I am 15 years old and I want to do so many things in life but now I'm thinking, maybe I should be a teacher?

I love kids a lot, and working with them but here's the thing.

I want to have a job , that I will enjoy.

My questions are:

How many years of college do you need to become a teacher?
What does it take to become one?
Is it easy to become one?
Is it it a stressful job? Why?
Would you have time to have a teaching job and spend time with the family?
Is the pay good? (Good enough to manage a house, family, shopping, bills etc. )
What is the best grade to teach?

Ty!

It generally takes four years of college to gain teacher certification, for a Bachelor's degree. If you want to pursue a Master's Degree, then figure on at least two more years of study.

What does it take to become a teacher? Patience, creativity, willingness to try things in other ways, love, understanding, a desire to give your talents even at the times when the bottom seems pretty high up from where you are.

Is it easy to become one? No, I do not think so. Your coursework will be tough and you will be expected to succeed. Getting to the student teaching part is almost the easiest! Lol.

Is it stressful? Yes. Why? You cannot just teach anymore. You have so many elements to consider. There is your local school principal, the school board, the administrative side of the education department, etc. A great deal of pressure at times. That is not counting what you will encounter in the classroom. You will have children across all strata and they bring home to school. You will to be able to identify children having difficulties with classroom subjects, other students, and just having problems accepting themselves. You will run into bullies, manipulators, children who are painfully shy, etc. Plus you get their parents, who either ignore problems or are a big part of the problem. It is easy to say that you leave your job at work, but it does not happen that way all the time.

Would you have time for teaching and family? Yes. A matter of balance and prioritizing commitments and time management.

Is the pay good? Depends on where you teach andif your are specialized (such as special education). Other factors figure in there too. I will honestly tell you there are many teachers I know who teach full time and moonlight on a second job. Just to make the ends meet.

The best grade to teach? I cannot tell you. Each person has their own favorite for their own personal reasons. I personally loved preschool.

You never asked if all the sacrifice is worth the job? For some it is, or else they would be working at a higher paying job. God bless anyone who decides to become an educator. Triple bless anyone who is an educator and does it because of love for their students.

Thanks so much for your answers.

That's what I am afraid of. I dotn want to pay so much money and then realize "Hey i dont enjoy this" but then again.. IT seems fun.

I wanted to be a teacher until I took my first Education class in college. I knew then that teaching was one of those things that I could never do.

It gave me great respect for anyone who DOES teach though. Teachers are truly some of the best people in the world.

I suggest you take your gen. eds. When you get to college, and TRY an education course. You have a little time yet before you HAVE to decide.

Why was it something you just couldn't do?

Syn has a great idea about taking your general education classes - the required core curriculum in the college. Which you can do at a state college and save a good deal of money versus the private college route. An idea for you would be to do some volunteer mentoring of children and see if you enjoy that.

I actually have a 4 yr ed degree and I am not really using it in the formal sense. The reason, because with no child left behind it made it harder for new teachers to get into the school system in my area. If you are really willing to relocate to high need areas (inner cities, reservations, etc.) then you are pretty much guaranteed a job. However, where I live that isn't so much the case unless you want to work on a reservation or commute 50 miles to a tiny town to get paid $23,000 a year.

I am using my degree in the private sector. I am a learning and development specialist for a corporation. I get to use my degree in some aspects... but not in others. You can do a lot with an ed degree besides work in the school system.

I think I'm going to go visit my old school, and talk to my odl teachers, see how it is, just to get a better idea.
Thanks you guys :) Helped mesoo much!

I just don't want to end up to be a forty five your old man who sits in his moms basement collecting comic books.

And I'm not a man,

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Originally Posted by star3114

I actually have a 4 yr ed degree and I am not really using it in the formal sense. The reason, because with no child left behind it made it harder for new teachers to get into the school system in my area. If you are really willing to relocate to high need areas (inner cities, reservations, etc.) then you are pretty much guarenteed a job. However, where I live that isn't so much the case unless you want to work on a reservation or commute 50 miles to a tiny town to get paid $23,000 a year.

