Teachers Of Ffc: Are You Happy With Your Career?

[scel]

So, I am in a bit of mid-life crisis. I have an undergraduate degree in physics and a graduate degree in engineering. I have been fairly lucky so far to find gainful employment. Though, this past year has been rough. To make ends meet, I sharply honed my cooking skills to keep my wife as happy as possible and taken up tutoring math and physics.

 

Over the last 6 months, I have begun to realize how much I enjoy teaching. I have begun seriously pondering going back to school to take an education after degree. Through what would have been good circumstances, I have limited teaching experience at the post-secondary level. There seems to be a need for high school and college math and physics teachers.

 

I have a couple friends who are teachers. Their opinions are somewhat variable on the pros and cons. And despite the summer vacations, they definitely work longer than average days. For a labour of love, this is OK.

 

So teachers...how do you feel about your jobs? The good? The bad?

[lamponius]

Hello,

 

actually, it depends...There is no simple answer to that one.

For example, I enjoy teaching to teenagers (grade 8 to 12), and I would hate teaching grade 1. For others, it is the exact opposite...

 

Then, it all depends of the number of kids you teach (above 30, it s a nightmare...), the kids themselves, and so on.

What I am trying to say, is that you cannot really know for sure before you try it for several months or even a complete year...And even then, it becomes easier with experience. What I can assure you, is that the vacations are really needed and welcomed...

 

I know that does not help you very much, but that is the truth. You can love being a teacher or wondering every day why you chose to do it.

 

Anyway, good luck to you if you decide to go for it !

[PeteZahut]

Scel, what kind of engineering to you specialize in?

[scel]

Scel, what kind of engineering to you specialize in?

 

Nominally, Electrical and Computer Engineering. My specialities are lasers and biomedical optics.

[mditel]

see my pm

[Smitty]

Scel:

 

Got my B.Ed degree in 1996. It has been a love / dislike affair from almost the beginning. A lot of days I've loved teaching. More than a few I've disliked it. A handful of days I've resented the hell of out it.

 

It can be exhausting. I worship the ground that Kindergarten and grade 1 teachers walk on. Don't know how they manage.

 

Be aware of a few things; one, the reality of a classroom is very different from what you and I experienced growing up. The classroom is a far more diverse environment. You can have a wide range of abilities and learning needs to meet, though that is mitigated by teaching in high school somewhat where kids are streamed. The physics are a big plus, because that might mean you could step right into high school, as opposed to "getting your feet wet in junior high". Still, you won't begin by getting to pick all your classes. Sure, you may teach math 31 and physics 30, but you'll also likely get math 10-3. I mention this because I think it's important to be very aware that tutoring a single student who presumably has a desire to improve is an entirely different universe than teaching 35 math 10-3's.

I am at the point in my life where I simply cannot handle a 1.0 FTE teaching position anymore. Part of it is personal and a choose to also pursue a business, but part of that stems from the frustration of the modern classroom. Kids are generally...needy. Between helicopter parents, special needs, no fail policies, unworkable intervention policies, ELL kids, the diversity can be overwhelming. Most people don't understand that. Trying to serve the students and do what's best for them on a daily basis for 6 hours can be a grind, whether it's 7 periods in a junior high classroom or 4 periods in a senior high. Oh by the way, in teaching high school?: the semester where you get a 1 period prep is awesome. The semester where you teach 4 straight with no prep is a bit of nightmare. Add to all this, modern, trendy, "educational theory" practices in curriculum design and assessment, and you have a challenging job.

 

And yet...many days it is worth it. You can make a difference in a kid's life. Funny, some of best memories are the extra curricular stuff. Coaching volleyball, basketball. Fly fishing club (see my profile pic). Cooking Club. Field trips. I still get an occasional email from students I taught 15 years ago.

 

So, in the end, I am picky. I substitute teach most of the time. I choose my jobs carefully (which puts a bit of a black mark next to my name for downtown, c'est la vie). Subbing is great; get your foot in the door, if you're good, kids like you you and you only need 4 to 5 schools to keep you employed full time. And freedom for your time; as a sub, I can steelhead in November and I can fish in Montana in late April after the Spring Break if I like. So, it works for me.

I guess the bottom line is that I wanted to convey the message is that tutoring is almost nothing like classroom teaching. Bear that in mind. However, if you have the time, money, and inclination to get the B.Ed after degree, more power to you. I know 3 friends that have done this - they're in the 40's, and so far, they love it. One of them almost went on stress leave though. It was an incredible adjustment for her. Your student teaching practicums will open your eyes and give you a solid indication of how much you like it.

In the end, I'm reluctant to discourage you; it's a tough job, but it can be very rewarding.

 

Mike

[scel]

Scel:

 

Got my B.Ed degree in 1996. It has been a love / dislike affair from almost the beginning. A lot of days I've loved teaching. More than a few I've disliked it. A handful of days I've resented the hell of out it.

