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serrastar101
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Any teachers out there? I'm hoping to get a degree in education, but wish to know the positives and negatives of the job, and different jobs availible. Thank you all!
jumbogala said:Good thread - I'm also thinking of becoming a teacher at the senior high level, in physics or math.
I'm wondering what kind of personality it takes to be a teacher. I'm a pretty quiet person, and not really sure if I would make a good teacher for that reason.
jumbogala said:I wish I could try it out before committing to a specific degree, but unfortunately I don't think there's any way of doing that.
jumbogala said:Thank you for your input.
I think I could probably be a character when teaching; I just don't know for sure that I could. I never liked giving presentations when I was in high school, which kind of makes me think I should *not* be a teacher. I wish I could try it out before committing to a specific degree, but unfortunately I don't think there's any way of doing that.
ks_physicist said:I thought teaching physics would be relatively insulated from the ups and downs of the economy, but all of us in my district without tenure have been told that we will be non-renewed (laid off) at the end of this year.
buffordboy23 said:I agree with Chi Meson. If you want to teach biology, get a biology degree first and then get your education certification, even though you will likely spend five years in college instead of four. 1 out of 2 new teachers leave the field with five years. There is not much to do with an education degree except teach.
Chi Meson said:Don't despair too soon. It was written into our contract that any teacher who was not to be renewed MUST be told before April 1st. That meant that ALL non-tenured teachers got the "non-renewal" letter during the month of March. The administration didn't know who (if any) would actually get the elbow, so they played the rule so that they could make the cuts they needed to make later on. I was "fired" three years in a row before I got tenure in my fourth year ("so why is it called 'tenyear'?")
Check to see if this is a clause in your contract.
Moonbear said:I WISH more high school biology teachers had degrees in biology
Vanadium 50 said:Good luck. The mantra from Ed departments is "a good teacher can teach any subject" so it's not required that their students actually learn about the subject they intend to teach.
ks_physicist said:With NCLB calling for "highly qualified" teachers, there is a push for teachers to have degrees in their area(s) of licensure..
Vanadium 50 said:Yes, but there is also push-back from at least some Ed departments and from the "traditional" teachers. I had a student who got his PhD and went to get his certification - they gave him nothing but grief. He then went to teach at an inner-city public high school, where the "traditional" teachers felt threatened, and did their best to drum him out. He now teaches at a suburban high school, where he has won a number of awards for teaching.
Brian_C said:Even if you just want to be a teacher, it is better to get an advanced degree. My high school physics teacher had a Ph.D in Physics from UT Austin. Needless to say, she probably doesn't have to worry too much about job security.
ks_physicist said:Even if you start out as a bachelor's level teacher, you will probably be encouraged or required to earn a master's. At that point, you can choose--one of the education master's degrees, or a subject-area master's, or some combination of both (e.g., "physics education").
The pros of teaching include the satisfaction of making a positive impact on students' lives, the opportunity to inspire and shape future generations, and the potential for job stability and benefits. The cons of teaching may include long hours, low pay, and dealing with difficult students or parents.
Some common career options in teaching include becoming a classroom teacher, a special education teacher, a school counselor, a curriculum specialist, or a school administrator. Other options may include teaching at the college level, becoming a tutor or instructor, or working in educational research or policy.
The specific requirements for becoming a teacher vary by state and country, but generally, you will need to earn a bachelor's degree in education or a specific subject area, complete a teacher preparation program, and pass any required exams or certifications. You may also need to complete a student teaching or internship experience.
Some qualities that can contribute to success as a teacher include strong communication skills, creativity, patience, adaptability, and a passion for learning and teaching. Being able to build positive relationships with students, colleagues, and parents is also important for success as a teacher.
Some challenges facing teachers today include increasing class sizes, limited resources and funding, and addressing the diverse needs of students. Other challenges may include adapting to new technologies and teaching methods, meeting academic standards and testing requirements, and dealing with the demands of administrative tasks and paperwork.