I am using my degree in the private sector. I am a learning and development specialist for a corporation. I get to use my degree in some aspects....but not in others. You can do a lot with an ed degree besides work in the school system.

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:/ Traveling isn't na issue I hope. Bahhhhh I lvie in staten island (clsoe to NYC by an 40 mins).
I mean population will icnrease so who knows until I get older haha

One thing about teaching on a reservation or at a Head Start or in a place where it is identified to be high needs or high risk, is that your student loans are elegible for forgiveness.

Well... This all has been a landmine of info.
I have 2/3 more years to think about this.

Thanks guys once again

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How many years of college do you need to become a teacher?

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At least 4, maybe 6

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What does it take to become one?

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Do you mean what does it take to become one or be one? To become one takes the same as with any other profession ; a dedication to your studies and a wilingness to complete the educational requirements. To be one requires tons of dedication, belief in yoruself and others and the ability and willingness to work with other people, including very difficult ones.

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Is it easy to become one?

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Again, let's distinguish between "become" and "be." Becoming one is very easy, especially in technical fields such as math and science where demand is always high. To be one, on the other hand, is much more difficult. I found being an education student much easier than being a teacher.

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Is it it a stressful job? Why?

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It's very stressful. You have to deal with other people all the tiime ; students, colleagues and administrators. Some people can be very difficult to deal with and it can take its toll, that's for sure.

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Would you have time to have a teaching job and spend time with the family?

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The first couple of years generally demand much of your personal outside time. After that you eventually get into a groove and then it's not so bad.

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Is the pay good? (Good enough to manage a house, family, shopping, bills etc. )

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In my area, the starting pay is relatively good ; better than a lot of other entry-level jobs requiring comparable education and training. But the potential for advancement isn't nearly as great as it would be in other fields. When I compare what I earn now, after 19 years, to what I started making, it almost seems like a waste of 19 years, inasmuch that, in any other field, with comparable training and experience, I'd be making 2, maybe 3 times what I'd have started with fresh out of school. If you're going to raise a family, be prepared to live modestly. If you're single, then you'll make do allright.

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What is the best grade to teach?

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Everyone has their own personal preferences. FOr me, the older the better!
Incidentally, these are very wise and pertinent questions you've asked.

Ahhhh thank you.

This is such a pain I nth e bung hole.
I want to get married, have a famiily, have a nice life with a great job but I'm so confused! I don't know what I want!
Teaching seems fun but I want time for family too.

What s_cianci said about not much chance for advancement sounds about right. I have heard many other teachers say that. The advancement lies in advanced degrees - if that will even apply to your field. Getting the Masters degree is a major career plus but does not always get you ahead. Of course, that depends on where you live, the school district, etc. My youngest son's teacher has her Masters in Sp Ed and had a hard time getting the job, because of all the Sp Ed teachers with the Bachelors degree. Some teachers go into administration and that takes some extra schooling but if that is the goal, there is more money in that. Also a great deal of headaches.

I don't meant to scare you off teaching. Just being realistic. What would the world do without teachers? And yet a football player is paid 10 times over and above. Does not make sense.

Ill become a football player! :p

Ah. Well I live in NYC, there's bound to be open jobs?
I mean 5 boroughs, countless nubmer os schools.
Gah I don't know it scares me.

I don't even know if I'm going to love teaching. Ever job I mention everyone tells me "ohhh thats stupid, too many people work that job already good luck"

>.<

How did you guys know what you wanted to be?

I always wanted to be a teacher and that is why I pursued the teaching degree. I am not teaching in the school system, I am a learning specialist for a big company. Quite frankly, the hours and pay are much better with the company I'm at. I still use my degree everyday, just not in the capacity I had originally intended. I would suggest trying job shadowing programs. Most high schools have agreements with local business where high school students can come in and job shadow. Your counselor at school should be able to give you more information on it. Also, when I was in high school... they did an ASVAB test that the military people did. Everyone took it and it allowed you to see what job fields you would be good at based on your interests and skills. Very insightful test.

I am going to see if my school has hose thingys.

Nope. Don't do it.