 

It can be exhausting. I worship the ground that Kindergarten and grade 1 teachers walk on. Don't know how they manage.

 

Be aware of a few things; one, the reality of a classroom is very different from what you and I experienced growing up. The classroom is a far more diverse environment. You can have a wide range of abilities and learning needs to meet, though that is mitigated by teaching in high school somewhat where kids are streamed. The physics are a big plus, because that might mean you could step right into high school, as opposed to "getting your feet wet in junior high". Still, you won't begin by getting to pick all your classes. Sure, you may teach math 31 and physics 30, but you'll also likely get math 10-3. I mention this because I think it's important to be very aware that tutoring a single student who presumably has a desire to improve is an entirely different universe than teaching 35 math 10-3's.

 

I am at the point in my life where I simply cannot handle a 1.0 FTE teaching position anymore. Part of it is personal and a choose to also pursue a business, but part of that stems from the frustration of the modern classroom. Kids are generally...needy. Between helicopter parents, special needs, no fail policies, unworkable intervention policies, ELL kids, the diversity can be overwhelming. Most people don't understand that. Trying to serve the students and do what's best for them on a daily basis for 6 hours can be a grind, whether it's 7 periods in a junior high classroom or 4 periods in a senior high. Oh by the way, in teaching high school?: the semester where you get a 1 period prep is awesome. The semester where you teach 4 straight with no prep is a bit of nightmare. Add to all this, modern, trendy, "educational theory" practices in curriculum design and assessment, and you have a challenging job.

 

And yet...many days it is worth it. You can make a difference in a kid's life. Funny, some of best memories are the extra curricular stuff. Coaching volleyball, basketball. Fly fishing club (see my profile pic). Cooking Club. Field trips. I still get an occasional email from students I taught 15 years ago.

 

So, in the end, I am picky. I substitute teach most of the time. I choose my jobs carefully (which puts a bit of a black mark next to my name for downtown, c'est la vie). Subbing is great; get your foot in the door, if you're good, kids like you you and you only need 4 to 5 schools to keep you employed full time. And freedom for your time; as a sub, I can steelhead in November and I can fish in Montana in late April after the Spring Break if I like. So, it works for me.

 

I guess the bottom line is that I wanted to convey the message is that tutoring is almost nothing like classroom teaching. Bear that in mind. However, if you have the time, money, and inclination to get the B.Ed after degree, more power to you. I know 3 friends that have done this - they're in the 40's, and so far, they love it. One of them almost went on stress leave though. It was an incredible adjustment for her. Your student teaching practicums will open your eyes and give you a solid indication of how much you like it.

 

In the end, I'm reluctant to discourage you; it's a tough job, but it can be very rewarding.

 

Mike

 

Thanks, Mike, for the thoughtful reply. This is a good deal to think about.

[jgib01]

Another thought... with your current education and background, you likely could step into the adult education realm pretty easily. Not sure if you've considered that vs. primary/secondary education. Aren't college freshies these days essentially just high school students with a license to legally consume alcohol?

[SilverDoctor]

I taught for about 4 years, really enjoyed it, but when I last interviewed for another position they told me my Masters was too old and that I now needed Teaching certification also.

[fishinhogdaddy]

I taught for about 4 years, really enjoyed it, but when I last interviewed for another position they told me my Masters was too old and that I now needed Teaching certification also.

How disgusting is that? Man.

[scel]

Another thought... with your current education and background, you likely could step into the adult education realm pretty easily. Not sure if you've considered that vs. primary/secondary education. Aren't college freshies these days essentially just high school students with a license to legally consume alcohol?

 

I have been turned down twice. Most graduate students have to teach to earn extra cash (the whole TA thing). I was well-paid. I actually met with a counsellor at the UofC regarding their adult education courses and their direct validity to teach college/University---they flat out told me this was not the intention of their course work.

 

You have inspired me. I am going to look at this again. Thanks.

[midgetwaiter]

Be aware of a few things; one, the reality of a classroom is very different from what you and I experienced growing up. The classroom is a far more diverse environment. You can have a wide range of abilities and learning needs to meet, though that is mitigated by teaching in high school somewhat where kids are streamed.

 

My wife teaches grade 2 and this is what I think is the particularly difficult part for her. Some years she has 2 or 3 autistic kids, another 4 or 5 esl kids and then a couple more with behavior problems etc. Some years are better, some worse. She gets a part time aid for in classroom time but she still has to make a lesson plan and then figure out how to integrate each of the kid's modified education needs into it. It can have a significant impact on her workload.

[PeteZahut]

We are always looking for good engineers. More on the electrical or computer side. Not sure if we have anything of interest but check out our website and see if anything looks of interest and I will see if I can get your resume into the right hands.

 

Our company is General Dynamics Mission Systems Canada.

Http://www.gd-ms.ca