im a junior in college who went into english because i wanted to be a writer and make lots of money and blah blah blah. but recently i've decided i want to be a teacher. i find it so rewarding when people "get things" that i talk about and when i workshop and improve people's papers and stories. i guess i'm just wondering if it's a lost cause to think like this in today's education system and if i'd be better off trying to get a ph d and teaching college level? what do you think?
210348
*In response to your additional information--saying that you are really interested in secondary education...\n\nI still think you ought to go into a school and volunteer or observe to check it out.\n\nTeaching is very hard work. Most people don't have a clue. They think we work from 8 to 3. But that's just when the kids are there. I usually put in 10 hours each day and at least four more on the weekend. Secondary teachers may not be at the school as late, but they definitely bring their work home because there are lots of papers to grade, and they bring this work to appts., and their own kids' games, and in the evening when most of the world has finished work, the teacher can be found with his or her family watching TV with a lap full of papers to grade.\n\nIt's wonderful that you want to inspire kids to learn. But you have to realize no matter how wonderful you think the stuff you have to say is, there are kids out there who don't want to hear it. They're not interested. And they want to be in charge of your classroom and be the class clown and will do anything they can to get the rest of the class' attention on themselves. \n\nThese kids make it hard to teach. You have to learn strategies to deal with kids like that. But it's not easy, especially the first few years. That's why so many teachers leave the profession. \n\nYes, there are definitely those kids who you want to take home with you. Kids who want to learn. Kids who hang on your every word because their minds are so hungry for knowledge. But most of the time you don't have time for those kids because you're running around your classroom trying to make the others learn. Taking a horse to water and trying to make him drink is what teaching can be like.\n\nI don't want to discourage you from the profession. Just trying to give you a glimpse of the real world. Depending on the school you're in. Teens who are having problems at home with their own parents tend to look at their teachers and project whatever they're feeling about their parents onto any other adult. You have to find a way around that. But at the same time, all kids know when you genuinely like them. And this will give them someone outside their family who they can trust and seek help from.\n\nAfter trying high school for a few years, you'll be able to more easily make the jump to college teaching (than if you taught elementary). \n\nWhatever you decide, I wish you the best.
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Hey!\nI just got accepted onto a teacher training course two days ago (GCSE English) and it has made me so happy! I wasn't sure at first, and thought I'd just apply and see how I got on, but when I was accepted I was absolutely thrilled!\nIt's a rewarding job, certainly, and everything that you do will have a huge impact on peoples' lives. You'll never have the same day twice and you'll always be learning. I think you should go for it. Even if you decide in a few years that it's not for you, you'll still have made a bit of cash and it's a great stepping-stone into other lines of work, as it shows how flexible and bright you are.
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I am a college student and have finished all my English courses. I have made a lot of good grades on my essays. If people do the work for you, you will never learn on your own. Try doing it own your own first before asking for help. Never use someone elses ideas!
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As a teacher, just hearing that book title makes me feel ill-at-ease.  Sounds a bit too touchy-feely for the real world you'll be soon encountering.  No, I've never read your particular book.  But I recommend the book below; although ambitiously overpriced, it's interesting and gives you plenty to think about and consider for adaptation in your own classroom.  I believe it is thus worth what you'll pay.
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Ask yourself why you suddenly want the change from a useful degree to one more abstract? Languages are good to study, as is literature... but how will you feed your children and your future self if your pursue literature? As an academic librarian, I ask this question back to you!
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Hi I would like to give my opinion to help you. First of all I know the stress you are talking about. I was in my masters degree program and it was a LOT of reading, writing and field work. I have however since graduated and am very happy that I finished. On the other spin of things I have quit student teaching for certification because it was very miserable. I decided to take my degree and use it other than a public school. I realized that if something is that miserable, depressing and you have absolutely no joy in it, then leave it. You can always change your mind and come back years down the road. It's okay to quit if you don't like it and are burned out in the major. If you quit you might want to explore other options or majors. Volunteering in different organizations will allow you to get a "taste" of how jobs and careers really are in the real world.\n\nSounds to me like you should quit, but I am not going to make this decision for you. I know the misery, and extreme stress you go through and it's not worth it to stay in. If your ultimate goal is to teach college level, then I would say stick to it because you need your masters to get your doctorate.\nIf you don't want to teach college, why don't you try teaching at a private school? Or even try leaving for this semester and coming back next fall. Take a break, or change careers. If you aren't happy now, then you won't be happy in the real world.
