So Apparently Teaching is a POPULAR Field

[chisnpeke]

I went into the secondary education program after high school. I wanted to be a teacher because of all the great teachers I had in high school and throughout school. It was what I knew. I wanted to teach social studies but was told there aren't enough jobs for that.

I changed my major and I'm hoping to get a liberal arts associate degree and then get a bachelor of arts in history. I still have NO idea what I want to do with my life. I'm in my third year of college.

I agree that a lot of kids probably latch onto teaching because they know and it is familiar--I did!

 

[Sparx]

I think a lot of kids want to become teachers because they don't really know all the possible majors out there, and aren't really acquainted with what else they could do. They've been sitting in front of teachers for 12 years, its what they know. Sure, there are the students who REALLY want to become teachers, but I really feel that out of all those students who graduate, many will have changed their major.

 

[yoopermom]

Just a little backstory...
My parents, both retired teachers, were hired during the "boom" of the early 70s. Taught 30 yrs, both retired last year, full benefits, decent retirement, good memories.
Me:taught 10 yrs before being caught up in the current bad economy, now laid off twice in the past 5 yrs, desperately trying to find something for this next year, will NEVER be able to retire in my 50s, will work until at least my 60s, will probably have no insurance and much less retirement.

But most of us changed our majors multiple times in college, it's ok .

Terri

 

[FINFAN]

my son's friends who want to be teachers have chosen it (so far) because of the hours, and summers off...and pension plan but these kids are 15 , so we'll see what they think when the reality of those "perks" hits. I will say if they can land a PE teacher position , they would be happy in our district. Those are the first teachers gone each day, wear sweats each day, not a lot of homework to grade etc., and can usally earn extra stripend for coaching.

 

[simba20]

Honestly, the opportunities depend on where you live.

Here in GA, before the economy went bust, GA was actively hiring for teaching jobs every year. In fact, most "new" teachers in the field were older adults who decided to quit working the field that they were in and go into teaching using an alternative certification/teacher education program.

 

[simba20]

I will say if they can land a PE teacher position , they would be happy in our district. Those are the first teachers gone each day, and can usally earn extra stripend for coaching.

If you are coaching then you are definitely NOT the forst ones gone each day. Also because you seem to have few "teaching responsibilites" you get stuck with all of the extra "duties" -- breakfast duty, car/bus duty, being everyone's gopher......just ask my husband. From August-May I only get about 2 months where he gets to come home after school at a semi-regular time (January before baseball season and the latter half of April and the month of May). However he just called me this am and has to do something to fill in for another coach.

And while my husband is not the dedicated PE teacher at the school, he is a science teacher who coaches (yes and gets that stipend), but because he's placed int he same category as all of the other coaches, they heap a ton of extra stuff on him, because they think her has the "time" to do so. Grrrrrrrr.

Plus Health/PE jobs are very limited and often the firt to face cuts (good economy/bad economy). It pays to get an add-on in another teaching field if you are Health/PE certified.

 

[daughtersrus]

My oldest DD graduated in Dec with a SpEd degree. She has been lucky to find a long-term sub job that will last until the end of the school year. Believe it or not, there are a lot of jobs being posted here (the suburbs of Chicago) for teaching jobs even though a lot of districts have sent out RIF notices. I think that it depends on what area you are teaching. None of DD's friends with ElmEd degrees have been able to find a job.

DD#2 is also a SpEd major and will hopefully graduate Dec'12.

I also read in the Chicago Trib about a year or so about there being more teachers than jobs but yet there are still tuition waivers and grants for those wanting to go into teaching. In IL, we have 5 that I know of. Not sure about other states. Most, if not all of these, require teaching in a specific field or type of school upon graduation. If that requirement is not met, the grant/waiver converts to a loan. Maybe a way for the government to make some extra money off the interest?

 

[mjkacmom]

I agree. There are so many fields high school kids just dont know exist. i think the teaching field is flooded-and it doesnt pay that great either.

Our teachers start at $45,000, get at least a 4% raise every year, and pay nothing into their pensions or health insurance. They get an automatic pay increase with a MA degree.

