for the teachers out there

[ehirsch83]

I am graduating(hopefully) in August, with my bachelors in psychology and I think I want to teach, instead of going on to my phd(at least for a few years). I am looking towards teaching kindergarden-2nd age groups.

I know we have some teachers out there, not sure though if anyone is teaching in this age group, but I would love to hear input from everyone! I am also thinking of teaching at a more progressive school, over your traditional school program.

So any words of wisdom or thoughts that you would like to share, please feel free to:-)

[RoadRaven]

I teach teachers who will teach children age 0-6yrs in pre-school services...

Don't know if I can throw any light on anything, but if you think of something, let me know...

Congrats on completing your course of study - I KNOW what a huge committment it is!!!

[Aquila]

Congrats on finishing!

What sorts of certification do you need in your state? In mine, it's a pretty rigorous thing to go through, and usually part of a college major (elementary ed or something).

If you're thinking of doing a PhD to teach at the college level (as opposed to practicing clinical psych), make sure you have a really good sense of the job market on the other end, and of the pay scales for your field and such BEFORE you decide to get the PhD.

In my field (English, not unique among humanities re the job market), it takes the average person 8.4 years to finish a PhD (after a BA/BS). About 30% of people leave PhD programs without finishing. And of those who finish, about 50% get a tenure track job in the first year after finishing, and about 30% leave the field without ever getting a tenure track job after 3 years.

Those are DISMAL statistics, and if psychology is similar, you should know that before deciding to go to grad school.

Here's a wiki that will give you a sense of how the job market looks to applicants this year. Your undergrad advisor or someone else in your department should be able to give you a sense of what the market's like in your field.

Sorry, I don't mean to be unencouraging, but I wish someone had given me a better sense of the realities of academic job hunting BEFORE I was in the midst of dissertation writing. (Though I am one of the lucky sort who has a decent job.)

[makbike]

Have you ever worked with little ones? If not, I would suggest you do some serious volunteer work at a local school. Spend some time (several days to weeks) shadowing a teacher and see what the "normal" day is really like.

Good luck and congratulations!

[kelownagirl]

I teach 3rd Grade and love it! I'm in Canada so I can't give you any "advice" other than to say I think teaching is a wonderful profession, well paid (imho), great vacation time if you have a family, and you can live anywhere because nearly every town has a school.

[uforgot]

I went to college to become a professional musician (percussion) but couldn't get to graduate school after college, so temporarily I taught. That was 29 years ago and I'm still teaching. I teach high school (not little ones) but somehow this is what I was meant to do. I love my job, love my students and can't imagine any other career. I wish the same for you!

[Tri Girl]

I teach 5th grade, but taught 2nd grade for one year. Although I didn't love the little ones as much (too touchy-feely, and they didn't get my sometimes dry sense of humor ), I had a lot of fun with them. I really love my job, and consider myself to be very lucky that I have the opportunity to be an influence on a young person's life. The pay isn't bad (considering the time off), the rewards are great, and I wouldn't trade it for the world. That being said, there is A LOT of work involved. Not only in the planning and grading, but managing 24+ families and keeping the peace with everyone. Burnout is common (I experienced it myself after 7 years), and stress can be high with so much at stake- but it's still the best job I could ever imagine having.
I agree you should volunteer in a classroom and really talk to teachers and see what it's all about. I tell my non-teaching friends that although I get two months off in the summer and two weeks off at Christmas- I work as hard in those 9.5 months as others do in their 11.5 months of work.

[deedolce]

I'm a primary teacher! I teach multi-age - means I have 1st, 2nd, and 3rds in the same class. I carry the kids from year to year as well, so my 3rds I've had as 1st and 2nd graders. Um, got that?

I love it. It's the best, and the most challenging job I've had. Never boring. But I work in a district where I don't have to teach scripted aka Open Court!

You have to be able multi-task - the thing that gets me these days is the amount of required assessment. Often one on one, and keen auditory skills! While keeping the other 19 (class reduction, I have 20 kids) occupied and on task. I have to test each child with QRI running record, BPST (Basic phonics), San Diego quick assessment, 100 most common words/120 irregular words, Phonemic Awareness, and BEAR spelling test. Each kid. 2-3 times a year. Then there's the Writing Samples and STAR testing, and in between I get to actually teach!

As far as pay, other districts are better. If you work full time, have 2 kids, you pay over $1000 out of pocket a month towards health benefits here.

But all in all, it's an awesome job. I love my students. I always try to be conscious of every word I exchange with them. And patience...I have a lot of it!

That's what comes to mind to me for now. Good luck!

[kelownagirl]

As far as pay, other districts are better. If you work full time, have 2 kids, you pay over $1000 out of pocket a month towards health benefits here.

I pay $75/month for a full family - all medical, dental, and extended health.

[Veronica]

I Not only in the planning and grading, but managing 24+ families and keeping the peace with everyone. Burnout is common (I experienced it myself after 7 years), and stress can be high with so much at stake- but it's still the best job I could ever imagine having.

Oh my! I wish I only had 24 families to manage! I have 34 students in my 5th grade class. We're all about ready to quit at my grade level.

Too much is being asked of us and there is just not enough time to do what we need to do with so many kids! And I refuse to martyr myself. I am already putting in a good nine hour day M-F and 4 - 5 hours each weekend. I'm pretty organized, intelligent and responsible. And I am still not meeting all the demands of my district and the state.

