Question for those who are teachers...

[Rock'n Robin]

Well I don't know about Florida (although I'd like to teach there one day). I live in Ohio. They just cut school funding again. I don't have it so bad right now. The big blessing in my life is that I got a "permanent" certificate before they phased them out, so I never have to go to summer classes again. For me that is a blessing because I am home with the kids all summer. But that is no longer an option for new teachers, who can get a 5 year "license" at best.
Since there is a teacher shortage here they have toughened the requirements to teach (makes no sense, does it?). I had to take a test before I started, and now they have a harder test, the Praxis assessment. I am currently taking a workshop on evaluating student teachers using those principles (no I don't have to, but if I ever want a student teacher again my district requires it).
I am also a "speed reader" so I don't have to do much grading at home--I can also grade with other things going on. If you need total silence to concentrate, it can take you forever to get a stack of papers. Barry you mentioned English and writing. I am an English teacher and a fairly good writer of essays, letters to the editor, etc., although I'm not the "creative" writing sort. While it is fun to teach what you love (I love teaching literature) it can get frustrating when kids don't get it. Since I can write without much effort, I have little patience with kids who can't, although I try not to show it much. You have to learn not to take it personally when you teach a great book and the kids say "that book sucked!"
Plus dark days are coming--my principal in his wisdom wants us all to try teaching new classes next year, throwing 6 years of expertise in British Lit. out the window just to "refresh myself" . The state is starting a wicked test that is a graduation requirement to replace the proficiencies we have now, and there is writing in every subject--so even if the kid fails math, they can blame it on the English teachers. And next month we have a meeting to align our curriculum so each teacher in each grade is teaching similar stuff--our freedoms are disappearing. And the state dept. of education, which as far as I know has no teachers in it, keeps toughening our requirements--as does George W. Bush, who knows nothing of life in the actual classroom.
My girls (11 and almost 8) talk about wanting to teach and it makes me cringe because it's a hard road nowadays. I hope it gets easier soon.
Robin M.

 

[Pinnie]

Pin Wizard,

You asked about student teaching, whether it was during your "four years" or outside it. The anwser to this question will depend on the requirements of the university you attend and the state you live.

I can speak only for Michigan. The school I supervise student teachers from (Eastern Michigan Univeristy) allows students to teach in the last yr. of their studies. It is very rare nowadays to find someone who can finish university studies in 4 yrs. For most programs it now takes at minimum 5 yrs. to get through. If you are interested in teaching K-3 here, you will need in addition to your elementary teaching certificate a ZA endorsement. That means you have to spend one semester in a 1-3 classroom and then another semester in a pre-k or K classroom, which boils down to a whole year of student teaching. Remember you will be PAYING to student teach almost all year with NO pay. Middle school and high school requirements are similar.

The requirements from a university such as Michigan State differ. They will NOT let you student teach until you graduate from the university. Then you will teach for a whole year. Again you would be required to pay for the opportunity.

You mentioned you thought you would "be around for DS working as a teacher' That isn't always true. Your son may have a day off from school, but you would be required to come in for an inservice, teacher training, conferences, etc. The only time I was off when my kids were off was on "vacation days"

You are right in saying that state restrictions on class size do NOT apply to private schools. Up here as long as they don't take state funds, they are immune from state regulations. We even have some private schools that use uncertified teachers.

Rock'n Robin, I know what you are going through, since we up here in MI are doing a lot of the same thing.

One thing I can say is that retirement is starting to entice me with all the changes the state is startig to mandate.

pin
remember the magic
DVC/BCVs 2002

 

[BrerMom]

I agree with the others: it has to be a calling. There's a reason why:

Nationally, about 30 percent of all teachers -- 50 percent in urban areas -- leave the profession during the first five years.

This quote is from http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/story.hts/topstory/1006096

It's supposed to get easier the longer a teacher teaches, right? It sure doesn't seem that way. For every kid that tries hard and has supportive parents, there are two that don't have either. Then there are the kids that cry in class (in high school!!!) if they don't earn an A on a test. Some kids are under so much pressure to succeed.

I'm on a cart again this year - a different classroom for every class with five minutes to get from one class to another and set up. I've always been organized. I have to be super organized when traveling or everything unravels very quickly.

I get frustrated by the lack of basic skills. The only way a student in 1st-8th can repeat a failed math class in our district is if they repeat the whole grade. So I get 9th graders that sometimes have a 4th grade understanding of math. With the standards being raised almost annually, that means an awful lot of after-school tutoring IF I can get them to come in.

DD11 is considering "teacher" as one of her two current career possibilities. I'm not discouraging her, but I'm not going out of my way to encourage her, either. I know she can tell that I love teaching. I decided a long time ago that I just wouldn't have the same passion about anything else.

Barry, I think you'd make a great techy for the schools. They still get to work with students, teachers adore them , and they are much more resistant to pink-slipping than most new teachers. You can also have a student or two working with you as apprentices if you still want a taste of teaching. Oh, and depending on which techy job you get in which district, your work year may be only slightly longer than a teacher's year. We have to take classes in the summer; I'm not sure whether you'd have to or not.