 

[Rora]

I think it really depends on where you live AND more importantly, what you're willing to do. If you're willing to relocate, you can easily get a job. I was browsing a teaching wesbite that helps with job placement the other day and saw TONS of openings in Wyoming, North Dakota, etc. While these aren't "ideal" places to live for me personally, if I was desparate for a job, I'd move there.

Plus, once the baby boomers retire there will be another shortage of teachers again. It's a cycle that I've witnessed for years (my mom is a teacher, her mom was a teacher, etc).

In addition (having graduated recently), I can guarantee half these kids will change their minds once they get to college.

 

[Colleen27]

It isn't surprising that so many want to go into teaching. On so many levels, it is a sweet deal - at a time when most employees don't have pensions, more and more don't have health insurance or other benefits, and few have more than 1 or 2 weeks of vacation each year, is it any wonder that teaching looks good? I've thought about it myself for those very factors - with DH being self-employed, a good retirement plan and access to affordable health insurance will matter more than pay if/when I go back to work - but the schedule would be a nightmare for us so I'll likely take a different path.

Of course reality seldom lives up to those outside-looking-in expectations, but that's a different matter entirely and won't show up in the numbers for many years.

 

[Rora]

I hate how people assume that because teachers get off for the summers and receive health benefits/a pension plan that our job is easy and that just "anyone" can do it.

This post isn't directed at anyone in this thread (I promise! ), just venting my overall frustration for people who just think teaching is an easy major in college and full of great, easy benefits as a career!

EDIT: and these days it's certainly not a "safe" field. If kids these days are looking for security they're better off going for "green" or technology jobs.

Okay, I'm done.

 

[simba20]

I hate how people assume that because teachers get off for the summers and receive health benefits/a pension plan that our job is easy and that just "anyone" can do it.

This post isn't directed at anyone in this thread (I promise! ), just venting my overall frustration for people who just think teaching is an easy major in college and full of great, easy benefits as a career!

EDIT: and these days it's certainly not a "safe" field. If kids these days are looking for security they're better off going for "green" or technology jobs.

Okay, I'm done.

Rora,

I sop agree with you. Having been an educator myself, I got out of it. It certainly was not eay (I am Elementary Ed), and there were toher aspects about the job I don't like (politics and disagreements with how I believe children learn -- ahem focusing on testing is not away to prove if teachers are doign their jobs and seeing if children learn).

However, I leave the teaching to my husband. And once a month we have our political rants about his job, our our district, about the support (little) he receives form parents in this county, and then we stay quiet until the next thing sets us off.

But no it is not easy. It shoudl never be taken as easy. It's a very subjective field that can never agree on what the "right" method is to follow.

We are not swimmign in pay or benefits either. Yes, currently with a Master's degree my husband makes $45,000, but he also has 7 years under his belt. If I started out teaching with my Master's, I'd make less, because I don;t have those years of experience. Every three years or so, he gets a small raise and lately those increases have been taken away. If he gets his specialist degree he gets another raise, and if he has a Ph.D he gets another. Yes, we get health/dental/etc and a MANDATORY percentage of his pay goes into Teacher's Retirement. But all of the hours he has to work (well past 3 p.m.) is a trade-off.

And yes he does work past 3 p.m. because he is a coach, but many of our friends who do not do extra curricululars stay until 5/6 p.m. catching up on things or settign up for the next day. It's a 7-5 job, just like any other full time job. I'd love it if it simply were summers-off (ummm NOT) and 8-3. Please, anyone, tell me how we can get him to that schedule.

 

[Colleen27]

I hate how people assume that because teachers get off for the summers and receive health benefits/a pension plan that our job is easy and that just "anyone" can do it.

I don't think most see it as easy. No career path is likely to be easy and they're all going to come with politics and frustrations and headaches, so the question is what kind of compensation each offers in return. And teaching offers rather unique perks that make it very attractive, particularly from the POV of an 18yo because for the most part at that age people tend to value time/freedom over money.