At 55, I 'm thinking about becoming a teacher

[bamademo]

I'm not going to be able to retire I unless I remarry someone well-off. At my age, I'm a senior in college about to have a BS in Technical Management, which is a business degree. However, I'm in IT and I'm getting too old for it, I think. My job will end on March 31 (temp contract work) and the market has even dried up here in Huntsville-suck-off-the-government-tit, Alabama. I think I could work until about 70 or 75 teaching. Are there any grants available to do this? I was laid off at the end of August right before the crash, so I was lucky to get another job. Unfortunately, the company I'm working for lost the contract and another contractor takes over in 2 months. I've had no luck trying to get on with the new contractor. The only thing I can think of that is recession proof is teaching.

Thoughts?

[spanone]

1. that's great

i'm 57 and thinking about a 'change' too.

[Taverner]

2. A better idea than becoming a Professional Wrestler

Seriously - sounds like a great idea

[spanone]

18. or thinking of a pro football career

[Taverner]

22. Or a Teenage Pop Star

[Raven]

3. Go for it! At 62 I became a Town Planner and it has been great fun!

[bamademo]

24. Now, I would like that.

How did you do it? Did you go back to school?

[NC_Nurse]

4. I've considered that too. I'm tired of nursing and it's too hard on an older

body like mine. I've been thinking about going back to school and teaching. Besides, I like most kids better than most adults. ;)

[MajorChode]

5. I would say it beats digging ditches, but

ditch diggers these days get to run air conditioned backhoes and that sounds like it might be kinda fun.

[floridablue]

6. I think Florida has a program

that allows you to teach while you get your credentials. Of course no one here wants to hear any of that Roll Tice crap. You would have to learn the chomp.

[bamademo]

17. I hate that damn chomp!

Roll Tide but congrats on becoming SEC Champs this year. Wait till 2010!

[democrat in Tallahassee]

26. Not chomps in tallahassee, only chops.

There ARE other parts of the state outside of Gainesville, you know.

[mike_c]

7. schools are funded by public dollars and it's going to get tight....

I don't know about other states, but here in California teachers are so far protected by a state constitutional mandate to fund public education. I don't know how that works for local school districts but it is certainly the reason I'm not on furlough right now in the California State University. But the pressure is building enormously-- it's hard to believe that education is really "recession proof." When it gets REALLY tough, I won't be at all surprised to see people clamoring to roll back the "luxury" of an education for their children.

[leftofthedial]

8. at 52, I did that.

but now I need more school if I want it to actually support me.

No way I can afford school.

[dembotoz]

9. check market BEFORE you go into it

up here teachers are getting layed off as budgets shrink and the local school are still turning out
more teachers than you can imagine.

hate for you to trade one dead market for another.

also age discrimination is alive and well in the schools.

don't want to discourage, but if you jump make sure both eyes are open

[elizfeelinggreat]

10. Want to move to Texas?

we could use some more Democrats here!

http://www.tcta.org/misc/wanttoteach.htm

Four Texas agencies have collaborated to create a new Web site to recruit people to enter the teaching profession. The site, located at http://www.twc.state.tx.us/careers/teaching.html, is hosted by the Texas Workforce Commission, which has worked with the State Board for Educator Certification, the Texas Education Agency and the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to identify, develop and implement programs to recruit and retain teachers. The site includes sections for employers looking for teachers, those already certified or considering entering the profession, and helpful resources.

[Mz Pip]

11. There may be some grants

Check into Teach for America. Also, you could check your State Dept of Education website about what you need to do.

You might want to do some volunteer work in a local school to see being in a classroom is how you envision it. I taught school for a few years, before I went into school counseling. I started out as a volunteer, then did some substitute teaching to get a sense of what grade level I would like. Here in CA there are different credentials required for elementary and high school teachers so I wanted to be sure which I more comfortable with.

Good luck. I'm retired now and other than the bureaucratic nightmare that is public education, I really enjoyed working with students. My son teaches a k - 1 loop and loves it. I'm glad he has a job that won't be outsourced.

[Whoa_Nelly]

12. Too old for IT?

Then, teaching will destroy you.

Thanks to NCLB, the hoops to jump through are costly and time-consuming, not to mention the hours of prep, teaching, attending other "necessary" school meetings, functions, and other "learning experiences" so you can continue to be a teacher. Being a teacher is costly, and can be wearisome. While the intrinsic rewards of being the facilitator for studnets to make academic, social and physical gains is always good, the salary is not even close to the hours you would put in on a weekly basis, the personal money you wound have to spend to meet the needs of your classroom and students because money being tight in education is an understatement, as well as making the grade per your district per your school in order to gain state and/or federal funds.

Am a teacher.
Am burned out.
Am 55 in April.

Use your business degree to your greatest advantage however you can.

Check out the US News & World Report on best jobs in 2009.
http://www.usnews.com/sections/business/best-careers/

Good Luck! :hi:

[Mike 03]

13. That sounds wonderful

I'm also at a very confusing crossroads in my life, so I understand.

