the good news you've been waiting for? i've accepted a full-time design position.
don't get too excited. it's not my dream job, but it's not waiting tables. i don't have to work weekends (unless i want to wait tables for fun, which i am known to do) and i have a normal person's work schedule! i still plan on doing freelance on the side and will continue to look for my ideal design job.
but i've got other ideas as well. i'm seriously contemplating going back to school so that i can teach. i've always wanted to do it, and i've always been told i'd make a good teacher but i will say the thought of it kind of terrifies me. i was always an eager student. what would i do with students who don't want to learn as eagerly as i do?
i've been out of school for 7 years now and the idea of going back scares me too. plus i have no teaching experience, other than the summers i worked with my mom in her classroom, back when i was in high school! so in the next couple of weeks, i have a lot of research to do.
so for all you teachers out there (and i know there a good number of you) what's it really like? what's involved in getting certified? i've also seen certification/MA programs...how do i know what program is right for me? how will i even know if i'm cut out for teaching???
10 comments:
What grades/level do you want to teach? The certification or degree requirements may change depending upon that. Also, because teaching requirements vary by state, CA may be very different (in FL, for example, you can teach if you have a bachelor's degree -- in anything), so sorry, I don't know much about certification or degree programs.
I have never taught K-12, and while there are some huge differences between teaching children and teaching at the college level, I do think there are some things in common. So this is what I can tell you: Teaching is a lot of fun because it's a really stimulating job and no day is exactly alike. You get to have a lot of personal control because you run your class(es). And you get a lot of interaction with people (primarily students). It's also a really rewarding job: You feel like you make a difference and when you see a student succeed, that is one of the best feelings ever. Plus, you get holidays and summers off.
However, on the down side: It's a lot of work. A lot. Many people go to work and when they go home for the day, they're done. But not so with teaching. You always take it home with you -- grading, planning, but also mentally and emotionally. So for 9 months, plan on working into the evening and on the weekend, for not much money. Also, just like when a student does great, you feel great, the same can hold true for the opposite. And like you said, you were an eager learner, so you may be confused or saddened to find that many are not.
But, in the end, don't let the negatives dissuade you. It's a challenge, for sure, but it's rewarding.
Congrats!!!
Now you'll be a regular old slave to clock like the rest of us!!!
BUT no weekends is AWESOME!!!!
congrats -- hmm, Jess listed all the reasons why I don't think I'd be able to teach, but summers off sound nice.
CONGRATS chica!!!
I think you'd be an AWESOME teacher!! You definitely have the personality for it. I don't know about the actual "work" aspect though LOL
Congrats on the design job. The world needs more good designers!
The only things I have to say about your desire to be a teacher are to be prepared for aggressive parents and "special" kids. Both could drive you to the end of your emotional rope. My daughter is one of those special kids, and we've driven at least two teachers into new careers (she's not bad, but she's a special ed kid who the district has mainstreamed). Also, I've known parents who've written manifestos to the teachers ...
Once upon a time, I wanted to be a teacher. Now, I am SO grateful that I'm not. My respect for teachers who stay in the field is higher than for almost any other profession.
Good luck in making your decision; you're considering a noble profession, to be sure. And who knows? Maybe it's exactly what you need to motivate/inspire! ;D
Okay, I have my BS in Elementary Education, but went back to get my MS in Special Education. If you are going to go back, I would highly recommend the who masters versus certification. I think it will be easier to find a job and you will probably get paid more. Just my opinion.
What level are you thinking of? If you are interested in Elementary/ Middle School, I can give you an insight to their world.
Jess pretty much said it all! I agree with everything she said! Especiall the extra hours. I probably put in an average of 50-60 hours a week, coming in at 7am and not leaving until 4 or 5 and coming in on weekends for a few hours. Part of me thinks it is part of the job as a new teacher, I hope that is it! I would hate to see my whole career look like this!
But, teaching is more than a job to me. It is my passion and all the negatives are outweighed by the opportunity to work with kids on a daily basis, and look forward to seeing progress... whether it is academic, social, behavioral, and/or emotional...
Let us hear more about your thoughts!!
Congrats on the new job! I have no input on the teaching thing, besides that it also intrests me but going back to school also scares me. So I feel ya. Good luck and congrats again!! :)
Thanks for the inspiration girl! You got me pushing ahead!
I feel like in your situation you should think about what you told me... now isn't the time to settle, congrats to the awesome new job-- but also go after what you want!
YOU CAN DO IT!
Oh, god. I could write a book. Seriously, if you want to email me, I would even give you my phone number to talk about it. In a nutshell, teacher-prep programs are under fire because they usually do a shitty job of preparing you. They're heavy on theory and light on practical experience.
And if things are the same as when I went through my master's courses, don't worry about it: the classes are so easy, you could do them in your sleep. I think the former valedectorian in you will do just fine.
Student teaching for a semester is not enough, IMHO. If I were Queen, new teachers would spend their first two years on the job with only one class to teach, and the rest of their time assisting and observing.
The job itself: I think teaching K-12 is one of the hardest jobs in the world. Teach in a low-performing school, and it's even harder. And while the kids can be a pain in the arse on some days, they were the least of my difficulties with the profession. Incompetent school administrators were the chief reason I left.
But like Jess says, it's also rewarding. Kids rock. Delivering a great lesson rocks. Seeing kids' light bulbs go on rocks. I really miss my former students, and I miss the practice of teaching. But I don't miss the weekends spent grading mounds of essays, the emotional stress, or the manipulative principal I worked for. (Some principals are great. You just have to work hard to find them.)
I argue with the "summers off" notion. Most school years are 10 months long, and during the summers, you may take 3 or 4 weeks off to relax (and those weeks are equivalent to what other professions usually get by way of vacation time -- which is something you don't get the luxury of as a teacher -- you can't just hike off to Bora Bora for a week), but the rest of that time is spent lesson planning for the coming year, attending workshops, etc. Even on holidays, like Columbus Day, I worked. It was just one more day to grade papers or plan lessons.
I could go on, but email me if you want more info: brunettechicagogal.com
CONGRATS girl!! :)
I wanna hear more about your job and what decisions you make regarding teaching.
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