example, we keep grades online so parents have 24/7 access . . . But we also have to send out paper progress reports every six weeks just in case parents aren't checking or in case they don't have Internet access. So we're required to do the job of informing parents twice. This is just one example.

- Classroom management is much more work than it used to be. So many parents just don't care and actually blame the teacher for the chid's bad behavior. With other options popping up, our best students are disappearing.

- The legislature requires us to give kids chances to make up work been when they've skipped school repeatedly, requires us to give kids second, third, fourth chances for everything. Why should they take anything seriously?

I could give other examples, but the truth is that the powers that be have heaped more, more, more upon our plates . . . And they're giving us less, less, less in return. Some of the best young teachers are leaving -- people like me, who are nearing the end of our careers will stay. But look for big changes in education over the next few decades, and it won't be good.

That's kind of where I am except not as many years. Just one example for us....we have kids on IEPs and that requires our input for goals and such and meetings with parents. Then, if they score a 1 or a 2 we have to do a progress monitoring plan too which..get this...requires goals and is set up like an IEP and requires a meeting. So two forms that are pretty close to similar so double the work.

I agree that classroom management plays an even bigger role than before. Most people could not imagine the number of times I tried to call home only to find that the number is not correct or that no one answers EVER or that I leave a message and NEVER get a phone class back.

Or my favorite....grades close in two days..."My child has an F in your class, what can they do to bring it up? How about extra credit" How about do the work when it's assigned? Or why are you calling 2 days before grades close when I have tried to contact you multiple times, I've sent home letters and a progress report and every one of them said he was failing.

Sorry, maybe I'm venting a bit. I'm just so discouraged by our whole system right now.

 

[Cindy B]

I understand y our predicament OP but that is part and parcel of the job.

I am a teacher. I have 14 7 students 7 periods a day- up to 31 per class with no aides, no dual teachers and limited support.

And I am in a dangerous city. One of the most dangerous in the United States.

All of my students are poverty line. Achievement gap -- I see it everyday along with drug use, racism, non English speaking and all sort of other issues. I have students that are 7 levels below needed -- yes a 7th grader with a 1st grade Lexile level- but has no IEP, 504, learning plan or support.

Free time, what is that? Grading 147 essays is time consuming, let alone weekly vocabulary tests.

Phone calls, meetings, paperwork is a part of it.

I love teaching and will do it as long as I can.

Truly with all the out of work teachers and others that can't find a teaching position, please take a step back and realize that 1000's of people want to do what you do

 

[Piper]

Three years ago, I retired from teaching after umpteen years. Do I miss the kids? Yes. Do I miss all the unnecessary paperwork and stress that goes along with teaching? NO!!!

I got so tired of seeing teachers who didn't teach and didn't turn in all the crap we had to do on time or even attempt to do it correctly. (how can you expect your students to follow rules if you don't?)

I got tired of teachers who saw my children doing something they had learned and told me "My students can't do that." Uh, yeah, because you didn't teach them how to do it or motivate them to learn!

I got tired of seeking help for students who had learning difficulties and being told it "was just developmental." Yes, it was developmental--they were behind their peers significantly. And then a couple of years down the road, the same kids finally got help AFTER their self esteem was in the toilet from failure. A little early intervention would have prevented a lot of the problems!! You would think administrators would listen to me since 100% of the children I referred for testing ended up in SE a couple of years after they left me. They wouldn't even test!

Sorry--I guess I just wanted to say that I understand the frustrations.

 

[ilovefh]

I understand y our predicament OP but that is part and parcel of the job.

I am a teacher. I have 14 7 students 7 periods a day- up to 31 per class with no aides, no dual teachers and limited support.

And I am in a dangerous city. One of the most dangerous in the United States.

All of my students are poverty line. Achievement gap -- I see it everyday along with drug use, racism, non English speaking and all sort of other issues. I have studnets that are 7 levels below needed -- yes a 7th grader with a 1st grade Lexile level- but has no IEP, 504, learning plan or support.

Free time, what is that? Grading 147 essays is time consuming, let alone weekly vocabulary tests.

Phone calls, meetings, paperwork is a part of it.

I love teaching and will do it as long as I can.

Truly with all the out of work teachers and others that can't find a teaching position, please take a step back and realize that 1000's of people want to do what you do

While it may work for your family, it just doesn't work for mine. I don't like spending more time per week on other people's children than I do on my own. I have to park mine in front of Sofia the First so he is somewhat distracted while I take care of school work.

Just because others are unemployed does not mean I should not look into alternatives that work better for my family. Am I supposed to say "sorry I can't take you outside today because I have to work on school work, but it's okay because others would like to do what I do"? I'm thankful to have a job for sure, but like I said in my OP, the logic of you should be happy to just have a job does not work for me.

Believe me when I say I knew I would be taking some work with me at night and on weekends, but as the years go by the amount of work goes up instead of down.

I can't reuse last year's lesson plans because we are using a new form this year. Actually, we've used a new one each year so far.

Now with the switch to common core my whole way of teaching is going to change.

Spending 40 hours per week at school (this includes my coming in early) and then having to spend hours at night and on the weekend just doesn't work for us.

 

[mjantz]

I second the subbing idea. It's what I do & I love it. I taught at the school for a few years & then stepped back to do subbing. The teachers love me because I know the school & it's policies and procedures & because I've taught I know how to teach & present work so they can actually leave real lesson plans for me as opposed to busy work.

