Should I become a teacher?

I need advice from a teacher.

Ok, so I like young children ages 3-7, and today I helped a friend's 2nd grade daughter with her homework. I enjoy teaching and helping children so I am now considering becoming a teacher for 2nd graders. BUT, I am worried that if I go to college to become a teacher, that I will not be able to get a job because of all these teacher lay-offs. So I want to know if I would have those problems after I graduate. Do they lay off teachers in elementary school or is that more common in middle and high school? Do you think lay-offs will increase or decrease after I graduate from college? Other then instructing and helping kids, what else can I expect as a teacher?
Sorry for all the questions, and your answers/opinions are appreciated.




This was originally written in April 2011 and finalized in May of 2012. This question was asked because a LOT of our teachers got laid off at that time. It was a very disruptive time to both the teachers, school site administration, and students. Most (if not all) permanent teachers were rehired in the following months. And that December some of us took an $8000 dollar pay cut when we accepted the districts contract offer. Not a fun time for those of us in the profession (thankfully I still love my job otherwise I would be going crazy....Oh wait, too late.)

Amy has since been accepted to the criminal justice program at La Sierra University. So she made her decision as to her career choice and I'm very proud of her. I'm just not sure if I'm the one that scared her away from teaching. :p

First off this recession/depression will pass. We will continue to have teacher retire and quit. So the job will be there. It just is not as abundant as it has been in the past. I don't know what the future holds but here is what has been axed in the past. First a lot of electives (wood shop, auto shop, some art) has been axed to make way for more college prep electives. Due to No Child Left Behind, we are forced to focus on preparing students for college, not the real world. Just the way politics has influenced what we offer and teach.

Another big cut that has mostly passed is the increase in class size for 1st - 3rd grade. They have change the class ration from 20:1 to 32:1 or 36:1. My district has been one of the last to do it and they are just holding off the inevitable. So this is not something you need to worry about when you get into the work force.

How long will this recession last? I have heard estimates that go to 2018-2022. I agree with the former. We are not in a good situation. With our pay cut being substancial yet inflation still rises and health care is rising double inflation, we are in a bad situation. So don't go into teacher for the money. You probably can't support a family on one salary unless you want to live a reduced lifestyle.

I got into teaching bacause that is where the doors opened for me. It is kind of amazing at how that all worked and I think someone had it as his design for me the whole time. I hated High school when I was a student and swore I would never be a teacher. As a substitute I found I loved the job. You never knew what type of day you were going to have and at the end of the day I could leave it all behind. I would morph to fit the role necessary for that day. Just the one thing that was missing was the ability to make a difference in the same individual lives each and every day. That was the trade off. After realizing that I loved the job, I started to look into the college classes that were required. I then applied to be a teacher on an emergency credential. Two principals fought for me, which made me feel good. They also knew that I had a job weeks before the actual interview. They wanted me because I had a commanding presence in the classroom and I got the job done. It actually had nothing to do with my content knowledge (which was there if you have to ask.)

I got this job in a different economy than today. Schools badly needed math and science teachers. Far more than any other subject. Sometimes they couldn't find one of these teacher. Many math and science teachers, including myself, got hired on emergency credentials. And most of us did a better job than the average teacher that had their credential. It was fun but very tiring. You learned a lot on the job and a lot in college, all at once. And if I had to do it all over again, I would do it the same way. It was a really good experience for me.

Now we are in an opposite situation. Our state has only been partially paying us for each students so school districts only get a portion of the money they had gotten in the past. Not cool. So school districts have to tighten their belts and prepare for the worst. That includes furlough days, pay cuts, increase class sizes, etc. The school districts have no choice. And because of the culture districts have created with unions, there can not be an open dialogue with the school board, superintendent, and teachers.

That's the scenario. So do I recommend that someone like Amy go into teaching because she likes working with children? Maybe, if you're willing to deal with the negatives. In her case I think she made the right decision, she is going into something she is really passionate about and she will be very successful at. While she would be a great teacher, I think it could wear her down a bit (which it does for everyone at sometime in their career). And if you don't know how to react to the wearing down nature of teaching, then you need to find a different occupation. Teaching is tiring and can be stressful. And with this economic situation I have been stressed more than once this school year over it. Not fun.

If you get stressed easily or get angry easily, the DO NOT go into teaching. It is a very social environment and not for someone that cannot control their emotions. What happens to these teachers? They burn out. They do not do proper lesson plans, they complain about everything, they take their frustrations out on co-workers or students. Basically they are the boss from hell (from the student's point of view). These teachers take things too personally and they lack coping skills. They need to go into the real job sector but are too scared to, too comfortable in their position or don't think they can make the same money in the real world.

Now if you have a goal of making a difference in student's lives, have thick skin, good attitude, have the mentaility that there is always something to learn every day and every year; then teaching is quite possibly for you. Teaching is fun and challenging. Not a job where you can sit down at a desk and teach. You have to expect to be on your feet for 5+ hours a day. You cannot sit down if you plan on being an effective teacher (especially middle school).

Is teaching any more or less secure than the real world? No. I think it is the same in most respects.

Which grade level is safer? I don't really see any grade level or subject being more or less safe once you are hired. But if you want to be hired sooner, then get your credential in math or science.

If you want to be a teacher you need to understand that it is not easy. Here is a quote from a former teacher now writing technical documents.
"Teachers totally NEED vacation. Been there and done that and will NEVER begrudge a teacher their vacations. Teachers work HARD to earn those respites. The work I do now is sometimes challenging and sometimes exhausting, but never as taxing or draining as teaching." -Daniel Dowd










© Alan Lake's Playground 2012