Career change into teaching? Need advice!!

[Unregistered]

Hello - I have been considering a career change into teaching for the past year... have started my master's, passed my certification tests, etc. I have worked in journalism for 6 years but am not really happy sitting at a desk and after a year of job searching I could not find another position in journalism to see if it was my particular job or the field overall. I was just offered a teaching position and need to decide fast whether to accept. It's a little overwhelming because it's such a big change and also will be a large paycut for the first few years anyway. It will be a big sacrifice financially and timewise with going to school at night. I guess my question is... is it worth it? I'm just wondering if teachers or those who have switched from the business world into teaching can give me advice on how you like the profession, etc. Also, high school teachers in particular, do you find yourself doing lesson plans late every night? The main incentive for me to teach are a love of the subject matter, more active job, helping kids and to have a better schedule for when I have children. Are these legitimate reasons? I've worked with kids for years in a camp setting and tutor so I do have experience with kids. Any advice on taking the career plunge would be helpful! Thanks.

[BigDaddyTeacher]

unregistered wrote:
"The main incentive for me to teach are a love of the subject matter, more active job, helping kids and to have a better schedule for when I have children. Are these legitimate reasons?"

Well, I'll tell ya, unless you're starting in the administration side of things, we (and I use this generalization lightly, friends) didn't get into this job for the money. The four reasons you listed are very legitimate reasons for getting into teaching. Do you have an SO that you can discuss/have discussed you changes with? Make sure they are involved and supportive of your plans.
You're already ahead of the game - a masters, the cert. tests, and a job waiting. Go forth and teach!
BDT

[jlhawkinson]

Coming from someone who will only be student teaching in the fall, I have been told and told and told some more that the first year is always the hardest, especially with lesson plans. But once you get a years worth of lessons written that part gets easier. You will only need to make notes after a lesson if something worked really well or if you need to change something that didn't work out that great. I have been working on my lesson plans for this coming fall and I have already made changes to one unit four times - and that's without teaching it first!!

I think it is great, from what you wrote, that you are considering a career as a teacher!!

[KJ123]

:D

I have just finished my first year teaching. It was quite a year. What a rollercoaster ride! It was a career change for me. I went back and got a masters and spent two semesters interning. Having your own classroom is very different than being an intern. I assumed that stories from my intern supervisor were exaggerated and that she was too emotional. Joke was on me! Would I do it again? Absolutely!! I love roller coasters. As to whether or not you should do it? You'll never know unless you try! And you only have a first year once.

Hello - I have been considering a career change into teaching for the past year... have started my master's, passed my certification tests, etc. I have worked in journalism for 6 years but am not really happy sitting at a desk and after a year of job searching I could not find another position in journalism to see if it was my particular job or the field overall. I was just offered a teaching position and need to decide fast whether to accept. It's a little overwhelming because it's such a big change and also will be a large paycut for the first few years anyway. It will be a big sacrifice financially and timewise with going to school at night. I guess my question is... is it worth it? I'm just wondering if teachers or those who have switched from the business world into teaching can give me advice on how you like the profession, etc. Also, high school teachers in particular, do you find yourself doing lesson plans late every night? The main incentive for me to teach are a love of the subject matter, more active job, helping kids and to have a better schedule for when I have children. Are these legitimate reasons? I've worked with kids for years in a camp setting and tutor so I do have experience with kids. Any advice on taking the career plunge would be helpful! Thanks.

[Unregistered]

I have been teaching for 16 going on 17 years. I had high expectations and a love for learning. The high expectations flew out the window after the 3rd day. I found myself grading papers every night and doing more discipline than teaching. I teach high school language arts. You must also be willing to give up some Saturdays for extra curricular activities. You will have to sponsor something. I have yet to teach what I really love, and that is literature. The students need more grammar and sentence structure than literature. I also found that having many students below reading level is a great hindrance. Parents will try and tell you how to teach, so be sure you have the principal behind you. Athletics comes first. Be willing to give extra attention and time to the athletes who have poor grades. Teaching is not a "job." It must be considered a career. Make sure you have the support and help of a spouse, or the change can really be rough. Best wishes.

[Unregistered]

Too many schools are chock-full of heathenistic children who have no desire nor inclination to be taught anything unless the subject is both interesting and entertaining.

THe kids run the asylums!!!!

[Unregistered]

I tend to think that almost all kids want to learn. We turned the asylum over to the nuts unnecessarily. Teachers need to take back control of the lesson content and delivery.

In my opinion.