I am guessing that teaching won't make you rich, but it could make you very happy.

We desperately need teachers.

Do you like teaching? Does it make you happy?

What age group would you like to teach, or to be even more specific, what grade?

[bamademo]

20. I would like to teach history at JHS or HS level

I grew up in Alabama during the Civil Rights struggle so I've seen things first hand. I think I could inspire and inform.

[Mike 03]

25. You sound like an awesome human being.

It sounds like you have a lot to give and offer.

If you have any advice about how to change course mid-stream, please give it.

I'm stuck too.

[bamademo]

28. I don't have any advise except to always keep learning new things.

Drink coffee, red wine, water and exercise a lot. Never quit learning. Otherwise, you'll become old, bitter and Uncle Arthur will be your constant visitor.

[southernyankeebelle]

14. Not true

Some states have started to cut back on teachers. That is why Obama is trying to get this bill pass to go to the states so the states can hold on to teachers, cops, fireman. I would suggest before you go into teaching think about subsitute teach first. You don't need a degree. My husband worked full time and a couple a times a week subbed at different schools. He said he would never be a teacher. At 55 yrs of age I'd think twice unless you teach the younger grades.

[karynnj]

15. Check with your state's website to see if there is an alternative path

to being certified. There may be an easier, shorter way than getting an education degree. (NJ has (or at least had at one point - I know people who considered it about 10 years ago) an easy way for people with careers in math or science to become teachers.

[SheilaT]

16. Teach what, is the first question that comes to my mind.

Teaching is semi-recession proof. Right now, the way things are going a lot of school districts are going to increase classroom size, which means fewer teachers.

I'm not a teacher, although I have any number of friends and acquaintances who are. About twenty-five years ago I noticed that some large percentage of the population is former teachers, or ones who went through the whole getting a degree in education and then realized during the student teaching part of it that it wasn't quite the right career choice.

You do want to find out exactly what the requirements are to get your teaching degree/certificate for your area. Some cities which are in desperate need of teachers have all sorts of programs to get you certified rather quickly and into the classroom. Often those are districts with many, many problems, and very difficult students to teach. But an older guy in the classroom can be exactly what's needed for teens with no good adult male role models.

Talk to teachers. Call the local teachers' union and see what they say. Call the office of the superintendent of schools for a district you might teach in.

Good luck. I don't think I could teach, and I am in awe of those who do.

[NYC_SKP]

19. I don't know about Alabama, but here in California...

We have "district internship" programs which allow you to work for full teacher pay and benefits while completing your coursework over a little more than two years, two nights a week.

The cost was negligible compared to any university approach.

Good luck!

[kstewart33]

21. Hey, I grew up in Huntsville.

I'm sorry to hear things are bad there.

I was a college prof for many years before retiring early. I'm 56. Before you go into teaching, be sure that it's a job that you want to do. Teaching is hard work. I think I had it much easier than public school teachers and I made a good bit more money (taught grad and undergrad business management).

Burnout among elementary and secondary ed teachers is a reality. Don't go into it unless you like kids and you think you'll enjoy teaching.

[YvonneCa]

23. There's a lot of good advice in this thread...and some delusional thinking...

...too.

Best advice: Go into it with your eyes wide open...do some research.

Delusional thinking: That it'll be easy and fun and that it is recession proof.

Teaching is the hardest job you'll ever love...if you love kids. But if you are thinking it's a great 'slow down as I get to retirement age' job...it's not for you. JMHO. And districts ARE pushing out the older teachers as we speak...it saves them money.

Good luck!! :)

[Myrina]

27. Good for you!!

I'm 42 and just gave 30 days' notice on my job as an IT Project Manager.
Tired of wiping grown men's noses and begging them to just do the fucking jobs they were hired to do.

Got accepted into a Master's Degree program, classes start with the summer semester in May, and I think
I want to start my own business when I'm done, so I can hire people I trust and don't have to clean up after.

So GOOD FOR YOU, for also breaking the mold and trying something new!! :applause:

[many a good man]

29. Teaching sucks. Go into health care.

I got a Masters in teaching and taught around 5 years. Hated it. Liked teaching. Hated the police work, parents, and administrators. Got into what was then a hot field - more openings than people to fill them. You should do the same. Back then it was IT. Now its health care. Search for the best paying job with the highest demand that requires the least amount of training and is easiest to get into. Some of those jobs sound pretty decent.

[mahina]

30. I know a couple that taught on US bases all over the world, and had a blast.

They lived in Japan, Italy, Germany, Korea, Turkey, all over the place. The wife died recently, and people came to her funeral from literally all over the world to remember her and pay respects. Of course it might not have hurt that they came to Hawaii. She was a really special person- they both welcomed being in new cultures and made friends quickly. I'd likely not be so loved, I'm no fun compared to her. :) I loved her too. She was my son's friend's grandma.

They loved the life. I'm even thinking about it. http://www.dodea.edu/home/index.cfm