Education is my passion. I have the scores and degrees needed for higher paying professions, but I would rather teach than anything. It might be "easy" to get a job as a teacher because the pay is not attractive to many for the level of post secondary education required, but you cannot be a good teacher if you don't dedicate yourself to it. Sure, you can be the kids friend and favorite, but if your goal is to educate them, to prepare them for life after HS, to instil a work ethic in them, then you will earn every single summer you get off and every holiday. You'll earn them working on weeknights and on weekends. You'll earn them with all of your summer PDs that you will attend to make yourself a better teacher. You will earn it with all of the unit planning that you will do on Christmas break.

 

I tend to get overly sensitive in teacher threads, because I love it so much...so I warn (and apologize to ) anybody I need to ahead of time.

 

Great Post TB&G. Teaching is not for the faint hearted. It is a calling. You DO NOT go into teaching for the money, it's just not there. You go into to teaching because you want to make a difference, touch lives, and your reward is far more than monetary gain. Like you said, those apparent days off are spent trying to develop plans that will reach that seemingly '"unreachable" student, to try to break through the wall they have raised for whatever reason (and unfortunately these reasons are multiple and often truly sad). I do not think those that enter the profession lightly will endure. Like I said, a good teacher is called into the profession. Thanks again, TB&G and I hope you get to rest a little over the holidays. :thumb:

Great Post TB&G. Teaching is not for the faint hearted. It is a calling. You DO NOT go into teaching for the money, it's just not there. You go into to teaching because you want to make a difference, touch lives, and your reward is far more than monetary gain. Like you said, those apparent days off are spent trying to develop plans that will reach that seemingly '"unreachable" student, to try to break through the wall they have raised for whatever reason (and unfortunately these reasons are multiple and often truly sad). I do not think those that enter the profession lightly will endure. Like I said, a good teacher is called into the profession. Thanks again, TB&G and I hope you get to rest a little over the holidays. :thumb:

 

Very nice post Hound. :thumb:

I'm not sure about the county schools, but two independent systems in Campbell have both went through cutbacks. I don't think dwindling enrollment is fueling that fire.

 

 

It is the state budget cuts.

You can't keep reducing budgets by 3 percent here and 4 percent there without ultimately affecting staffing. I would hazard a guess that personnel (salary, fringe, professional development and recruiting) make up the lion's share of most school budgets.

I've been teaching for 7 years, and I assure you - it is not easy! Most days I put in at least 12 hours and sometimes 15 hours. It is a very time-consuming job with papers to grade daily, phone calls to parents daily, unit/lesson planning daily, working detentions after school and tutoring. You try to work during your planning, but you have at least 3-4 meetings a week during that time, so you have to stay after school to get things done. I also work most Saturdays and Sundays to stay on top of things. One essay test or open response can take at least 4 hours to grade when you have 120 students! I also coach basketball to supplement my pay, which is where about 2-3 hours of my days come from. Unfortunately, because of the lack of decent pay, you have to work extra-duty positions (I work 5 extra-duty jobs) just to make enough money. SO, my point is, you really have to love what you do to be in this profession. It is not one of those jobs that you can put in the time and then go home. Your job goes home with you!

 

I don't mean to scare anyone from the profession, but you have to really want to be there and put the time in for your students. If you don't they are the ones who will suffer! It is a wonderful career and very rewarding (just not monetarily). Knowing all of this now, I would still do it all over again when choosing a career.

Great Post TB&G. Teaching is not for the faint hearted. It is a calling. You DO NOT go into teaching for the money, it's just not there. You go into to teaching because you want to make a difference, touch lives, and your reward is far more than monetary gain. Like you said, those apparent days off are spent trying to develop plans that will reach that seemingly '"unreachable" student, to try to break through the wall they have raised for whatever reason (and unfortunately these reasons are multiple and often truly sad). I do not think those that enter the profession lightly will endure. Like I said, a good teacher is called into the profession. Thanks again, TB&G and I hope you get to rest a little over the holidays. :thumb:

 

I am truly touched, Hounds. Thank you.

1. You have to get into the program. A lot of people don't make it through that step.

2. You have to get a degree in your field and pass the teaching classes. A lot don't make it through that.

3. You have to pass the Praxis tests. A lot don't get through that.

4. You have to find a job. Some don't do that.

5. You have to pass the GRE if you are going to get your Master's instead of 5th year. A lot drop out there.

6. You have to get your Master's or take the easy way out with the 5th year.

7. You better have the passion or you won't make it in a profession that is more demanding than most think.

 

I can tell you that #4 is definitely more difficult than you would think depending on your content area and the extracurriculars you are willing/capable of being involved with.

