Becoming A Teacher - Opinions Please

[MrMon]

After taking the last few years off raising the kids, the last one is off to kindergarten this fall. I really don't want to sit around the house the rest of my life playing poker, and real estate is starting to suck, so I've been thinking about what to do. Both my wife and stepdaughter said I'd make a great teacher. I initially rejected the idea, but after some thought, I'm starting to like it. I'm fairly good at teaching the few times I've done it (I really like showing off what I know in an entertaining manner and the kids respond well - my classes definitely won't be boring), and the few districts I've talked to were really enthused about getting someone from the real world if I had my certs.

Here's the deal. I have both an engineering degree and an MBA, so I can easily teach high school math or science. I think teaching science would be preferrable, but I'll do math if I have to. Conversion programs are pretty easy at the local university, looks like 3 or 4 concentrated courses, then practice teaching and a bunch of tests, maybe another course or two to get certified in math or science.

I don't need big bucks to support the family, that's my wife's department, hours that still allow me to get they kids where they need to go in the afternoon, bennys, summers off, Xmas and spring break, decent coin, plus a sense of contributing to some kids lives in a positive way.

Thoughts or any downside I'm missing?

[xhawks]

Physics is easily the hardest subject to teach high schoolers. I would definitely suggest teaching math

[traz]

Teach bio, my gr12 bio teacher handed out colouring assignments and ate donuts...seemed like a good job to me

[SunOfaJack]

Sounds like you found something you would be motivated to do and enjoy. So go for it. It seems like you will have to spend some time with additional education which will give you time to think about things and may even give you other ideas as well.

In terms of jobs, it will be tough to beat teachers perks (ie time off, working hours), unless you get a public office type of job, but then it would probably suck anyway.

Go for science if that is you're interest. Math and Science are tough and need motivated teachers, I remember all the great teachers I had, they were teaching what they wanted to, you could just tell.

Best of luck to you!

[zephed]

[ QUOTE ]

In terms of jobs, it will be tough to beat teachers perks (ie time off, working hours),

[/ QUOTE ]
There's more work when you get home.

[AAAA]

it can be managed so there isn't more work when you get home...it really can...and school districts are going to have to start understanding the process of making teaching a 3/4 time job for people who are dedicated to teaching, and not dedicated to bookkeeping and paperwork if they want to keep any decent teachers at all.

just a couple examples of what i mean...have students grade papers anonymously of course...have numbers put on papers and then have all the people who are not getting A's or B's grade several papers with the teacher...students who are doing well can have research time. the students who need to review the material have the teacher's attention for questions and can actually gain credit on their own papers for doing the work they need to do....that way it becomes extra credit, not punishment, and the teacher doesn't need to grade papers.

even essays, students can learn to underline facts in other student papers, and then discuss the facts with the teacher...again, this can be an extra credit session for students who need reinforcement. all while during school hours!

IMO, there are certain basics that do need to be learned...reading, writing/typing/spelling and arithmetic basics are certainly in there...geography/geology and its ramifications for where and what people do, is one that is way underrated...basic household science is another, like electricity, chemistry and basic physics.

these days personal hygeine and health are up there too, since often the only health care children get is in the emergency room or from the school nurse if there is one. physical education with team and individual sports can also be turned to academic activities when the students want to know how to hit harder, higher and faster.

other than those basics of living, other education should be on a research project basis with hands on skills and in depth research...art, music, auto mechanics, and many other skills can be used as a backdrop for other academic studies including literature, math, science and history.

after they reach minimum proficiency, children should be graded on what they learn, not what causes them problems. take the "dumbest" kid in the class and ask him about what he loves and he usually becomes a fountain of knowledge...a good teacher should be able to weave history, writing, business, science and math into any topic at all! when the kids learn what they love, they even remember it!

for elementary teachers, this is not such a problem, but for many high school teachers who do not have much knowledge outside their own focus, it might be more challenging, but not impossible...in fact, the teachers who love only one subject should really be able to understand kids who focus on one thing!

again...there is zero reason for requiring kids to learn quadratic equations except in areas where they have interest...yes to basic math and applied math, but no to trigonometry for trig's sake! (and i love math, personally!)

working with other students on projects of interest and value to the student is a great method for actual learning and not just the stuff that falls out the other ear before it bounces around enough inside the skull to be remembered.

[dankus]

[ QUOTE ]
Physics is easily the hardest subject to teach high schoolers. I would definitely suggest teaching math

[/ QUOTE ]

Almost any class revolving around math or physics will involve a high level of difficulty in teaching. Students will constantly need help outside of class and conveying difficult concepts will not be easy as well, especially in the upper level courses.

[PokerBob]

[ QUOTE ]
Physics is easily the hardest subject to teach high schoolers. I would definitely suggest teaching math

[/ QUOTE ]

i teach high school physics. i can barely dress myself, so it can't be that hard.

[AAAA]

high school physics was the most fascinating course i took. well, i guess trig and analyt were incredible too...and of course chaucer was there in english...needless to say it was a great year, superseded only by my freshman year in college! college was exciting for a few other reasons.

as far as how easy physics is...when you have a talent, you believe it is easy...for those without your talent, they call it a miracle.

[MrMon]

Thanks for all the feedback so far. I can understand some of the problems, but I really don't expect to run into some of them for the simple reason that I don't plan on becoming a martyr. It's a good school or none, public or private. Forget the inner city, I want the suburbs. I'd rather waste the time and effort getting the certs than go inner city. Sorry, but that's the way it is, I want to teach, not play cop, and I don't need the job that bad. As selfish as this may sound, I'm in it for me and no one else. I plan on being where the students want to learn, and if they don't, I'll go elsewhere.

I like a lot of what AAAA says, but I'd put my own twist on it. In physics, I'd give homework, but rarely grade it. The twist would be, the homework becomes the quizzes, tests, and board problems. (I've had teachers do this and it always worked well.) On any given test or quiz, one-third to one-half the test is simply turning in certain homework problems. If you don't have the homework done, you can't possibly finish the test. Two sections of a class - you collect different problems to prevent word from getting out on what needs to be done. Cheating? I've had teachers give open book, open note tests before that made cheating nearly impossible - but if you didn't know the material, again, no open book or note could possibly help you. Not sure that's possible in high school, but it's an idea.

If get to be a physics teacher, I want to be able to teach physics for everyone. Literally. It'd be great to have a physics for those in calculus, physics for algebra level students, even a physics for non-math oriented students, just so they at least understood the basic ideas behind physics. I want it to be fun and funny as well as informative and hopefully the student demand will be there. Might not get to do that, but that's going to be my pitch to the schools, I'm just hoping someone will bite.