Well, after months of counting down, I reached today: my last day at work. I quit my environmental engineering research job to get certified to teach math in public schools. I start classes Monday morning. Next year I’ll do a year-long internship/student teaching in a local middle school, along with taking classes, and a year from now I’ll be certified to teach. And then I look for a job . . .
It’s a bit scary but also exhilarating. We’ve planned and budgeted and can live without my income for a year. I’m ready for a change, so here goes! I taught remedial math to adults for a number of years before going into environmental engineering. I like teaching (except for the grading, but NO ONE likes grading!), and I think it’s important work, which matters to me. In the next year, I’ll find out whether I like swimming in a sea of young teen-agers, or whether they eat me alive. (I’m not too worried. I’m old enough to be their mother, literally – my oldest is that age – so I have some inkling of what they’re like.)
I remember several Chiffsters have mentioned that they are teachers (WyoBadger, Byll, Breedlovejumbo, who else?). It sounds like company I’d be honored to join.
I also switched careers, into teaching. I’ll always make less money than I would have if I stayed with computers, but this is work I love. If you love teaching, you won’t regret thw switch!
It is easy to teach those students who have an open mind about their ability to learn. The difficulty is with students who are either terrified by math, have an irrational hatred of math, or are firmly convinced that they are “no good at math”. I think that these attitudes generally derive from parents who feel the same way or from incompetent teachers at the elementary level. The biggest challenge is to get these kids to overcome their misconceptions about the difficulty of the subject and their negative attitudes about their ability to learn. It demands a lot of patience, love, and understanding on the part of the teacher.
I think I have dyscalculia, which is why it was always hard for me. I had other issues going on though. Strangely enough, I got straight As in every other subject except math and music.
I think you’re right. Our daughter loved math from the time she could count. When she was four years old, she was always pestering us to give her story problems and fractions. When she was six, she did fourth grade math workbooks in the car for fun. Then she got into public school second grade (jumped up a grade) and had the teacher from hell. The woman actively disliked Johanna, and, among other things she actually managed to convince my brilliant child that she was “bad at math” (mainly by belittling her skills in front of the other kids…saying things like “any fool can do multiplication, but I bet you can’t memorize these math facts!” and then handing her a paper with obscure diagrams on it that I couldn’t even puzzle out – with no explanation, natch – and then saying things like “I guess you’re not as smart as you thought you were!”). We didn’t learn what was going on until mid-year (we knew Jo was unhappy, but she wouldn’t tell us why). Now Jo absolutely hates math…she’s got a fine mental block built up for herself, and things she did with ease at five and six she struggles with because she literally made herself forget that she knew them. It breaks my heart, and when I think of the little girl who used to say “give me another story problem, Mommy!” I want to throttle that…creature…who worked so hard to make her feel stupid.
Congratulations, Sarah! It’s a big step, for sure, but it sounds as though you know it’s right for you. I, too, teach, and I love it. Sure, the pay isn’t super and the hours are deceptively longer than they appear, but the thrill is in the kids. For those of us who experience and cherish that thrill, there’s nothing like it.
Have fun!
Remember that the amount of WORK you do in that practicum and first “real” year is insanely inflated. Once you gain some experience, some great trial and error stuff (hey, as long as there’s no blood and everyone’s smiling!), have seen stuff both fly beautifully and bomb only to be sifted through and repaired, you’ll be able to focus a lot more on the kids and be confident in where you’re going with them. Along comes that thrill and the amount of work levels off to a doable level.
HDSarah, My hat is off to you. I have great respect for anyone who can find the courage to follow their dreams in spite of conventional wisdom. This path will most likely bring you rewards that you can not forsee. Congratulations on your courageous decision and good luck!!! Please keep us all posted on how things go with your new career.
Sarah, That is excellent. You may be the inspiration. I’ve been wanting to get away from computer programming for awhile now and for years I have been wanting to get back to my favorite subject, history. I would love to teach college level history. How did you ever get the courage and will power to take that step? I admire your achievment.
Redwolf, I’d be happy to hold down that “creature” while you throttle it.
That whole story just @#$@#%# me off!!!
That’s really great news! Best of luck in your new career path!
I just finished my first year in the concurrent education program at Queen’s University in Kingston. I’m really looking forward to teaching high school math and physics. In the mean time, I get to make doors in a factory all summer so I can afford to go back to school…
Congrats Sarah. It takes chutzpah to up and quit in order to follow your dreams…
I taught middle and high school band for the past 20 years (and really enjoyed it-lots of ups and downs but never boring, and I like to think, I made a difference in kids’ lives), and quit to go back to school 2 years ago (I want to teach university kids how to teach). I couldn’t be happier-no money, but who cares? I’m doing what I want to do, and one can’t put a price tag on that.
Good luck-the lack of money thing will be much easier to deal with than you anticipate.
(I’m not too worried. I’m old enough to be their mother, literally – my oldest is that age – so I have some inkling of what they’re like.)
I have great respect for anyone who can find the courage to follow their dreams in spite of conventional wisdom. This path will most likely bring you rewards that you can not forsee. Congratulations on your courageous decision and good luck!!! Please keep us all posted on how things go with your new career. 