 

In fact after considerable time spent on looking for a job as a teacher I have determined that I am going to spend 5-6 more years back in school for an entirely different field. I am left somewhat sad by this but also a tad bit bitter at my education department for not giving the secondary education students a better idea of what to expect. :irked:

I've been teaching for 7 years, and I assure you - it is not easy! Most days I put in at least 12 hours and sometimes 15 hours. It is a very time-consuming job with papers to grade daily, phone calls to parents daily, unit/lesson planning daily, working detentions after school and tutoring. You try to work during your planning, but you have at least 3-4 meetings a week during that time, so you have to stay after school to get things done. I also work most Saturdays and Sundays to stay on top of things. One essay test or open response can take at least 4 hours to grade when you have 120 students! I also coach basketball to supplement my pay, which is where about 2-3 hours of my days come from. Unfortunately, because of the lack of decent pay, you have to work extra-duty positions (I work 5 extra-duty jobs) just to make enough money. SO, my point is, you really have to love what you do to be in this profession. It is not one of those jobs that you can put in the time and then go home. Your job goes home with you!

 

I don't mean to scare anyone from the profession, but you have to really want to be there and put the time in for your students. If you don't they are the ones who will suffer! It is a wonderful career and very rewarding (just not monetarily). Knowing all of this now, I would still do it all over again when choosing a career.

 

This is a good glimpse into how things truly are for many teachers. In addition to teaching (without a planning period, am teaching Chemistry II during that time, due to number of students requesting science classes at our school), I am the senior class and science club sponsor. I am also a KTIP mentor (for those that don't know, this is a mentoring program for new teachers - requires that you spend a minimum of 50 hours outside of classtime on specific topics and a minimum of 20 hours in class) and volunteer my time with several of our sports programs. I, too, am lucky to make it home by 10:00 most days and work 6-8 hours on Sunday at my school just to keep caught up. I do take Saturdays off...unless there is a basketball game...which is almost all Saturdays between Dec and Feb.

 

I love it all and don't regret a minute of it. I don't say this to get a pat on the back from anyone, just for some that aren't involved with the program to seewhat is involved.

I am truly touched, Hounds. Thank you.

 

I'm really not such a bad person now am I? :sssh: Well, I've also got to go grade some papers, make up some plans, and post some grades, so if I don't post before . . . Happy New Year.

I can tell you that #4 is definitely more difficult than you would think depending on your content area and the extracurriculars you are willing/capable of being involved with.

 

In fact after considerable time spent on looking for a job as a teacher I have determined that I am going to spend 5-6 more years back in school for an entirely different field. I am left somewhat sad by this but also a tad bit bitter at my education department for not giving the secondary education students a better idea of what to expect. :irked:

 

Do you mind me asking - What is your primary certification? Where did you graduate from?

I'm really not such a bad person now am I? :sssh: Well, I've also got to go grade some papers, make up some plans, and post some grades, so if I don't post before . . . Happy New Year.

 

:lol: I think that this site has shown me that I might argue tooth and nail with someone in one forum and totally agree with them in another one.

 

It's funny. I just got a text from a colleage who is working at my school right now.

 

I'll be spending Saturday and Sunday getting prepared for the new semester. I also have 50 writing pieces to respond to...that may be my least favorite part of teaching. I love reading them, but I hate editting!

Do you mind me asking - What is your primary certification? Where did you graduate from?

 

 

Secondary Social Studies, Bellarmine University 2005.

Those going into the field should know the job outlook ahead of time. (Oh course that is true for any job.) Don't just listen to "teachers are in high demand." SOME areas are in high demand. Others are oversaturated. If you want to teach and want to be have the best chances of landing a job, areas that are best are special needs, forgein language, science and math. Ones that you may struggle to find positions include elementary, English, health/PE, and social studies. Again, this will vary depending on your locality.

 

No matter what job you want to go into, do your homework ahead of time.

:lol: I think that this site has shown me that I might argue tooth and nail with someone in one forum and totally agree with them in another one.

 

It's funny. I just got a text from a colleage who is working at my school right now.

 

I'll be spending Saturday and Sunday getting prepared for the new semester. I also have 50 writing pieces to respond to...that may be my least favorite part of teaching. I love reading them, but I hate editting!

 

It is so-ooo time consuming. I was the Writing Cluster Leader for a few years also, that was not the most fun either. I love my job though, and I can tell you do as well. (It is funny about the agreeing and disagreeing parts in P and R but I really think that it would be very boring otherwise.---If I disagree I truly never mean it as disrespect.) Again, have a great New Year. I will be thinking about you and those writing assignments.

Secondary Social Studies, Bellarmine University 2005.

 

Social studies is a tough area. See my above post for some of the areas that are most in demand. Do you like science at all? One really hot area is Earth/Space. It's a fairly new certification due to KDE only recently requiring this content at the high school level.