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i think it is a good idea. but you probably have to be a really dedicated person to do it because you have to do it on your own time and if you are not motivated or even if you are super busy you might not do as much work as your should or your best work. But online university is a great opportunity for some people.\n\nthe one thing that it lacks are the discussions that occur in a regular classroom. but it depends on how you feel about discussions anyway, but you can learn a lot from other people's views and opinions.
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I am an English and Portuguese teacher in Argentina, and I really love it. Of course, it can be exhausting, especially dealing with people who don't care about what you have to teach them. But on the other hand, the feeling of helping people understand something new is very exciting.\n\nBesides, teaching a foreign language gives you the chance of seeing how other cultures live, and contrasting that with your own culture. I suppose teaching other subjects must have its own appeal, too.\n\nThe greatest disadvantage of being a teacher (that is, depending on where you are) is that you will not make much money. But if you're OK with that, go ahead. And something very good about it is you have to really do something very bad, to lose your job, if you're working for a state school.\n\nI have to warn you that I've been teaching for only six years, now. I don't know if when I'm older, I'll keep on thinking the same. But I have my parents to believe I will. My mum has just retired after being a teacher for decades, and she never wished she did something else. And my dad still works as a teacher, and he is happy about it, too. There must be something in the genes...\n\nBut I think the best reason for you to be a teacher is that you're wondering if you could be one. If that weren't a good career choice for you, you wouldn't even care to wonder (leave alone ask other people) if being a teacher is fun. So, go ahead, and don't be afraid.
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As a preservice teacher (college student) and educator for many years that answer is simple. A LOUSY grade school education and a couch potato TV existence. For some moron reason the trend-favored method now is not to help students with the answer but let them reason it out by themselves. Well if that is the case then I guess I should just shoot myself and let the kids do their logical reasoning at home. Guess with that logic they don't need me to work anymore. Secondly the trend is to not to teach the fudamentals of grammer. Kids come out of high school with no clue as to what a noun and a verb are. Without the fundamentals of grammer a student is going to have trouble spelling, writing ect. \n\nA third trouble that people scream about is that education would be greatly improved if the funding improved because they need this and that supply ect. Well if my grandmother could teach children in the 50's to read and write properly with only pencil and paper at hand and no money for supplies then so can we in the new millinium.
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I am 36 and this is my eighth year teaching.  The first 1-3 years are tricky because you have to figure out how to NOT spend 2-3 hours after the fact grading papers.  It took me about 2 years to figure out what works for me and what doesn't.  I spend a lot of time around positive people who love their jobs and who are willing to share and receive new ideas.  I keep a binder of ideas, good and terrible, to help me keep from making mistakes over and over.  As far as the pay goes...yeah, I'm underpaid.  But you know what?  I work 180 days a year from 7:30-3:30.  I am out of school when my child is out of school.  I do something everyone of those 180 days a year that really matters.  Talk to people who love their jobs and see if they say things that sound appealing to you.  Truth is...nobody ever decided to be a teacher because the pay is awesome or because it is easy as pie.  Folks who love teaching either feel called to do it, love kids, enjoy the opportunity to do something different in the summer (I got my real estate license and sell at my will), etc.  If you have a deep feeling that it isn't the right thing for you, move on.  There are children who deserve a teacher who wants to be there and who feel good about their work.
