Teaching and family making dilema

[bride03]

Finishing school, establishing our careers, purchasing a home, and building savings was TOP PRIORITY for us. We want our children to have a stable home environment.

Yeah, we feel the same way about getting a job and getting finances settled. We are working on a home and car right now! Lots of stuff to worry about. Lots of people do them in all different orders though. It's amazing how we find a way to make things work when a situation comes up though.

 

[aprilgail2]

Here in Texas, if you get your masters that means you are more expensive and people will be less likely to hire you!! I will never get my masters. My mother is a very successful teacher and she is the smartest woman I know in her profession...no masters.
QUOTE]

Are you serious????? They let you be a teacher in Tx with no masters??? Here they will hire you without one but you have 5 years to get it or you are out...you can NOT remain a teacher with no masters here.

 

[golfgal]

Here in Texas, if you get your masters that means you are more expensive and people will be less likely to hire you!! I will never get my masters. My mother is a very successful teacher and she is the smartest woman I know in her profession...no masters.

I will finish up teaching for a year. I will also continue to be involved in workshops or schooling a little while I'm raising my children. I would like to teach first grade but I think I would like to teach at a Christian preschool that is near me that my younger brother goes to. They are great!

Thanks for your kind words, I'm going to just play it by ear and not worry about it right now since I'm not sure how things will work out for me. I'm excited about being a teacher too!!

Around here no masters, no pay raise. I wouldn't rule out a Masters after some time. If you were to teach around here for say 5 years and try to find another job without having started your masters you probably won't get hired. If a school is looking for someone with experience, they won't hire someone that doesn't have a Masters or is in the process of getting a masters. Also, there are a LOT of schools here that won't hire new teachers at all and will only hire those with or in the active process of getting a masters along with 5+ years experience. Each district is different and having a masters doesn't mean you are smart (I know plenty of people that have a Masters that can't find their way out of an empty box) or not having a masters means you are dumb, it shows employees that you are interested in your career and that you are willing to go that extra mile to learn more to make yourself a better teacher.

 

[4greatboys]

I was 22 when I had my first ds. A little earlier than I had planned but I guess he couldnt wait any longer to get here

 

[minkydog]

I know you said you wanted to start your family in your 20's--there are advantages to that. I just wanted to mention that I had my first at 31, and will have my last at 42! In my perfect world, I HAD said, "40 and I'm done", but clearly, I wasn't. My point is, you may not be able to plan things as well as you'd like, or even think you can. I had no reason to think it would take us 6 years to get #3, and then hit #4 on the first try!

One advantage to being "older" was, I knew I was ready to stay home full time. It was a struggle at first, but we're fine, not rich, but keep the wolves from the door.

I guess, bottom line, men plan, God laughs. And you can't even imagine all the ways a baby is going to change your life--cliche, I know, but it does change everything. I would recommend finishing your schooling first, so that's at least done, and you have some flexibility if you want to work part time, full time, etc.

Great post and I agree with everything you say. We didn't get started until 30 and finished up at 40. There is no way, NO WAY! I could have done my student teaching while pregnant. I'd advise to get finished with school first, then decide what comes next.

By the time we finally did get pregnant we were established in our careers, owned a home, had some savings and had the flexibility to re-arrange our life that we sure didn't have when we were starting out. I have had the pleasure of staying home to raise my kids, working part-time, homeschooling for 12 years, and watching them flee the nest(with a little help ) At the time i was very concerned about scheduling all my pregnancies, but God had other plans. I have no regrets.

Cathy--mom to John(19), Eleni(12), and Christian(10)

 

[bride03]

If you were to teach around here for say 5 years and try to find another job without having started your masters you probably won't get hired. If a school is looking for someone with experience, they won't hire someone that doesn't have a Masters or is in the process of getting a masters. Also, there are a LOT of schools here that won't hire new teachers at all and will only hire those with or in the active process of getting a masters along with 5+ years experience.

You guys must have a ton of teachers there that they are hiring only teachers with experience! I will be teaching in Texas so a masters is not needed so I'm not going to go for it. Around here, they hire new teachers and the job market is great. If no one will hire new teachers then who would want to teach?? I'm thankful to live in Texas! Oh, and just because I don't want to get a masters doesn't mean I am not passionate and don't go the extra mile.

