Question for Teachers

Thanks for the feedback everybody, I really appreciate it. Got the ball rolling last week with a visit to the local community college; lots to cosider. Thanks again.

[quote]sen say wrote:
Is it the ‘teaching’ you like, or working with kids? If it’s just teaching, maybe you could go into corporate training. Teaching classes to adults that want to learn is a lot more fun/easier than to kids that think you’re a tool.

You could possibly even use your firefighting knowledge and skills to teach others that…I’m not sure…just brainstorming here, but you could teach CPR to group classes, etc…

I’m not a teacher. My brother and sister taught for 10 years each and I heard lots from them. I’ve volunteered with kids for 12 years no in area sports programs. There is no way I would work with kids for longer than 10 weeks without losing my mind. Then again, I have a short attention span.
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It’s both, I’d say. I learned to love teaching when I started teaching fire prevention classes to the schools, and then started to teach at my department’s Firefighter academy. Also, after six years of coaching football to kids ranging from 8-12 years old, I learned what impact a coach/teacher could have with a kid. Just awesome to teach a new concept to a kid, work with them as they struggles to learn it, and then get to a point where they can demonstrate confidant proficiency; just awesome. I have a passion for science, history, and government, and could see myself teaching/coaching for a long time.

HOWEVER, I find myself in one of the worst possible markets for a prospective teacher to be in. Teachers are getting laid off left and right in my state, and moving isn’t an option for me. The State of michigan is just terrible right now for public employees of any type; Firefighters, teachers, cops, all of us are under attack and getting laid off. I think this is something I’ll have to consider as I move forward.

As I ask around to all of my teacher friends about the career move, I’m getting lots of advice to enter a medical field seeing as how I’m already an EMT. Physical Therapy Assistant jobs seem to be everywhere right now, seems to pay fairly well, and only requires a two year degree. I’d love to teach, but damn, I’d hate to invest six years of my life as well as a shit ton of cash into a teaching degree, and then not be able to get a job.

So, for right now, I’m just going to knock out my general education requirements and keep thinking. Thanks.

[quote]Testy1 wrote:
The guy that does our safety training classes and handles our emergency preparedness is an ex firefighter/EMT. He also is in charge of public safety concerning fire suppression ect… for Eastern Michigan University.

This seems like a perfect profession for someone like you and he seems to enjoy it aside from dealing with smartass’es like me. I could ask him how he got his start if you like.[/quote]

That would be awesome if you could ask him, I’d really appreciate it. Thanks.

[quote]JSMaxwell wrote:
Another story. This isn’t funny, its sad and really got to me. A couple of years ago one of our third graders had the worst thing in the world happen. His stepfather strangled his mother to death in front of the student, dropped the kid off at school, then the stepfather went and hung himself in a garage. Kid had to go live with grandmother. Needles to say this kid was messed up and understandably so. Violent outbursts, throwing things, the whole nine yards. When he got to 4th grade he was in a class and the teacher couldn’t handle him.

I asked to have him moved into my morning class because that group was pretty well balanced, calm, and I knew they could handle it. Plus there is something to be said for bringing someone in to a well balanced “pack” for lack of a better term. We had our problems, but I was able to build a relationship with him. Whenever he had problems I could, usually, get him to calm down. When he moved to fifth grade he would still come by my room every morning to check in with me. He is in middle school now and I haven’t heard how he is doing. He can be whatever he wants to be if he is able to separate what happened in his life from who he is as a person.[/quote]

WOW, that’s just moving as hell. That’s the kind of impact that a teacher can have on a kid that makes me want to teach. Thanks for sharing that.

From my understanding the open spots are very dear here in Canada, more like nonexistent. Not sure what it’s like in America.

I know someone who graduated with honours in teaching almost two years ago and still can’t find a job locally. Actually, she now volunteers once a week at a local school just so she can get to know the principle who hopefully in turn will give her a job down the road.

