I was a High School Art Teacher, Administrator, and spent the final 25 years of my 33 year career as a High School Guidance Counselor.........and don't let anybody kid you.......it is NOT a gravy job with three months off in the summer...... First of all it is two months of a *forced layoff* from your profession and if you want to maintain your lifestyle you must go out and do things in the summer like tend bar, drive beer trucks, wait tables, etc. So there's no free lunch as a lot of *lay people* think....... Fortunately, there is a lot of time off during the work year, but it is a negotiated thing as to *when* that time off will occur..........State Law dictates that you must work 185 days in NJ........how you cut it up is negotiable........ And it takes 3 years and one day to get what is called *tenure*, which is nothing more than a protection that you get due process if someone wants to fire you........*Tenure* does NOT guarantee you a job for life as many think.......it is no more a protection than many Union members get after only 30 or 60 days on the job........I recall that Civil Service employees receive Permanent Status after only 3 months or 6 months.....something like that..... And to qualify for a position in Education you must have the appropriate college degree and teaching or administrative Certification.......my job required an Earned Master's Degree and Certification as a Student Personnel Services Director........ Sorry for the diatribe but I get my back up a little when some folks call education a *gravy job*.......... Brucie
I taught high school for 17 years and then chucked it for something better. In response to your last question, not only can you be a teacher and have time to do something else, but in most cases, you MUST have another job to make ends meet (unless your spouse has a good job or is a teacher too). Extra/free time is not the issue with teaching. It's the stress while you're there and the ***holes you get to deal with on a daily basis.
I'm a high school shops teacher. I currently have my '28 RPU in the metal shop so the grade 11's and 12's have a reason to design, fabricate and weld small pieces. I have a few keeners who want to learn "real" body work too.
You guys not get paid for the summer break? Wow...didn't realise that. I'm a high school librarian over here - my wife is design and tech teacher - and we get six weeks off in the summer, totally paid. In fact, it works out at about 13 weeks total leave in any year. 60 hour working weeks are usual during term time though, so the holidays are certainly earned. Good teachers are well paid, too, and valued.
I have taught architecture, construction, and engineering for the last 23 years. Coached football for 17 years but now coach my son's youth team. I also have a cabinet shop on the side- I tend to not sit around much.... wc
Artiki, our district amortizes the pay for 12 months, our teachers salary is based on 190 days, so the teachers can opt to get a paycheck all year. we only get 6-7 PAID holidays per year, the extra time off we get at Christmas and Spring breaks, the Wednesday and Friday around Thanksgiving are all amortized in also. I'm a 12 month employee, so my check is only amortized for the extra holiday days off. Support people (like me) get 12 days paid vacation a year. I saw that the starting teacher in the UK makes the equivalent of $39K/year, that's about the same as some of our better paid states. My district pays new teachers right around $31K/yr to start, (the difference is sometimes called "the sunshine tax). They pay more for experience, and certain high need areas of study.
We do get paid throughout the summer if you choose to distribute your pay bi-weekly over 26 weeks. As I said before, I find the pay decent - of course I feel we deserve more especially when you consider the level courses we need to take to maintain our certification. Again, that varies widely from state to state. Very few familes can make it today on a single teacher income. The same can be said for many professions.
Well I am not a teacher, but I now have the same schedule as a teacher. I am a school bus driver. I am loving the job and am looking forward to having the summer time off. I may not make much money, but I have spent way too much time away from my kids and from being able to work on my projects (both car related and non-car related). I just started this position a few months ago and wish I had done so sooner. Kael
Another Tech. Ed teacher here (shop/industrial arts). I've been teaching middle school tech ed for the past 5 years 6,7 and 8th graders. The way it works in our district is that you get paid as if you are working a full year. At the end of the year you have a choice of either dividing your pay up over the summer or getting it all at once. So I have never had trouble having free time between grad cl***es and work to get to work on my car and drive it. One thing about teaching is that the way that the teacher is treated (pay, benifits) varies from state to state. I am fortunate in PA.
I teach High school Physics and Chemistry and also coach Volleyball and Softball. Volleyball cuts my summer short a few weeks and we are blessed with great softball kids so we go pretty far in the playoffs most years but still have lots of time in the summer. If you don't do any extracurricular stuff you will have tons of time.
I am a retired automotive engineer (FoMoCo, Engine Performance Development Group, 31 years) who paid for my barnful of hot rods and drag cars by teaching welding at the local community college and also adult ed automotive cl***es part time. The funny thing is I did not particularly enjoy school/college while growing up. But once I found my niche in the automotive hobby I could not learn fast enough.