 

[KAMLEM]

Here in Texas, if you get your masters that means you are more expensive and people will be less likely to hire you!! I will never get my masters.

I would guess that private schools and good public schools would probably prefer to hire teachers with their masters degrees. You are basically shooting yourself in the foot because you are limiting your earning potential.

 

[Rock'n Robin]

Every state is different. If the OP says that Texas does not require a master's degree, then she doesn't have to get one unless she wants to. In Ohio new hires have to work on a Master's within the first 2 renewals of the initial license, I think.
That said, I did everything before I had kids. I was married in 86. I got my current job in 88. I finished my master's in 90 and immediately got pregnant, since I had tenure. Unfortunately that first one didn't pan out, but I had my kids in 92,95 and 98, the first one at age 28. Do I feel old sometimes when I'm with the other moms in DS's class, since I was 34 when he was born? Maybe, but before we had kids I had job security, great benefits, and a house. Since I did it all before I had kids, I was able to get a "permanent" teaching certificate before they were phased out, so I never have to go back and take classes unless I want to.
If you get your degree and then decide to have kids and stay home, you will have to take classes to keep your certificate up-to-date while you are staying home, which will give you some child-care issues. Will your husband have a job with maternity benefits for you? Having babies costs money. If you get pregnant your first year out, it used to be that some insurance policies wouldn't cover a teacher during that first year, but that may have changed. Your DH would also be responsible for insurance for you and the children as they go through those toddler years with shots, etc.
I recommend getting stable in a system before having kids. That doesn't mean you have to stop trying! Remember, responsible parents want their children taken care of.
Robin M.

 

[Aimeedyan]

You guys must have a ton of teachers there that they are hiring only teachers with experience! I will be teaching in Texas so a masters is not needed so I'm not going to go for it. Around here, they hire new teachers and the job market is great. If no one will hire new teachers then who would want to teach?? I'm thankful to live in Texas! Oh, and just because I don't want to get a masters doesn't mean I am not passionate and don't go the extra mile.

NOT TRUE! Many districts in TX require a masters! Mesquite ISD, for one, that I grew up in and my sister teaches in requires one to be earned with 12 years or you're out.

Please don't make blanket statements about all school districts within an entire state!

 

[SDFgirl]

I read this thread with interest as I am much in the same boat!

I am newly married (3 weeks!) and just beginning my teaching career, starting January 3rd. I have my Master's already, so I think I'm done with school (unless I get a wild hair and go back for my Rank I).

I also just turned 29 and am feeling the "baby itch." I know that with me just beginning my career, and having student loans from my Master's to repay, right now is not the time for a baby.

My DH doesn't feel the urge for a baby right now - he wants to be in a better place financially, and he wants us to enjoy being newlyweds for a year or so.

Logically, I agree with my husband, and I know I will enjoy nurturing our marriage before having kids. But...emotionally, I want to be a mother. I'm ready. Sigh...

But, I want my husband to be totally onboard, so we've agreed to discuss it again around Thanksgiving 2006 - 11 months away. That seems fair to me.

Those who said they had their kids in their 30's are inspiring to me, and I thank you for telling some of the advantages to waiting.

OP, good luck with your teaching career and with whatever you decide!

 

[ChibiJones]

I had my first at 26. I've had friends that were teachers and almost all have waited until they were tenured to have kids. Some got pregnant in their last non-tenured year, but went out after they were tenured. That way, their jobs were protected. Just something to think about.

OP, this should be a major consideration. The job situation might be good for teachers now, but things can change fairly quickly. People move away reducing the demands on the school district, tenured teachers getting priority plus 2-3 years worth of new college graduates equals no job. My mom is a teacher and went through several years of stressing about whether or not she would have a job.

ETA: I'm 30 and no kids yet. Not planning any for at least a couple more years either. I'm graduating from law school in May and need to get a job and start paying off some loans first.