Also, when my kids were little I worked at a Mothers Day Out. The pay wasn't great but I got a tuition break & my kids were right down the hall from me. Since everyone had kids if you needed a day off for sick kids or field trips, it was no problem.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I've been working as a special ed aide for the past 11 years. I must say, I certainly don't envy my teacher in terms of the paperwork and issues she has to deal with. I've been asked many times why I haven't gone back to school to get a credential (my background and degree are in PR). The answer is that being an aide is perfect for me. I get to work with the kids. I'm only at school when the kids are there. I am occasionally required to attend after school training sessions, but I get paid for the extra hours. I leave by 3:00 everyday and am home all afternoon with my boys. I get Fridays off since my preschool program is only four days a week. True, I don't get paid as much as a teacher, but the pay in my district isn't bad. I make slightly more in a six hour day than a substitute teacher gets paid.

I can think of at least two special ed aides in my district who formerly worked as teachers. One took a year off after having a baby and took an aide job when she came back.

Perhaps a different job in the school system would suit you, whether it's as an aide, a reading tutor, etc. Some former teachers in our district have even switched to jobs in the district office in HR, purchasing, technology support, etc.

 

[tartemis]

Just be careful that you aren't falling into a "grass is always greener" scenario. While your current situation may not be working for you, you will be hard pressed to find another full-time career (other than teaching) that allows you to spend so much time with your kids.

Maybe that means becoming a stay at home mom or looking into a part-time job. But, if not spending time with your kid is the issue, then I don't see how working a 9-5 position with 2 weeks (at best) vacation a year, at likely less pay and fewer benefits is going to make you happy.

 

[ilovefh]

Just be careful that you aren't falling into a "grass is always greener" scenario. While your current situation may not be working for you, you will be hard pressed to find another full-time career (other than teaching) that allows you to spend so much time with your kids.

Maybe that means becoming a stay at home mom or looking into a part-time job. But, if not spending time with your kid is the issue, then I don't see how working a 9-5 position with 2 weeks (at best) vacation a year, at likely less pay and fewer benefits is going to make you happy.

The problem for me right now is that teaching gives the illusion of spending time with my son.

I get him at 4:30 every day, but the amount of work I bring home does not enable me to actually spend time with him. Yes, we are physically in the same house, but right now I am doing lesson plans while he is playing in the living room. I'd like my time off to be that, my time off.

And summers, well that is an illusion too. Between workshops and trying to plan for next year I don't get that much time off.

 

[PrincesCJM]

I feel like I could have written almost the exact same post. I am in my eighth year of teaching, and while I love teaching, I am becoming more and more frustrated and discouraged by everything else that comes with teaching. My district is facing more budget cuts which means more potential cut positions. Plus, we are feeling the pressure to raise test scores to meet AYP and better prepare our students for college. While valid, do not take away valuable classroom for me to teach to the test, rather than teaching the material that will be on the test.

I have a BS in Secondary Education Mathematics and will soon (in 6 weeks) have a MS in Curriculum and Instruction. I don't know what else I could do other than teach. I am looking more and more at job postings, in case something catches my eye. I will admit, that although I would lose the summer with my son, the thought of not being limited to vacations during school vacations does entice me. Better, cheaper trips (to Disney!).

 

[Aliceacc]

I'm in my 28th year of teaching high school math, and there's no other career in the world for me. I love what I do. I enjoy going to work each day.

That said, I do teach in a Catholic school, for an amazing administration, so I'm not dealing with a lot of the issues you mention.

As to alternate careers: over the years I've done a LOT of freelance writing. I've done item writing, written bits and pieces of textbooks, and done work on a wide variety of math websites. Is that something you might consider?

Or hit www.careerbuilder.com and enter the keyword "math"... there are something like 25,000 jobs. At least a few of them may be in your geographic area.

 

[DawnM]

You could go into another area of education.

I taught for 12+ years before I went back to school and got my Counseling credentials. I was a Counselor for almost 5 years (after teaching) before deciding to stay home with my kids (I have specific reasons for this but I do plan to return to education at some time.) I actually also got started on my School Psych program but we moved before I could finish it. Counseling and Psychology are certainly areas to explore.

I might also suggest teaching something that is not part of the main curriculum. ESL is one that comes to mind as I taught it for a long time. The students were sweet for the most part and discipline wasn't nearly as difficult in those classes. I also taught an elective for quite a while. The elective classes I taught didn't require nearly as much work as the core classes.

You could also look into becoming a resource teacher or a Speech therapist. Our district also had a program for the blind that had about 5 or 6 kids in it.

Dawn

 

[torinsmom]

I have been teaching for only 14 years and I am seeing the same thing. It is becoming more and more work every year, and a lot of it is what I see as busy work, like you said special lesson plans just for show. We have required meetings every week, that are the same thing. They could send out a powerpoint instead of us sitting around watching one together for an hour. I love the kids and I love teaching, but it seems like teaching is more about numbers and fluff these days than it is about helping kids learn.

I work in a state that ranks 46th in teacher pay, so I have to have a second job to even survive on my salary. Now, it appears the school I work in has mold and they don't want to admit it, so I have been suffering from chronic sinus infections for most of the year. I have been thinking about going to a private school, where there aren't as many restrictions.

OP, you could also take care of 1-2 children in your home in addition to your son. That way, you would be home with him, but still making an income. You could get back into teaching once he is in school. Or, like someone else said, sub. You'd get decent pay since you are certified, but none of the constant planning or meetings.