CALLING ALL TEACHERS! Need advice.

I'm so glad there is a huge interest in teaching! It is a tough job and you have to be dedicated to this profession. Although I hate working on weekends (and most teachers do), there are several things that make me happy that I'm a (high school) teacher:

1. When the students say 'I liked today's class' (this was said several weeks ago, but I probably won't hear it again for another couple of years)

2. When my former students who graduated contact me and want to know when they can sit in my classroom for a visit

3. When my students, at the end of the year, beg me to teach the next grade level so I can be their teacher

4. When you explain a concept to a confused student, and then you see the student finally 'gets it'

5. 12-13 weeks of vacation per year!

These rewards make it so nice to be a teacher because you see how many lives you are touching!

As for a masters/teaching certificate program, I got mine at NYU - it only took 12 months but lots of $$$! There are many programs where you can get your masters and teaching certificate at the same time. I don't know much about the schools on LI but I hear that Hunter and Queens College are pretty good and fairly cheap!

Good luck!

JulyBaby and other teachers -

I hear that Long Island school districts tend to hire those from LI colleges - any idea how NYU is viewed?

I'll be getting my MA there but want to work on LI since that is where we will be moving to. However, I don't want it to adversly affect my chances of getting a good teaching job.

Thanks!

there are tons of things to think about whn deciding a career change...especially into teaching...

1. your first few years will be hard...lots of work...you do NOT finish at 3:00...and days start VERY early...

2. what area ar you interested in? I have degrees in a subject...counseling and library...(remember...raises are not based on merit...but on how many credits you have)

3. where would you like to teach? I have worked in NYC (my favorite), the suburbs, summer school and even a semester as a private school kindergarten teacher...


while there are definitely bonuses...(that people have mentioned...), but can you handle parents that yell at you, administration that is not supportive, being legally responsible for not following certain procedures, not taking any sick days in your first few years, always being on stage (there's no having a bad day...sore throat....hung-over....cramps, etc...I could go on and on)


I don't mean to discourage anyone...I think its great that so many people want to contribute to their community...but I have have the pleasure of working with fabulous teachers and unfortunately people that were not cut out to do it....


so think of the answers to these questions:

1. do the vacations sound good? (this is not a good reason...I usually do work on my vacations...AND there are no deals during these times, b/c every family wants to go away with their children...there is no taking off when ever you want...)

2. do you like children? do you like them when they are snotty? obnoxious? think they know it all? are sick? puberty?

3. imagine that you had 5 presentations to make everyday? think of the planning and actually presenting? this is a teacher's life...

4. can you be able to not work for at least 1 semster (student teaching)

good luck to everyone...I don't think where you get your degree is important at all...at least the schools that I have worked for there have been degrees from all over...therefore I would suggest: Save your money and go to a public college (queens college is very well respected and cheap!)

also if you have 36 credits in a subject(HS)...or 6 in each math, science, english, history, and i think 9 in reading(for elementary) you can be certified in NYC AND/OR you can go through a certification progam to do all education and student teaching in one year...

if you have a math or science degree you can be immediately certified in NYC...I think any BA can get a emergency certification in Special education


good luck

Yabbo - thanks for the advice - I found it helpful. Still sounds like something I want to do!
Hmichick - your life story and mine sound exactly the same...EXACTLY! My wedding is in Sept, so I'm thinking when do I start, how do I start? Where will we get the money? FH is obsessed with maintaining our current money situation b/c we want to buy a house etc...and then I'm wondering, how do we pay a mortgage if I'm taking a semster off....ack!
Irene - Queens and HUnter supposedly have very good programs for the what you and I had talked about - ESL/bilingual ed. BUT - they do not have rolling admission (Fall admittance only) and you must attend full time - no going only at night and no going on the weekends. THat being said, it isn't an option for me right now....

I really don't think it matters where you get your degree from. I am currently a Speech therapist in a queens high school, and have heard that it's very competitive to get a teaching position on LI. You really need to be teaching for a few years, and it really helps if you know someone. Like it was mentioned earlier, not matter where you teach you can't take vacations whenever you want. Whatever days, weeks and months they give you off is what you have to take. You do get sick days, but it doesn't really look good to take those when you first start teaching, plus taking too many of them.

The BIGGEST thing is that you need to like working with children. Some of my students are afraid of this one teacher cuz she is mean to the kids for no reason. She's always complaining about them and seems to not like working with them. She should NOT be a teacher! Lots of luck to you all!

Yabbo-thanks for the advice. I really appreciate it. I want to go into the teaching field with my eyes open. I student taught before in two schools in Harlem and enjoyed it. I just got intimidated and scared and didn't pursue it. At the time I was young and wanted to work in 'corporate america.' Whatever that meant?!

Anyway I am looking into Queens and Hunter. I appreciate all the advice I can get. Thanks again!

Thrilled--
I totally understand the situtation you're in. We are saving money so I can go full-time so I can get it over with. It's a tough situation to be in...fm me if you want to vent.

irene

What about your thoughts on 'baby boomers retiring' in the next few years. I've heard talk that there will be a need for teachers then since a wave of baby boomers will be retiring. Does anyone have any feedback? I'm not looking into teaching but in counseling. I'm sure it's even harder to get a counseling position in Long Island vs. teaching, since their are less counselors needed.

Erica ... thanks so much for opening our eyes just a little wider. I'm afraid to make the move out of my corporate 'lifesytle' for a few or your reasons and also for the big pay cut. I'm really looking at my options now for a career change later in life, rather than right away!

just had to bump this - there is some awesome advice in here!!

i'm having a really hard time lately deciding what to do. i enjoy my corporate paychecks, but i'm tired and all this traveling is getting to me - can't imagine doing this with a child!! seriously considering applying to the NYC teaching fellows program next year!!! i think that's the best option - teach and school at night. no way i could handle school at night now, plus with the wedding 5 months away, can still use the larger paychecks!! if i can just hang on for another year (plus hear all about sha's experience), it might be the final kick in the a$$ that i need!!!!

Im a special ed. teacher at a high school. Never thought in a million years I would be teaching high school.
I LOVE it. I have developed great relationships with my students. I like that I can converse on a n adult level with them. Dont get me wrong I LOVE little kids, and do miss working with the little ones, and some days I feel like I want out of hugh school. But it is different.
Im out by 2pm, so that is nice, and yes the holidays off, and the summers, but Im teaching summer school this year, because the $$$$ is AWESOME

The thing I hate sometimes is the way the kids talk. Sometimes they mouth off, and can get out of line. I tell you after working in the high school I have been a tough girl now. Im not letting some little 9th grader talk to me like tha
I hate Regents time, because it is very stressful, not only for us teachers, but the students as well.