 

[luvmyfam444]

I am one of those who dropped out my junior year --seeking the same degree as you - but I dropped out pretty much after we got married. Dh also dropped out...GLAD to see you still want to keep going with school - 'cause what they say is true... you'll never go back - or sure some do - but MOSt never do. I would continue as far as possible in school before - I'm d be a bit nervous about being pregnant when student teching just because if you pregnancy causes you to be sick or yolu get put on bed rest or anything you'd be all the way at the end & not be able to complete & graduate..you gotta remember they pick where you student teach & what if you're in an Kindergarten class & have to be onthe floor 4 hrs a day & you're HUGE pregnant - NOT FUN let me tell you!
So my advice would be to aim for a nice graduation present--HINT HINT from your dh & that way you don't risk not finishnig school.

BUT now the flip side of that - I knew I never really wanted to work - I was always planning on being a stay @ home mom so education wasn't important to me - just my parents sure it's nice to have the degree to "fall back on" but by the time you "fall Back" on it will have to be updated - more classes taken anyway - KWIM?

And yes, the older you get the harder it is on your body...your'e not old now, but if you want your kiddos spaced apart 3 yrs then you'd be knocking on 30 w/baby 2 (which isn't old but trust me you can FEEL the difference!---I'm preg w/#4& I'm 33 & OH MY has my body flipped out!)


So I'm sure I've confused you a bit more......

 

[golfgal]

You guys must have a ton of teachers there that they are hiring only teachers with experience! I will be teaching in Texas so a masters is not needed so I'm not going to go for it. Around here, they hire new teachers and the job market is great. If no one will hire new teachers then who would want to teach?? I'm thankful to live in Texas! Oh, and just because I don't want to get a masters doesn't mean I am not passionate and don't go the extra mile.

I am not saying you aren't passionate about your work but by pursuing an advanced degree, you are SHOWING a potential employer that you are passionate. Like I said earlier, chances are that you won't be getting pay raises without continuing your education. In MN you are required to take a certain amount of credits each licensing period or your license won't be renewed.

Most states have some kind of step program for teacher pay. You start out at step one, one year experience. The next year if you haven't earned additional credits you stay at step 1 with 2 years experience. In our district that pay differential is about $100-200/YEAR. If you earned enough credits toward your master (10 credits in our district) you would go to step 2 with 2 years experience and THAT pay differential is about $1000 or so/year. The pay differential gets greater with the more course work you take. A teacher without a masters degree in our district tops out at $35,000/year. A teacher with a masters + 60 credits can earn $60,000.

Your mom also might have a lifetime license so she didn't need a masters to earn pay raises. I don't know of any state that offers those any more. You might want to check into this to be SURE your information is correct.

Not all districts limit their hiring to experienced teachers but the better districts in the state do. I think they are the better districts for a reason, too. Our district limits how many new teachers they will hire each year. The perfect candidate for a teaching position around here has about 3-4 years of experience and has less then 10 credits towards a masters. They have experience but haven't been bumped into the higher pay scales yet. Once they are hired, they want them to get their masters.

I know that the teaching market in Texas has been pretty open for several years. I know that when I was in college we got phone calls from schools in Texas offering jobs site unseen to graduates from our college. I know a couple people that did go to Texas on those offers.

 

[KAMLEM]

You guys must have a ton of teachers there that they are hiring only teachers with experience! I will be teaching in Texas so a masters is not needed so I'm not going to go for it. Around here, they hire new teachers and the job market is great. If no one will hire new teachers then who would want to teach?? I'm thankful to live in Texas! Oh, and just because I don't want to get a masters doesn't mean I am not passionate and don't go the extra mile.

If you are truly passionate and you want to be the best teacher possible you should continue your education and get your masters. That will make you a much better teacher.

 

[Caradana]

You and I are virtually the same age ... you're ahead of me with the marriage (in so much as this is not a race! ha). My advice to you: SAVE MONEY. Buy a house. Put away for your retirement. Build yourself a cushion, and then get pregnant. It is a wonderful thing to not lay awake at night and worry about money.

 

[JenDaveBrendan]

I had my son at 21. I love being a young mom, BUT ----- I really wish I had finished college. I still haven't gone back and I probably won't. I live for that kid. Not finishing my education is my only regret.
Do what you feel is right in your heart, and everything will fall into place.

Jen