Just wondering if anyone has been a teacher at one point and didn't like it so you found a different career path. I was an elementary school teacher for eight years and wasn't happy. Most of the teaching was for first and second grade.
In another state, I briefly taught fifth grade English Language Arts and Social Studies. I thought changing schools was the answer not to mention the kids were much older than what I was used to. I won't go into details about that experience except I couldn't accept the fact that I was doing more work for less pay because teachers get paid less in that state than NY. And being a regular elementary teacher, I was not prepared to have the added responsibility of a disabled student in my class without a para. To this day I feel guilty about that because I have always been interested in disabilities mainly the deaf. The disabled student was a terrific kid, I just didn't know how to stay on top of everything plus modify instruction for him.
I tend to go back and forth with the possibility of substituting for some extra money or pursuing another career entirely. I don't want to make the "wrong decision" again but I know many people change careers all the time. Thank you for the advice.
P.S. Currently I am a SAHM to a beautiful little girl.
sounds kinda like me! I went to school for 10 years (PT) to be a k-6 teacher and after student teaching I knew it was not for me...love the kids hate the politics of it all (long story short). I am now a SAHM and dreading going back to work, even though it wont be for a long time. there are many things you can do that si related to that.....what did you like about teaching? telling me that will help: I liked the kids, teaching, helping stuff like that so I was a parent educator for a while pre baby and I ran childrens groups too so I was in touch w/ the kids. if you dont know what that is then you can email me and I can explain a bit more. maybe you can be an educational consultant for child care centers? teach in a univer.? teach people how to be teachers? these are things I have thought about. good luck! dont do something you hate, life it toooooo short!!!
But there are so very MANY different kind of teachers! Can you try to use your degree in a completely different area, like from grade school to high school, or vice versa, or go back to school and work on a doctorate for teaching at the college level? Or for special ed?
The year after college, I did my student teaching year and decided that year was enough to last me a lifetime.
I ended up getting a job through a headhunter - as an executive assistant to a VP in a construction company. I found that I loved construction! I loved reading plans, talking with the estimators, doing job walks, visiting the site during construction... I even loved negotiating with the subcontractors after the job and then finalizing all the costs and paperwork. I talked to as many people as I could to learn more about the industry and how to do different aspects of the business. My boss and others noticed and I was promoted into positions with more and more responsibility. It was just happenstance that I fell into a career that I love and have been able to make it my own over the years.
If you think you may want to try a different career, you could try either an internship (if you have an idea of a career you might like), or try being a temp. That way you can get an idea of what you're jumping into before you have to commit to it. Just a thought!
Good luck and don't be afraid to try something new if that's what you want.
I taught for 4 years, and in hindsight I wish I had taken a pay cut and switched school systems, but I stayed where I was and got really burned out! I left teaching 12 years ago, and while there's a lot that I miss about it, I have to say -I've gotten paid much more for less work and a lot more respect elsewhere! You never can know for certain what other careers you'll enjoy, but I kind of fell into technical writing. I did that for years and then moved into product marketing. After taking 4 years off to have my children and be home with them a bit, I'm back as both a tech writer AND a marketing director for a company! I'm over the tech writing, but it's exciting to get into marketing and what I've felt called to do for awhile. Without knowing what your teaching field is, I don't know what else to tell you -but try! You don't have to stay in one thing forever. You can change if you don't like it! I taught high school English, so the tech writing and marketing writing wasn't that much of a stretch.
LOL... you've got the "devil you know" syndrome going on.
Let me put it this way: You know you don't like x, so rather than try y ... because you also might not like it... you'll stick with x because you already know you don't like it?
It's better (IMO) to try 5 things you don't like, to get to the 6th that you DO like... than to just stay with "yuck" because it's familiar.
Thanks everyone who responded. Some of you said that once you did your student teaching, you knew becoming a teacher wasn’t for you. I wish I knew that then myself. My experiences during student teaching were pretty good. Then I was assigned a tough school in a tough neighborhood. There was a brief time period after I had taught the first two years where I could’ve changed gears. I thought I needed to keep trying and not give up though. Always wonder what “could’ve been” had I changed careers then.
To someone named Riley: The way you put it “The Devil You Know” syndrome ( I never heard of that but it made a lot of sense. I guess I am afraid to do something completely different because “what if” I don’t like that career? However, doing the same thing all the time is only reminding me how stuck I keep myself not to mention “safe.” Thank you!