 

[Cindy B]

Barry:

You are good with kids! As for the technology person for the school.. Jeff interviewed for two school districts (two public) and one college regarding this type of position.

That is something you CAN do, depending on your networking skills.

This is a lower paying position than his current/former tech support positions, he would not get summers off as well, and the 24 x 7 hours bugged him. The benefits were good, but where he is now was better health/retirement benefits.

As for myself, I was looking into teaching also. I have a list of starting teaching salaries for the tri state area broken down by district. The salaries are for the most part, ok. I can do better being an office manager/executive secretary.

But the rewards are better as a teacher. I would love to be known as Mrs. B.. my favorite teacher, or I learned how to read because of Mrs. B.

Some districts have better policies than others. Here in our district the maximum class size is 22. Yes, there are some challenging kids in the bunch as well.

I actually interviewed for a educational assistant position. This is much lower pay, but I may try it just to see if teaching is something I want to do. Yes, I realize I won't see it all, the grading at night, the conferences, the IEP meetings, but I love my children, and believe all should be given great chances to have great teachers.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Rock'n Robin
it can get frustrating when kids don't get it.

It's nice to see this from a teacher's standpoint. Because it's really frustrating when "I don't get it!" That applies to algebra right now. Why the heck do I need it to teach 2nd to 4th? They're not going to go in depth like this!

 

[Cindy B]

Other thoughts on the technology position...


The districts that Jeff interviewed for (two public) required industry certifications as part of employment conditions.
They wanted to see MCSE or CCNE (CIsco's requirement of MCSE, I may have the initials wrong there), plus other ones like A+, and CNA, or MCP.

He wasn't going to be off in the summers, but there was an extended break time in one district over the summer.. but also in August the tech person would have to go to every PC in the entire building.. and do things to all of them. One positiion he intereviewed for was the Tech person for the entire district. .. meaning 3 elementary, one middle school, and one high school.

Think of how many PC's that is.

Another one he interviewed for was a college. (Penn State). The benefits there were outstanding (free college for himself, myself and the kids), but the salary was very low.. he would have been taking a 20K pay cut! (But that salary was still higher than a teaching position pay)

The hours were pretty crazy at that position, and it required on-call. (He did world wide support on call for many years, and cringes at the thought of having to do it again!)

You are really good with kids though, and you may be able to do something with that. My kids adore you! From what I can gather, teaching means anybody would have to be very out of yourself/animated/energetic. Sometimes thats hard for me.

Also a growing trend in the IT area is former teachers going to IT. Jeff had a former French teacher on one of his tech teams.. she got sick of the "parental politics" as she put it.

 

[CourtasanSatine]

I'm also waging the same battle in my head.I would love to teach theater and share my love of the arts with kids but all the stories is sending me back towards Jouralism for a major(but there's a part of me that wants to cover a huge story)

 

[Pin Wizard]

That article was pretty interesting. I have to mention a former coworker at the hospital who used to teach. She loved the lower grades, but teaching middle school made her give it up. She related two stories...one about a student drawing inappropriate pictures during class. When she approached the parents about it, the father told her that he saw her putting a stop to it as basically snuffing out his son's artistic abilities! And the kid continued to draw in class. The other one really spooked me. She said a kid brought a whoopie cushion to class a couple days. Finally, she had had it and cut it with scissors! She said that when she went out to her car that afternoon, her tires had been slashed! That was the last straw for her. She's been working in the hospital ever since. Her husband was also a math teacher and gave it up because of the lousy salary.

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Cindy B
From what I can gather, teaching means anybody would have to be very out of yourself/animated/energetic. Sometimes thats hard for me.

This isn't me. Lately I've been wondering...how can I stand in front of a class and talk ALL DAY? No wonder DS's teacher's voice is practically gone! That's why I've got Accounting in mind I think. I can sit quietly with my ledgers all day. LOL! I haven't a clue what I'd REALLY like to do.

 

[Cindy B]

Pin Wizard.. assaults on teachers/teachers property are fairly common in some districts.

One of my DH's former boss was a teacher in West Oaklane, an urban area of Philadelphia. Her last straw was being pushed down the stairs by two girl students, prior to that was being kicked in the stomach!

My friend is an administrator at a school in North Philadelphia (another tough area). She sees drug deals outside the school window, families that have a childs breather apparatus filled with cockroaches, and kids that have nothing.. but the parents come in with fur coats/fancy cars. But she comes because she loves it. She sees these kids everyday, and wants to be a constant to them.

She was an teacher and then became principal for a school in the Boston area for a while, and I had heard the horror stories from the Massachusets system. So what Glo and Kteacher are saying some things that are true.. She is glad she got out when she did, and moved to PA.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Originally posted by Pin Wizard
It's nice to see this from a teacher's standpoint. Because it's really frustrating when "I don't get it!" That applies to algebra right now. Why the heck do I need it to teach 2nd to 4th? They're not going to go in depth like this!

You'll need it because you may end up teaching 6th grade.