The reading level in my classroom ranges from pre-primer to 11th grade. Huge amounts of my planning time are spent differentiating my instruction to meet the levels in my class.

Health benefits- it was cheaper for Thom to get his through COBRA when he quit his job than to go on my plan.

My kids this year are pretty good, although very low. I feel like a failure because I know that only about 10- 15% of my class will achieve the standards set for 5th grade. Intellectually I know that many of them entered my room with 2nd - 3rd grade skills. I know in a year, I can't bring them up 2- 3 grade levels. But still... it's my responsibility to get them there. I do wonder WTF are the parents doing?

It doesn't help that California has set the bar for standards higher than 40 other states, but is 47 or 48th in spending - hence my 34 students in my classroom.

My mantra has been, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

V.

[Tri Girl]

Sheesh V- that's insane!!! I had 30 fifth graders a couple years ago and it was sooooo tough to manage all those diff. learning levels and styles. I almost went insane! It's way too much to ask!
Actually, I'm lucky this year. I moved districts and am able to teach Math to all the 5th graders, and Language Arts and Spelling to my homeroom class (which is good and bad because I have 3 less preps, but 68 more students to keep up with in a subject that, like Reading, has my kids from 2nd grade level to 10th grade level in abilities). I guess I'm really trying to keep the peace with 92 families since Math is the biggest push in our system right now (and I agree about the state standards- man we rush through the dang curriculum so fast so we can be ready for "the test" that it's ridiculous).
V- find a different district if you can (not that it'll help with state standards- but I found changing districts made a huge difference in my outlook and in my stress level). I had burnout BIG TIME a couple years ago and was ready to leave teaching altogether. A little change has made a HUGE difference in my life.

[Veronica]

I've been thinking about changing districts. It would be a big pay cut. I've been teaching 15 years and most districts will only credit 9.

It would mean having to commute. I have a ten minute commute by bicycle now. The district I would want to teach in is about 40 - 50 min. each way by car. That's ten hours a week I would lose. I stay sane now, by getting out and riding after work.

I'm thinking maybe a job share in a year or two... or a sabbatical.

V.

[ehirsch83]

Have you ever worked with little ones? If not, I would suggest you do some serious volunteer work at a local school. Spend some time (several days to weeks) shadowing a teacher and see what the "normal" day is really like.

Good luck and congratulations!

I used to teach horseback riding lessons(as a working student) to the young ones for about a year and a half(my kids ages ranged from just 4-16), so I have had some experience with the little ones

And on the note of going back for phd- I feel that if I did, I would do it in sociology and not psychology, putting my focus on sex and gender.

I really just have no idea what I want to do, but I know I want to work, and I love working with kids.

[wannaduacentury]

I am graduating(hopefully) in August, with my bachelors in psychology and I think I want to teach, instead of going on to my phd(at least for a few years). I am looking towards teaching kindergarden-2nd age groups.

I know we have some teachers out there, not sure though if anyone is teaching in this age group, but I would love to hear input from everyone! I am also thinking of teaching at a more progressive school, over your traditional school program.

So any words of wisdom or thoughts that you would like to share, please feel free to:-)

Have you considered getting a masters in sociology and getting your teaching certification as you go? This might give you some leverage in the school system for counseling and/or teaching etc. Just an idea. Lots of great advice given so far. TE is the best. Jenn

[Tuckervill]

And people wonder why I don't send my kids to school. (Not because of dedicated teachers like you, but because of what's wrong with the system.)

My DIL became a history teacher and is in her 2nd year at a city high school. She sure talked a good game when she was getting her degree. She had so many romantic ideas about how to make "history come alive!" Her reality is very, very different. The kids could not care less. She has the administrators and impossible standards to deal with, too. The workplace politics are unbelievable. She was asked by some students to sponsor a Gay-Straight Alliance club, and other TEACHERS are "monitoring" it to make sure she's not promoting the "gay lifestyle". Other TEACHERS have removed the club posters and didn't even try to hide that they did it. She's very disillusioned.

Karen

Oh my! I wish I only had 24 families to manage! I have 34 students in my 5th grade class. We're all about ready to quit at my grade level.

Too much is being asked of us and there is just not enough time to do what we need to do with so many kids! And I refuse to martyr myself. I am already putting in a good nine hour day M-F and 4 - 5 hours each weekend. I'm pretty organized, intelligent and responsible. And I am still not meeting all the demands of my district and the state.

The reading level in my classroom ranges from pre-primer to 11th grade. Huge amounts of my planning time are spent differentiating my instruction to meet the levels in my class.

Health benefits- it was cheaper for Thom to get his through COBRA when he quit his job than to go on my plan.

My kids this year are pretty good, although very low. I feel like a failure because I know that only about 10- 15% of my class will achieve the standards set for 5th grade. Intellectually I know that many of them entered my room with 2nd - 3rd grade skills. I know in a year, I can't bring them up 2- 3 grade levels. But still... it's my responsibility to get them there. I do wonder WTF are the parents doing?

It doesn't help that California has set the bar for standards higher than 40 other states, but is 47 or 48th in spending - hence my 34 students in my classroom.

My mantra has been, "Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."

V.