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Hello All! I post on these boards most commonly regarding relocation, as my husband is semi-retired and is looking to move to Texas soon. I am in my early 50's, college grad (for business), and have been a part-timer/caregiver for the last 10 years. I have always dreamed of a career change as a teacher (middle school and higher), and have never pursued it due to the difficulty of getting jobs here in Westchester county NY, and the tuition costs for the advanced degree that NY requires.
Now that we are looking at Texas, my dream almost seems doable. The $4500 it would cost me to get certified is a drop in the bucket compared to NY, and it seems jobs are more reachable, especially in the middle class towns where we will most likely be targeting. I have worked in the schools at points over the years as a monitor, and it touches me to this day when I am recognized by kids when they haven't seen me in years - I tell you, no job in business has ever been as rewarding as when you know you have impacted someone's life for the better, even if it is just a few people, not all.
One thing that I noticed back then was how terrible/ unreasonable administrators can be, and the other thing is how much robotic "teaching to the test" has grown in recent years.
So I ask the teachers out there - If you put aside the money issue(I am not in it for that), would you recommend a career changer enter your field in this current climate? Have any of you done it? Is it possible to still TEACH? Or do you have to spend most of your time pushing papers, and dodging administrative oppression or CYA? How about job hunt?
I want to start certification classes in January.
Thanks for your input!
If this were five years ago, I would have said, "Go for it". Today, I'd say you might not find teaching as rewarding as you think it could be. The teaching to the test can be extreme depending where you are. There are so many little nit-picky things that go into your evaluations that it can make your head spin. The managing of parent expectations or lack thereof is exhausting, but no matter what, the school and students and parents will blame YOU if their kid doesn't do well.
Unless you get a good administrator (fair, knowledgeable, flexible) it's just not a fun job anymore. It's hard to go to work every day and basically be told you suck.
Last edited by tf2014; 11-22-2016 at 01:14 PM..
Reason: Grammar
As a retired principal, I'm going to have to stick up for building administrators. You know, we have bosses, too -- at the district level, on the BOE, at the state level...and we're not always doing what we want to do.
I do not know how it is in Texas, but in my state many school districts are trying to get rid of the teachers that are over 50, as they prefer cheaper, younger teachers straight out of college. In my area, someone just starting out in their 50s would have a very difficult time getting hired.
OTOH, if it is your dream, and you can afford it, I say Go For It!
I retired after teaching early children special education for over 30 years (mostly 3 to 5 year old children with handicapping conditions) but soon after returned to the classroom as a fulltime substitute teacher primarily teaching high school regular education. And, I loved, loved, loved it! I would still be subbing it if I didn't need to be a 24/7 caregiver of my disabled spouse.
Thanks! I would love to hear more opinions.
tf2014 - your comments are what I am afraid of. Having kids that are soon to enter college - I DO need to make money, but I just don't need it to support a modest lifestyle or mortgage. I also do not need medical, pension or other benefits. What I don't have is loads of cash on hand to retrain myself for a new career that I will realistically work in for 10 years tops.
germaine2626 - I have seen you on the caregiving pages, as I care for my 92 yr old mother as well - I just moved her to assisted living as she is mentally declining - it is so hard to be a part of the "sandwich generation" trying to care for kids and parents at the same time. Teaching is the first thing I considered as "doing for myself" after 10 years of taking crap jobs to fill in the blanks so I can attend to the needs of others. The subbing idea might be a good way to start - do you think schools might be more inclined to hire a sub, even if they are older - if they are proven/experienced?
Thanks! I would love to hear more opinions.
tf2014 - your comments are what I am afraid of. Having kids that are soon to enter college - I DO need to make money, but I just don't need it to support a modest lifestyle or mortgage. I also do not need medical, pension or other benefits. What I don't have is loads of cash on hand to retrain myself for a new career that I will realistically work in for 10 years tops.
germaine2626 - I have seen you on the caregiving pages, as I care for my 92 yr old mother as well - I just moved her to assisted living as she is mentally declining - it is so hard to be a part of the "sandwich generation" trying to care for kids and parents at the same time. Teaching is the first thing I considered as "doing for myself" after 10 years of taking crap jobs to fill in the blanks so I can attend to the needs of others. The subbing idea might be a good way to start - do you think schools might be more inclined to hire a sub, even if they are older - if they are proven/experienced?
The school districts in my area absolutely love retired teachers and you tend to get a lot more call backs than younger people just out of college. If you have experience in schools, even if you were not a teacher, it would be a real plus.
IMHO, especially at the MS & HS level, in general, a more mature adult will command respect and have a much easier time with discipline and "crowd control" than someone just out of college. And, once the class respects you it is so much easier to get them to actually do the work that the teacher wants you to do with them.
But, I should caution you. Some people absolutely hate subbing, a different class every day, students "testing" you, not always knowing the "unwritten" school rules or the content matter thar you are required to teach, etc. etc. but some (like me) absolutely loved it.
Also, some districts pay subs fairly well for what you are required to do, of course, other districts do not pay very well at all, or are terrible places to work.
I do not know how it is in Texas, but in my state many school districts are trying to get rid of the teachers that are over 50, as they prefer cheaper, younger teachers straight out of college. In my area, someone just starting out in their 50s would have a very difficult time getting hired.
OTOH, if it is your dream, and you can afford it, I say Go For It!
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The OP would be a new hire, though, not a teacher with 30 years' seniority, so in that sense, she would be like the cheaper, younger teachers straight out of college.
OP, to address the age issue, which seems to be part of your question, if I understood correctly:
New Mexico is training and hiring women over 50 who need to get back into the job market after an absence for whatever reason, to put them into the classrooms. There's a dire teacher shortage here; not sure of the situation in TX. But there's a special program between AARP and the local community college in Santa Fe to train women 50+ as teachers or accountants (another high-demand field here). It means that NM, at least, thinks yours is a great idea. And FYI, AARP has funding available for people who can't afford the program; you could see if there's a similar program in or near your future TX locale. There's only 1 in NM, so they seem selective as to location.
YMMV, but I just thought I'd put in my 2 cents. And if public schools seem potentially problematic, due to the teaching-to-the-test thing, or other concerns, you can always try private schools. Those can be very rewarding, as long as you're not looking for higher pay, which you are not. That gives you more options.
Go for it... But go in with your eyes open. We get lots of people who make the career change and aren't ready for the education world. If you aren't used to crippling bureaucracy, political atmosphere, heartbreaking situations, and difficult behavior you're gonna have a hard time.
I personally did the reverse...career changed out of it. I loved instructing and working with students, but wasn't happy with the direction things were taking.
Happy Thanksgiving! I thought I would pop on the boards this morning, and it feels great to be able to get encouraging, yet honest feedback. Your comments - both good and bad are so helpful to me.
Career change is hard because on one hand the options are wide open, on the other hand , it is like starting over without time on your side. I remind myself to feel the fear but do it anyway - change can be rewarding. I hope you all have a well deserved STRESS FREE day if possible -
Thanks again.
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And FYI, AARP has funding available for people who can't afford the program; you could see if there's a similar program in or near your future TX locale. There's only 1 in NM, so they seem selective as to location.