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As a teacher myself, i am offended, not by the question, but to those people who are calling this person lazy and telling him to re-think his profession! \nThose people who have been teachers know that the curriculum is over crowded as it is, way too much time is spent planning not to mention assessing, marking, reporting, making resources and all the other things that go with it! I dont see any problem with a fellow teacher asking for ideas, ive surely done it, no teacher is perfect nor does any 1 teacher have ALL the answers - so why kid yourself that you do. Very nieve if you think you are beyond asking for help / ideas not to mention very narrow minded and quiet scary. Have the other teachers here never asked for help with planing or lesson ideas ?? I doubt it!\n\nAnyway, when i teach abuot rain forests i like to get the kids as active as possible. I was lucky in Australia we had a local forest we could go and visit but even if you cant, looking at pictures, videos and immersing students in the total experience, visual, audio everything in between. Get them to classify animals, plants and the parts of the rainforest ... identify animals that are dependant on parts and as a further investigation , possibly for G&T students get them to investiate de-forestation and hold a mini debate on the topic. There are tonnes of ideas for art activies, making dioramas or collages is also fun and keeps them involved! \nHope this helps, and ignore the other 'teachers' who think they are beyond asking for help, personally i am appaled that so called professionals would even give a response like that. Everyone needs ideas and pointers in their teaching life. There are good websites (i dont know any right now) but they actually have forums for teachers to ask and discuss... im sure those here are not members, but there are hundreds of teachers always willing to help.\nGood Luck! Have fun!
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In the past I have been asked to proof read papers people are writing for a college class.  Their grammar and spelling were so bad I just had to tell them to type it in Word and use its spelling and grammar tools to proof it.  Being obsessive compulsive, I just couldn't deal with the thought of it. \n\nI'm not perfect but the lack of grammatical skills most people possess amazes me.  What amazes me even more are the grades college students are getting turning in papers like that.  I imagine there is some point the teachers just throw up their hands and say, "f-ck it!"  \n\nApathy seems to be the root of the problem for both teachers and students; they just don't care.
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I have some news for you: the government may send you to college FOR FREE if you decide to become a teacher in a high-need area (like reading or "Exceptional Student Education").  Technology is becoming more prevalent in the classrooms (PowerPoint notes, "smart boards", Bluetooth write-pads, etc.), so you could probably match your love of teaching with your love of computers.
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Is it too expensive? YES! Overrated, idk... So many ppl get college education today that it has almost become an expectation when looking for a better job. To really pull away from the crowd you have no choice, but continue your education, grad. school, etc. And that's becoming a natural step for many as well, while college has become almost an another high school.
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I don't have time to watch the video...at least not now, but I think it would depend how the money is spent, it's not just how much money a district has that can make the difference. BUT, of course having money and using it wisely could make a significant difference - for example...up to date text books, computers in the classroom, current maps in the classroom. It's difficult to teach when the material is 10 years old. It would also help to pay teachers more :-) because some really awesome teachers leave the profession because it costs more to live than we make. We do spend A LOT of out of pocket money for pencils, folders, paper and tissue and more because not all kids come from families who value education and send their kids to school with pencils or other supplies. I know I could make 3 times the money doing 1/3 the work, but there are things money can't buy, like the spontaneous hugs from kids and notes that tell me I'm the best teacher in the world.
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I use to teach- and LOVED it (most days)- but then I had my kids.  Now that they are young, I tutor in my house.  \n\nIt is convenient and flexible. I love that I can be more relaxed and that I have the opportunity to meet some great kids. \n\nI do however, miss teaching a class of students- When I taught I worked with the whole class, in small groups and one and one all in a given day.  I DO NOT the miss the stress of the politics behind teaching....still I hope to go back someday.... goodness knows when that will be.  In the meantime- I will have to stick to tutoring and visiting this website :) \n\n\nGreat question !
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No!  Take my hubby for example...last semester, he had a teacher that he absolutely hated.  If given the right to he would've evaluated this teacher horribly.  Then, the teacher "retained him".  He couldn't go ahead with the program until he re-took this teachers class and passed it (he only missed passing by about 2 pts).  Hubby hated this teacher.\n\nNow, he's re-taking the class.  He's doing great and has come to realize that this is an awesome teacher that only wants his students to know and study the material.  This teacher has become a great mentor.\n\nAll I'm saying is that if you pay based on student evaluations, where's the checks & balances system in that?  Shouldn't it be based on our work and not potentially open to personal opinions?  It seems to me that something of the sort could happen.  There's plenty of awesome teachers that are just "hard" but sometimes the teachers some students can't get along with are the best.