Apparently the way it works here is teachers retire and right away get re-hired as subs. The fossils get to double dip and the young folks who just graduated get fucked.

How is this fair? Don’t the “retired” teachers feel they owe it to the next generation to get the fuck out of the way? Don’t they remember how it was when they started out and needed a break? Maybe I’m being too harsh on the older generation of teachers but it seems like horseshit to me.

Has it always been this way in the teaching field?, I have no idea.

[quote]JSMaxwell wrote:
But the parents…holy, fucking shitballs! Before I started teaching I had no idea there was an entire sub-culture in America that had, as its fundamental values, things like excuse-making, playing the victim, and entitlement. We all know irresponsible people, but it has blown my mind just how wide spread it is. A case in point: Last year a 4th grader walked into my classroom, I said “Good morning,” he gave me the finger, said, “Fuck you,” shoved the computer off of the desk then ran over and decked a kid in the face. I had multiple witnesses and the first part of the incident was on video tape since there are cameras in the hallway. I explained all of this to the father and his first words to me were, “Well…what did you do to piss him off?”[/quote]

This right here, in my opinion, is the biggest problem in our country. Lack of parenting. It’s the root of so many issues that the adults have here. I’m not a father who typically spanks his child, but if I found out my son did this, he’d get the shit beat out of him upon first sight. I’d make sure he knows that is beyond unacceptable behavior.

My mom has taught at the local community college for almost 40 years now and my sister just started teaching 4th grade 3 or 4 years ago (also math and science). They have plenty of stories from students, to parents (moreseo my sister, since my mom teaches college), to administration, to peers, etc. Hell, I coach a swim team and get so sick of all the entitlement and excuses that parents come with. Frankly, it’s pathetic and it’s turning our country more pathetic with every new generation.

Good teachers, to me, are like the shining light in this darkness. If you’re going to be a teacher, make sure you understand what it’s all about and can look at the big picture. The reason my mom has stayed at that school for 40 years is mainly because of all the help these students need who are graduating out of high school around here. A large portion of them can barely read (or plain can’t read at all) and have no concept of self-accountability or respect for others. If they want to pass her class, no matter how easy it’s supposed to be (she teaches some 100 classes, but not exclusively), she makes them shape up or ship out and doesn’t put up with their bullshit. Needless to say, her students all either love her or hate her. If you’re not passionate about it, it could turn you into a mutant version of your former self, so make sure it’s truly what you want. If it is, then please, we all need the help, badly.

[quote]bond james bond wrote:

How is this fair? Don’t the “retired” teachers feel they owe it to the next generation to get the fuck out of the way? Don’t they remember how it was when they started out and needed a break? Maybe I’m being too harsh on the older generation of teachers but it seems like horseshit to me.

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Lots of young teachers feel this way. Personally, I completely disagree.

In what other profession would a someone trying to break into the field tell an older veteran to “move over and make room”? Imagine a young lawyer or a young real estate agent telling a seasoned vet to retire in order to free up a job (or part of the market) for them.

If I were doing something that I loved - as many retired teachers do when they sub - and someone told me to retire, they’d be getting a very kind “fuck off” from me.

Here is what I think Ontario needs to do to correct the job shortage that there is now

1.) Grandfather out these degree-mill schools in Buffalo and Australia (D’Youville, The University of Koala Springs…whatever). They make a killing by offering teaching degrees with very relaxed admission standards. If you can’t get into a Canadian institution like Brock or Queens, you don’t get to become a teacher. This also goes for the private teaching schools like Charles Sturt in the GTA - you can’t buy your way in.

OR

2.) Implement a 4 or 5 year teaching bachelor degree. Teach general educational concepts in early years and specialize in later years to high school science, elementary math…whatever. This would help reduce the number of “fallback applicants” that teaching colleges get - kids with great academic records who have no business being teachers, but who are attracted to the profession due to the decent salary and great benefits