Anyone teach high school?

[Mercury]

If so,
1) what do you teach?
2) pros of teaching high school
3) cons of teaching
4) was it easy to find a job?

I'm considering this option in either math (undergrad minor) or physics (undergrad major)... I'm currently a graduate student that is fed up with being a student. I'm thinking about dropping graduate school and getting an education degree to teaching high school for awhile. By February I'll be married so i'll qualify for more grants to work on that degree... anyway... any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Gem's Mom]

Not me but my dad does. He's a physics major and teaches math and science. First he taught at a crap hole school with inner city type kids. Now he teaches at juvenile detention. He said the kids at juvie are more motivated to learn since it's go to class or stare at a wall.

[mtnmollie]

[QUOTE=Mercury;61809]If so,
1) what do you teach?
history

2) pros of teaching high school
building America's youth-

3) cons of teaching

disapline- drugs in kids- attitude-

4) was it easy to find a job?
substitute first where ever you go -

in a small town k- 12 or k-9 is better.

WE had one high school history teacher in my small town-

it was not me.

[WestmanFarrier'sWife]

I teach high school Spanish. I enjoy it for the most part. I'm a nice person, so the discipline part of teaching is hard for me, plus it's only my 2nd year teaching so I'm still sorting out the best strategies for me. Also the attitudes of some kids - they just don't want to do anything and are failing all of their classes. I really love making an impact on my student's lives. I love it when I see the light bulb turn on and everything finally makes sense to them - there's no other feeling like it. Also, I love it when students come to me with their problems and we can sort them out together. It makes me feel really good that I am helping them. For me it was pretty easy to find a job, but it was good timing and luck. There were no positions in my area, but 1/2 a year later a Spanish teacher decided to retire and I interviewed and got the job and they rehired me for this year. Definitely sub for awhile before you start - it looks good when applying and it gives you great experience. Looking back, I wish I could have subbed for more than just a couple of months before starting. I went in with very little experience and was/still am a bit overwhelmed.

[TLC97]

Well I am not a teacher, just an assitant and I worked in the local h.s. before I was transferred to the jr. high.

If so,
1) what do you teach?
Alternative program (Math & English) and assist in Science.
2) pros of teaching high school
The students are more mature and responsible. Plus if they screw up bad enough they are gone for good. At the Jr. High level it is harder to boot the real turds.
3) cons of teaching
DRUGS!!!!!!!, poor attitude, "I am entitled" attitude and parents who think their little angel can do NOTHING wrong
4) was it easy to find a job?
Most schools are cutting positions, but if you had a certification in Math & Science you would be a find for any school dept.

Sub. in places first to see what schools are like, what kids are like and what age group you want to work with the most.

[Mercury]

Thanks everyone for the input! I'm going to talk to the education councilor in the next little while to see what I need to do to get certified to teach. I looked at subing and if I only work 3 days a week I would be making more that what I am now :eek:... that was my biggest concern was not being able to make ends meet.

[clpUPMICH]

Mercury,

I'm a PhD student in engineering (hopefully done this summer), and I substitute teach for extra cash locally. I average about 2 days a week through the month, sometimes 1x a week, sometimes 3x. I too am fed up with school but I'm too close to quit, and thought about taking education credits to teach high school (my mom's a teacher too).

Having been in your mind-set, I would suggest substitute teaching first before you make any decisions. I thought I wanted to teach, but then realized while I really like the kids, after 3 days of the same ones, I'm tired of them and do not want to be at teacher - I like being a sub :) I think it's important to sub, because for me, I realized I like the younger age college students quite a bit and while I don't want tenure-track faculty anymore, I also don't want high school, so I'm looking for an environmental outreach with k-12 students or entering college kids.

Just my $0.02! I kn ow in my area they tend to prefer local kids when they hire new teachers, so I would have a hard time staying here as I want to. At least with the PhD I have the option to teach community college or university if I want to later in life. And I have a stipend now - when you student teach, nobody pays you :doh:

Crystal

[Mercury]

Unfortunately in order to sub around here you have to have a teaching certificate so if I decide to sub I have to go all the way with it and quit graduate school to get accepted into the teaching program. I should qualify for plenty of grants since I'll be married by the time I'm applying and am over 25. I can get out with a masters in Electrical Engineering but I'm not really fond of EE... in fact all the classes Ive taken I've despised! But I guess it would still be a masters...

[Vibe]

:eek: Goodluck!

[alittleoffkey]

I just switched my major from psychology to teaching highschool english. I also just took the substitute certification class (a great 3-hour waste of time :rolleyes:) and in January I'm going to start subbing Monday, Wednesday and Friday whenever I can, as I just have classes Tuesdays and Thursdays. :)

Double check that teaching certificate thing... I had to be certified to be a substitute which is literally a three hour class in which they tell you not to look at porn on the schools computers and not to curse at the students. Common sense stuff, really. :) Then you're certified to be a substitute teacher and can start working as soon as the school board goes over your files and hires you.

[clpUPMICH]

Hmm, weird. In Michigan you only have to have a junior's worth of credits to be able to sub ... however much that is (I lost track a long time ago). No teaching certificate required. I do have to pay $40 for a license through the State of MI though - and fill out a background check through the FBI and be fingerprinted, and then put on the list to call. I have a good school that calls me frequently though, and I can usually sit and do my own grad work while I sub.

In Michigan at least, if you get your teaching degree after a certain year, you have to take continuing ed classes and get a Master's in Teaching, so you won't be done with school anyways! And those are pay on your own usually ... I would check and see if your Master's in Engg. would count towards any of that. It's best to double-bill if you can! :)

[Mercury]

Yeah... I'll talk with the ed councilor here at school and find out what I need to do. If I can start subing right away that would be awesome! I would just need to find a job for the summers...