I will be attempting to go for a PhD in Psychology down the road a little so I can teach at the university level. (no babysitting involved) Health permitting, right now it isn't. Its going to be a challenge, but it is also a goal. I will have to do this without using my eyes, and trying to do this at 47 seems to be unrealistic to some folks. But, it is like anything else, you set your mind to it and go. I did years in management, logistics, manufacturing, etc until it almost killed me. I want to teach, to me it is a calling.
Good luck Bill. Don't let anybody talk you out of it if it is what you want to do. Case in point: I just got home from riding my bike (BICYCLE!) from Key West to Canada, solo. Celebrated my 61st birthday along the way.
I'm not K-12 (I teach at a University), but I can't think of a BETTER job for having a car hobby than teaching, because of the hours and the vacation time. You didn't ask for advice, but I'll give it anyway: if you're thinking of being a college professor, DON'T get a degree in education. Get a Master's in Psych and get a job teaching at a community college OR go straight through to your PhD and get a job as a professor. I'm not saying that the teaching degree is bad or anything like that, I'm just saying that there are 18 professors in my department and only one of them taught High School before becoming a professor. He is the only college professor I know who ever taught in K-12. High School teaching is not a stepping stone to college teaching, it is a different track. They are two different jobs with different qualifications. P.M. me if you have any questions. Or better yet, find an adviser in the Psych department at your college who will talk to you about career plans.
When I started yes, but as I grew older and they cared less, I grew to dislike them. When a student can tell you , "You ain't doin' ****." and the principal says the same thing, time to find another line of work. Plus, it was in Louisiana, the worst paying state in the country.
5th grade teacher in California....the job is a good one, but I do have days when I question why I do this. I think that helps me though because that is when I try and find new ways to teach the kids. This time of the year ****s when we have "testing" though. I wonder how well kids can concentrate on a test when they have to use the restroom, and we have to tell them no "because nobody can leave the room until the time is up"....it seems cruel, but we have no choice. Kids are a kick to be around all day, especially when I don't have any of my own.
Thing is... when it all comes down to it, teaching can be compared to just about any other profession that people have chosen. The bottom line is that teachers don't teach for the money alone. Most teach because it is what they love to do, and the money is a secondary bonus. I teach 6th grade math. I'm in an extremely low income area and school, and we have in excess of 35% of our students cl***ified as 'special needs' (add/adhd, emotionally disturbed, LD, mentally retarded, etc). Its all about reaching the kids. Case in point for me, and I'm shamelessly going to plug my project... rather, "our" project. My kids are currently building doghouses for the express purpose of donating them - painted and finished - to the Tulsa SPCA so the doghouses can be sold or auctioned off to support the needs of the SPCA. The project fits right into the overall scheme of learning as well as the OK P*** standards, as well as the fact that I'm also teaching them a 7th grade concept! This is pretty freakin amazing when the majority of these kids took a placement test at the first of the year and leveled at the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade.... and this was at the beginning of the 6th grade! My principle told me today how proud she was of me, and the success my kids are sharing. As for getting paid? I'm making just over $35K/year, and I get paid over 12 months. I'm contracted to get X amount of dollars per month, whether I'm at school or not. To me, I love it. And, I wish I had done it sooner. I could still use some $$$$ help with my project, so if anyone would feel generous enough to drop me a few bucks, send me a PM and I'll hook you up with some details. I've already spent around $350, and will have to spend around another $300 more. Anything helps. Thanks guys! ~Gozt
I teach severe emotionally disturbed kids. That's the only kind of student in my school. I like it a lot, but that doesn't mean I have fun all the time. It's great when one of them starts to get it, and takes charge of their own life. The money is good, but I have two masters degrees plus extra hours on top of that, plus I have over 20 years in the profession. I think kids on the average are getting harder to deal with. If you go into teaching, get a good district, get a masters degree asap for the better pay, and don't forget you have a life worth living, don't donate all of it to school. Many teachers work horrible hours. I used to but realized it wasn't productive for the kids or me. If you are cut out for it you will like it. If not cut out for it, please get a job doing something else. The kids deserve better than some folks give as a teacher. If you want to land a job for sure go into a high needs area. I think a great teacher has a great life in and out of school. If you don't have fun in your personal life, you aren't likely to be as good a teacher as you could be. Have fun with it is the key. I do have time for fun, and have 25 more kid days before summer. By the way, that old June, July and August thing is from the past, summer is about two months now. Many folks have to work then, or go to school to keep their certificates up to date.
I retired from teaching in 2000 after 31 years. It's a good job for a ********ter! I've always had a car or bike to play with. I never had much extra money, but I don't crave glitz. My wife also taught and we got to spend a lot of time with our kids. It's no gravy job else there wouldn't be hundreds of cl***rooms in this country every day with no regular teacher. Several of my former students are my friends and we share our interest in rodding. Not a bad life!
