Thanks for all the great responses guys. My friends b**** and b**** about the politics, the stupid testing and all that stuff, but they always end it with that they wouldn't trade it for anything.
Unless you're working at the local community college, it takes years including being a TA and degrees (masters, doctorate) to become a professor.
What "stupid testing"? Elaborate, por favor? Are you talking about the HEPATITIS B testing? What...? I don't know...
That's why I said lecturers, not professors I know becoming a professor isn't an easy feat. But I thought lecturers require less of those things that you said. I think the only requirement for lecturers is a master degree. Some of the best teachers I have ever had are lecturers. They usually have more industry experiences than professors, and can relate to students better than professors.
Nice responses from all. I'd love to do it if I could live on that salary.. but sadly, that'll never be the case, and I have other options that are at least decent (though probably not as great as teaching would be for me)
I teach high school history and media studies in New Zealand. Teaching is a good career and I would recommend most people who interested to check it out. I know you can teach in Texas while working on obtaining certification, but I would make sure you take at least a few education courses before you teach. Your subject knowledge is less important than how you teach. Take some literacy courses no matter what subject you teach. It really helps. I would also go around to some schools and ask if you can observe a few junior high classes so you can get a feel for what you would be doing and what teaching methods people are using. Good luck.
It's a decent living, rewarding, good benefits (lots of vacation time) but is definitely draining at times...by the end of the year I'm counting down the days...hell I'm counting down the days by the end of the first week!
That's not how year round schools work. I worked it at one for several years. We actually got more time off during the year, but had slightly longer work days. It was great. I was able to travel during off peak times and avoid crowds. I was able to go to the beach and surf during the weak, not in summer time when there were no crowds. It was great. RM95, I teach elementary, but I'm in Los Angeles. So it won't be much of a help, but I'll tell you the time off is great, though especially early on, during the year you will work a lot of hours. Depending on your school, subject matter, and what other positions you pick up at school, you can easily put in 10-12 hours a day early on. I'm friends with a high school teacher at Katy High School. I've known the guy forever, and we are really good friends. I'm going to be in Houston for a long weekend coming up, and I will ask him if knows of any openings, or hears of anything to let me know. Best of luck.
IMA, where are you getting your ACP that allows you to be a band director? If I can't get my eyes straighted out and start my Navy music career, I might have to relent and become a band director.
As a teacher, you're not going to get along with other teachers. you're not going to get along with a lot of your students. and you'll find out that the parents are just as irritating as their kids. very thankless job. you'll bring your work home everyday. the only saving grace is knowing your kids actually learned something.
My wife is an elementary school teacher, so I get to hear all about it. It seems to me to be very dependent on the school district/students you have. She says some of the stories the kids tell are depressing.
My wife teaches the severe and profound special ed class at an elementary school in East Plano. The only thing my wife complains about is the other teachers having little to no respect for the special ed kids and not including them in the grade-level activities and whatnot (just today my wife mentioned a whole list of slights directed at her students).
I would urge you to think this through a bit more. I taught for seven years (both Middle and High School) and the age group you work with presents completely differing sets of rewards, challenges and preparation. They are distinct jobs really. Unless you are just talking about a re-location issue...