In NY Elem. Certification goes up to 6th grade.

My son is the 6th grade. Many of the students are working above grade level in math. Some of them are in a special SAT math class after school. The math teacher has to give them work on their level.

Just because you want to teach 2-4 grade, there's no way to be sure you won't end up with a 1st, 5th or 6th grade class.

Remember, your students reading, math and writing skills can be worlds apart. You'll have to be able to meet the needs of all your students.

If you have your heart set on teaching, I say go for it. I just think you should know what you are getting into.

 

[BarryHom]

Hmmm, this teaching thing doesn't sound like a good idea after all. Maybe I need to be a techy. At least no one bothers me unless something blows up! I need to get my networking skills up and a certification or two. I'll be in school for a few more years, no doubt.

Maybe I need to drop the Java class for now and try again next semester. The professor I have is just dirt boring.

 

[Cindy B]

Originally posted by Barry Hom
Hmmm, this teaching thing doesn't sound like a good idea after all. Maybe I need to be a techy. At least no one bothers me unless something blows up!

Either that or the server goes down.... !


As for the networking certs, the disricts tha required these were some pretty "high end" suburban districts. (Our old neighborhood!)

I would look in requirements and see what other districts need, or desire.

 

[glo]

Cindy B ....my twind are living miracles, because of the act of a 4th grade student. At 6 months pregnant with my twins I made the mistake of caring to much. One of my students was having a bad day, he threw himself down on the library floor, and proceeded to take a temper tantrum. Now this is a learning disabled student, not a child with any psychological problems. I reacher down to try and calm him and help him up, and he kicked me sqaure full force in the stomach. I went into labor that evening. My twins were born 9.5 weeks early and spent a long time in an incubator in a NICU. When I came back to school the next year, he actually came and asked me how the babies he had kicked were. I have had a concussion due to a rock thrown at my head, I have had my pocketbook stolen four times, and I have had countless bruises and cuts from stopping fights. Countless sleepless nights worrying about abused kids, and have even had some at my house waiting while they found placements for them. I won't even mention what I have done with parents...

By the way, I pressed charges against the child and the mother pressed charges on me for supposed assault. All he got was probation....I got the scare of my life. By the way, my girls are now 6 and doing well, but I will never forgive that child.

Teaching is something you do because you have it in you. It is not something you do because you want summers off, or you think it is a short day. It is not about just the getting in front of the class....

By the way, I left special needs the year after I had my girls. I will never do it again, I had done it 11 years by then. I have been the computer teacher at my school since then. I also maintain and run our server and do all the ordering in our school. I have 5 classes a day, and the rest is maintances and ordering time. I have different students every hour, and only 1 a week, and still it is difficult.

Teaching is not an easy job contrary to popular belief....and my hats off to all who choose this as a profession.

 

[Cindy B]

glo-- Hats off to you to coming back to school after what had happened to you.

I'm glad your children are fine now.. they seemed very healthy and happy meeting them at Barb's house!


My friend was a principal in Worcester (am I spelling that right?).. she said it was tough...

 

[Pin Wizard]

Originally posted by Cindy B
assaults on teachers/teachers property are fairly common in some districts.

It's amazing there are any teachers at all with this going on. My friend that gave up teaching lived in the town where Barry Grunow was killed. I really wonder if she taught in the same area. http://www.gopbi.com/partners/pbpost/news/grunow1.html

 

[Kteacher]

I work in a fairly nice community, and I can assure you that assaults on teachers take place here as well-even at the elementary level. I have been kicked, bitten, pushed over, slapped, head butted into my wind pipe to the point where I literally couldn't breath, all by regular ed students. luckily the good times - like when a student starts reading make me forget the bad things.

 

[Cindy B]

Kteacher--

Thats tough, and true that it just doesn't happen in the urban areas.

I used to live in a pretty high brow community. The teachers would get talked to disrespectfully, called curse words, get the middle finger.. all in the first grade -- some parents were shocked that "son of so and so" would ever consider doing that!

Personally, I wasn't suprised.

 

[Kteacher]

Things are going to get worse before they get better, unfortunately. we're getting another new student today, bringing the total to 23-and we will probably get more students before the end of the year. all purchase orders are frozen, there's no petty cash fund anymore, so if any of the new students are to get rest mats it looks like it comes out of my pocket with no chance of reimbursement. My DH is getting more and more frustrated because he sees me coming home from school exhausted, bruised, and broke from emptying my wallet to pay for supplies, lunch money that never gets repaid, snacks, field trips......

 

[Pin Wizard]

My gosh, Kteacher! That is horrible! Those things would definitely get me to quit my job. Who do they think they are? And why haven't their parents trained them otherwise? Today I was sitting in class and in comes this girl just pushing her way past. You would think a college student could say "excuse me" when they bump into you. No, she kept right on going. There's no common courtesy these days and it's horrible. Teachers shouldn't have to put a cent in to purchase something the school won't cover. The expense should be passed on to the parents. When DS was in kinder, all the kids has to bring in their own towels to lay on for rest time.