I've worked with children for over ten years. I taught 3rd and a combined 5th/6th cl***. The bureaucracy of my last school is what drove me nuts. I loved my kids and their "ah ha" moments but hated teaching to the tests (which is what many CT schools are focused on). When I moved out to Utah, to be near my girlfriend, I found out that Utah teachers' pay is comparable to full-time McD's pay in CT. I did take on a very fulfilling ESL job but it had no benefits nor was it full time. So, now I work in the service field installing and repairing large commercial laundry equipment. It's a BIG change but when I work 70 hours a week I get paid for it. I get the weekends off, no planning or correcting and no worrying about my student's well- being away from the cl***room (although I still remain in contact with many families). I do miss many aspects of it and have been thinking about some projects that will allow me to work with children and families without the all the bureaucratic nonsense.
An NQT (newly qualified teacher in first year of teaching) earns around £18K, so about $35k, but this soon goes up with experience and responsibility points. A second in department, with a few years experience, can easily earn £23-24K. A head of a dept can easily earn £30-35K, so $60K+. A headteacher, with responsibility for a high school, can earn £65-100K ($130k+) depending on the size of the school and its cir***stances. Oddly enough though, our second largest teaching union - the NUT - is on a one-day strike for the first time since the mid 1980's today, for more pay http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7363718.stm
Teaching hours are second to none...there is plenty of time...most days you can be home by 4pm and since the job is not physically demanding you can get alot done in the evenings. I used to be a head baseball coach and it took every spare minute of my life...but if you aren't in a demanding activity like that there is ample time for hot rodding.
I guess ***iue teachers in Vic haven't got as much to complain about, first year full time teacher earns around $47k, head teacher and dept teacher around same as UK. Oddly enough we too are on strike for more pay.
Well Rick.. my situation is different than yours (community college instructor in Canada) so I can't speak directly to the work-load you will have. But, I'll chime in anyway. A job isn't the only thing that takes time away from a hobby. Life can get in the way sometimes so don't get too bent up if you can't get to your project for a period of time. Time management and setting priorities is the key to having time to do anything "extra". Good luck.
My wife retired as a teacher a few years ago.She said she got to practice for it evey summer! Now she has a pension,healthcare etc. I did Special Education in a residential setting years ago.I actually developed the 1st residential program for Autistic kids in Tn.. Special Ed is tough but when you see some of these kid's parents,you realize how good of shape the kids are in. You won't get rich teaching but you will have time for other activities. You can get a pension and healthcare too.
I'm an Industrial Maintenance Training Instructor at a local Technical College. Provide my services as a contractor to the College, work around 20 hrs/wk at a little more than $40/hr. Plenty of time to do other things. The College I contract for also has an Automotive section that has cl***es for Stock car racing crew members, as in NA$CAR, and even a cl*** on Hot Rods. Although we found out that the Hot Rod Cl*** is aimed more towards the goldchainers. Teaching is not necessary the higher paid job, it's done more for the love of it, seeing the light come on and knowning that you have made a difference on someones life. To me the lower income helps keep you along the lines of old school Hot Rodding, where you spend more time in the Salvage yards looking for something that will work for you rather than looking through catalogs for someting to buy.
I've been teaching American History and Technology Education in addition to coaching football, wrestling, basketball and even stints in baseball and track for 11 years. In the summer I fight fires starting the day after school lets out till the day before school starts. In addition to that I have to take cl***es on my own time and dime to keep my certificate current (that is probably my only ***** about the profession, seems most other professions give you time and pay you to develop professionally) My wife is also a teacher and was a lifeguard in the summer before spending the last three summers off at school earning her masters. I love my job - anyone who thinks its easy and you get three months off each year is mistaken. I find time to pursue hobbies, just like a person would with any job if they wanted to. There is a possibility of the HS Auto Shop position opening here soon and the vice principal has contacted me to see if I may be interested. If any of you teachers here (or others for that matter) would like to pm me and give me thoughts, suggestions, ideas I'd love to visit with you.
I taught special education for 30 years until I retired 3 years ago. I just got done doing a permanent sub job for the last 7 weeks in a special ed room, when the regular teacher went on maternity leave. I know the shop teacher pretty well and he always lets me use tools if I need them. In return I bring one of my two old cars in and try to motivate the kids. Even took my hot rod in and showed the students in a cl*** that was reading "The Car" a story about a kid that builds a kit car. The teacher thought it was a great way to start the unit and motivate the kids to read. I always tell the students I couldn't build cars without reading. I've always had time in the summers to build, go to shows etc. Don't know if I would've been able to if I wasn't teaching. Now my son wants to become a teacher. The teaching life isn't bad, but you won't get rich. Red
I teach Autobody at a technical college here in the midwest. Funny thing is most of the time I have to drag my *** out to my hobby shop after 9 hours of work. You guys are correct, good teachers are not paid enough, poor ones are paid way too much. And some of the **** ***es we deal with. fenderless
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