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I'm an American who currently teaches at an international school in Malaysia.
In a few years, there's a good chance I'll be moving back to the US and I've started the process of getting a teaching license in my native Massachusetts. Generally speaking, I'm open to teaching in MA, NH, RI, CT or Upstate NY.
Simply put, would it be worth it teach in a public school in those places (or other states)? I was just talking to a friend of my who had worked at a public school in a Boston exurb and she was telling me about the petty things that a teacher can be reprimanded for. Apparently, at least according to her, she said it was (she has since left the profession) to even discipline any students and local schools are at the mercy of parental complaints. She also complained that teachers always seem to be teaching towards tests, and that took away the joy of education for her.
Is what she is saying true? Would teaching students back in the States really be that unpleasant?
At our international school, we do follow a curriculum, but we also have some freedom. I can deal with unruly students in ways I see fit (and within reason, of course) and I do find considerable joy teaching from day to day.
Will I still have that joy if I come back home to teach?
I'm an American who currently teaches at an international school in Malaysia.
In a few years, there's a good chance I'll be moving back to the US and I've started the process of getting a teaching license in my native Massachusetts. Generally speaking, I'm open to teaching in MA, NH, RI, CT or Upstate NY.
Simply put, would it be worth it teach in a public school in those places (or other states)? I was just talking to a friend of my who had worked at a public school in a Boston exurb and she was telling me about the petty things that a teacher can be reprimanded for. Apparently, at least according to her, she said it was (she has since left the profession) to even discipline any students and local schools are at the mercy of parental complaints. She also complained that teachers always seem to be teaching towards tests, and that took away the joy of education for her.
Is what she is saying true? Would teaching students back in the States really be that unpleasant?
At our international school, we do follow a curriculum, but we also have some freedom. I can deal with unruly students in ways I see fit (and within reason, of course) and I do find considerable joy teaching from day to day.
Will I still have that joy if I come back home to teach?
I don't think you can listen to "a friend" who has just one particular experience and then project experience to all schools and school systems.
I think an important question for you to ask yourself is...what about retirement.
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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My wife just retired from an elementary school here in Washington State, as did several others. Covid has caused many teachers to retire earlier than planned or to leave and find other work. It's not so much curriculum issues, but the Covid precautions, behavior that has gotten out of control, and recent school shooting incidents. When the kids spent over a year with school from home during the Covid lockdown, they apparently forgot how to behave, and this is a highly rated school in one of the best districts, where the median family income is $181,464. Phetaroi makes a good point, though, those retiring from the school district are getting a decent pension and a few other benefits.
I don't think you can listen to "a friend" who has just one particular experience and then project experience to all schools and school systems.
I think an important question for you to ask yourself is...what about retirement.
Well, I'm gonna be 44 soon and I've lived here in Malaysia for much of my adult life. I'd like to come back to the US and finish off the last 20 or so years of my working life in the US, hopefully getting a halfway decent pension and/or social security (along with our investments overseas). We'll see, I guess.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hemlock140
My wife just retired from an elementary school here in Washington State, as did several others. Covid has caused many teachers to retire earlier than planned or to leave and find other work. It's not so much curriculum issues, but the Covid precautions, behavior that has gotten out of control, and recent school shooting incidents. When the kids spent over a year with school from home during the Covid lockdown, they apparently forgot how to behave, and this is a highly rated school in one of the best districts, where the median family income is $181,464. Phetaroi makes a good point, though, those retiring from the school district are getting a decent pension and a few other benefits.
That's a fair point. We've seen similar problems with student behavior here in Malaysia with some kids acting out, while others simply becoming more awkward and antisocial. It's unfortunate, really.
There's a significant teacher shortage in the US right now, It's not because people don't want to teach any more, they just don't want to teach in the current educational environment. The number one complaint by far is the lack of student behavioral discipline and the lack of will to do anything about it. The second complaint is the toxic sociopolitical ideology that has taken hold in much of the educational establishment. To an extent the two issues are related. If I were a teacher and I liked my job and I lived in Malaysia and had a choice between staying there or coming back here, I'd have to give serious consideration to staying there for the foreseeable future.
There's a significant teacher shortage in the US right now, It's not because people don't want to teach any more, they just don't want to teach in the current educational environment. The number one complaint by far is the lack of student behavioral discipline and the lack of will to do anything about it. The second complaint is the toxic sociopolitical ideology that has taken hold in much of the educational establishment. To an extent the two issues are related. If I were a teacher and I liked my job and I lived in Malaysia and had a choice between staying there or coming back here, I'd have to give serious consideration to staying there for the foreseeable future.
Well, I teach at an international school here, so I don't have to worry about Malaysian government nonsense, which is as bad as the US. Maybe I could look at private or charter schools in the US.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Rocko20
It entirely depends on what school or school district you're in. You could be teaching at a school like "Dangerous Minds" or "Glee."
My heart tells me I want to teach "Dangerous Minds," but my mind tells me "Glee" is better for my sanity.
It's not just government schools here. The political nonsense is just as bad if not worse it many private schools. Maybe you'll be lucky enough to land a position in one of the dwindling number of parochial schools that still take discipline and basic subject mastery seriously, but they tend to pay like garbage.
You generally don't want to teach at a "Dangerous Minds" type school because they got that way through systemic failure so deeply engrained that no one teacher can make a difference. And if you try to do what it takes to hold students primarily accountable for their own success, you'll probably get hounded out.
There's a significant teacher shortage in the US right now, It's not because people don't want to teach any more, they just don't want to teach in the current educational environment. The number one complaint by far is the lack of student behavioral discipline and the lack of will to do anything about it. The second complaint is the toxic sociopolitical ideology that has taken hold in much of the educational establishment. To an extent the two issues are related. If I were a teacher and I liked my job and I lived in Malaysia and had a choice between staying there or coming back here, I'd have to give serious consideration to staying there for the foreseeable future.
And the pay is inadequate.
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