Holy smokes Shaggy wrote:
Whoa, same exact situation. Except I handed in my letter of resignation last week. I was absolutely miserable every second of every day. That said, try to make it a year if you can, especially if you have a salary.
Holy smokes Shaggy - What are you doing now? I'm on the east coast...I'm considering quiting and moving to California, maybe even step into classes at Stanford just to learn a bit. Editing PowerPoint decks is a waste of life.
So you guys were financial advisors/stock brokers or something else?
EZ10Miler wrote:
Is there any other group quicker to throw themselves up on the cross as teachers? Seriously, other jobs that serve the public just do not seem to have the martyr complex that teachers do.
It's because people have this irritating habit of ALWAYS bringing up how easy teaching is and how much of a farce it is. If people felt the need to trash other public servants in every single discussion even tangentially touching on jobs, they'd be defending themselves too. For whatever reason, every a**hole thinks he's an expert on teaching because he made it all the way to 8th grade.
Advice...pleas wrote:
Holy smokes Shaggy - What are you doing now? I'm on the east coast...I'm considering quiting and moving to California, maybe even step into classes at Stanford just to learn a bit. Editing PowerPoint decks is a waste of life.
I'm going to graduate school in the Fall 2013. In the meantime, I'm taking the $ I've saved and traveling around and living cheaply for a change.
I am also on the east coast, and probably had a similar experience as you. Updating Excel spreadsheets, running performance reports, etc. Sometimes going the whole day without saying one word. It was brutal.
I wasn't a licensed adviser, so luckily I didn't have to solicit my family and friends for money. I was being pushed into that direction and being urged to take the Series 7 and get a CFP (what a joke). I knew I didn't want to do this, and had to get out as soon as I could.
I worked at just a "small" RIA with around 200 clients and $500 million under management.
The lesson I learned: Don't do whatever job you happen to get. Find something you're interested in and choose what you want to do, not the other way around.
Azaleas wrote:
For whatever reason, every a**hole thinks he's an expert on teaching because he made it all the way to 8th grade.
No, this a**hold made it all the way to 24th+ grade (excluding my post-doctoral fellowship which lasted another 4 years). In the past, I taught several classes (including analytical biochemistry) at an Ivy League college.
I think I'm quite capable of seeing the farce plain as day, thank you.
runner85 wrote:
"throw in no accountability for your work"
I'm accountable to every one of my students. Academically, professionally, personally.
Since I teach an elective I have to validate my existence pretty regularly lest my course not be offered. I'd hate to have to go through what the core subject teachers have to go through though.
Oh I'm also observed directly the principal, who is in effect my boss. I guess it happens to most people when they're at work that their boss comes and silently watches them do their business for an hour and a half without comment.
I'm interested in this paragraph about accountability. What kind of stuff do the core subject teachers have to go through to show accountability? Also exactly what do you show or feel accountable for? Looking back on my school days and my brothers it seems like the most important thing that was neglected were the bottom of the class students. The ones who drop out, fail, have no motivation. Do you feel accountable when one of your students fails or drops out of school? I wasn't one of these kids, i did fairly well, just very interested in the subject. Proving "accountability" in teaching just has to be extremely hard to show. This is why probably 90% of teachers think they are "good" teachers. They pick their own reasons why they think they are doing a good job, but it takes a different way for different students and I think that is a big part missing. Please tell me if/why i'm right or wrong, truly want to hear thoughts on this.
Ever hear of No Child Left Behind?
So you were a TA, think a**hole has a d in it, and have a PhD in trolling? I defer to your brilliance.
Azaleas wrote:
It's because people have this irritating habit of ALWAYS bringing up how easy teaching is and how much of a farce it is. If people felt the need to trash other public servants in every single discussion even tangentially touching on jobs, they'd be defending themselves too. For whatever reason, every a**hole thinks he's an expert on teaching because he made it all the way to 8th grade.
No, I think it's because the general public knows about tenure and summer break. Honestly there is NO way around those two things. THEY DO NOT EXIST IN THE REAL WORLD.
That's why teacher pay is low and the general view of the job is low. They (teachers) don't see themselves as professionals, so the public doesnt either.
c'mon now boys wrote:
Azaleas wrote:For whatever reason, every a**hole thinks he's an expert on teaching because he made it all the way to 8th grade.
No, this a**hold made it all the way to 24th+ grade (excluding my post-doctoral fellowship which lasted another 4 years). In the past, I taught several classes (including analytical biochemistry) at an Ivy League college.
I think I'm quite capable of seeing the farce plain as day, thank you.
It is only a farce as much as the individual teacher makes it so. I came from a "real job" where it was more days and a worse schedule. I appreciate the structured schedule that we have, but to call it a farce is ridiculous. While there may be some who are guilty as you charge, they are fewer in number at the high school level. Elementary teachers have less than 30 total kids, while HS teachers tend to have upwards of 150. Now, PE teachers might be able to handle that number without any after-hours work, but academic teachers cannot.
Azaleas wrote:
I defer to your brilliance.
I'm not expecting you to defer to my brilliance- and you shouldn't expect the general public to be overwhelmed with yours. You need to work for respect, buddy.
EZ10Miler wrote:
Azaleas wrote:It's because people have this irritating habit of ALWAYS bringing up how easy teaching is and how much of a farce it is. If people felt the need to trash other public servants in every single discussion even tangentially touching on jobs, they'd be defending themselves too. For whatever reason, every a**hole thinks he's an expert on teaching because he made it all the way to 8th grade.
No, I think it's because the general public knows about tenure and summer break. Honestly there is NO way around those two things. THEY DO NOT EXIST IN THE REAL WORLD.
That's why teacher pay is low and the general view of the job is low. They (teachers) don't see themselves as professionals, so the public doesnt either.
I would add that a large percentage the of people I know that went into teaching are those I considered as average to below-average intelligence in HS and college. Knowing that these people are making the same amount of money as any other teacher in their district (seniority and education corrected) lowers the over all view of the profession.
I don't doubt that many of the teachers that are posting on here are quality teachers. They likely deserve more pay than they are getting. They should hold these leech teachers in a lower regard than the rest of us on this board - they're making a bad name for the entire profession. Until the profession changes and makes pay performance based (like most every other profession out there - even those where performance is difficult to quantify), I don't think the public sentiment will change.
Clam
I also have to think clown would be up there.
asdfe wrote:
EZ10Miler wrote:No, I think it's because the general public knows about tenure and summer break. Honestly there is NO way around those two things. THEY DO NOT EXIST IN THE REAL WORLD.
That's why teacher pay is low and the general view of the job is low. They (teachers) don't see themselves as professionals, so the public doesnt either.
I would add that a large percentage the of people I know that went into teaching are those I considered as average to below-average intelligence in HS and college. Knowing that these people are making the same amount of money as any other teacher in their district (seniority and education corrected) lowers the over all view of the profession.
I don't doubt that many of the teachers that are posting on here are quality teachers. They likely deserve more pay than they are getting. They should hold these leech teachers in a lower regard than the rest of us on this board - they're making a bad name for the entire profession. Until the profession changes and makes pay performance based (like most every other profession out there - even those where performance is difficult to quantify), I don't think the public sentiment will change.
Don't you think we do? Do you think less of the vermin at your workplace? The same applies here. We know who they are, but we have no power to change/eliminate them. To compound the problem, we often have their former students in our classes and can easily identify who they had the year prior based on achievement in our class. It is very clear who does their job and who does not.