Tough decision- career change.

[Winter]

Hi All,
I have been an accountant for about 6 years now. I am a CPA. I worked in public acct for 3 and now in private for 3. So far I have not found it fulfilling. I am struggling with a decision to go for more schooling. Here are my two avenues. (by the way I am 31 and plan to have kids in the next few years).

1)Go to night school for an MBA degree. The reason I would do this is to teach accounting at a college. Those jobs are few and far between. I may spend lots of money and time and not have a job come up where I live. No plans to move now. This would mean driving to another town an hour away for 2 days a week, group projects, and I am sure papers which I hate.

2)Elementary Ed - I can get and on-line degree that will take 3 years from a vary accredible school here in MN. This would not be building on my current career. My heart is in teaching and I would love to teach accounting at the community college or elementary here.

The college only has one instructor and she is 34-36 and I anticipate she will be here quite awhile. I am really torn on this. There are so many professions that look great to me so it was really tough to narrow it to two.

Teachers out there can you give me the good and the bad about teaching. I know the pay is not the best but OK for 9 months. I am also worried about getting bored teaching the same classes year after year.

Thanks,
Winter

 

[jaypea]

Hi Winter! Your worries are not uncommon! I am 28, and at times, wonder what it would be like if I did this or that...
I am an elementary teacher (with a dual degree in el. ed/early childhood). I currently teach 1st grade and am also close to finishing my M.S.Ed. in Spec. Ed. Even though, at times, I have some rough days, the good days far outweigh the bad! I love my job as it is one of the hardest, yet at the same time, the most rewarding job there is out there!

I encourage you to take your time in making this decision. See if you can visit a nearby elem. school and spend some time in various classrooms to see if it is something you are truly interested in. Also, I recommend that you also ask the local college prof. if you can sit in on some of her classes and talk to her about what she likes/doesn't like about her job. It will be well worth your time.

I am currently completing a required practicum for my grad. program in a preschool for children who have autism, and I am so grateful that I got this placement. I have been considering making a switch to spec. ed., and this is opening my eyes to what is out there and how various programs are run.

I wish you luck in your decision. And, please keep us posted!
-Jen

 

[jenniferoc]

Hi Winter,

it sounds like a tough dilemna.I don't know anything about teaching at the college level. I can say that I LOVE teaching at the elementary and middle school level. It is NEVER boring. Each year you have a whole new set of personalities walking in the door and a whole new set of group dynamics. I started as a special education teacher 17 years ago and I will never regret my decision to become a teacher. My undergraduate degree was in elementary and special education. When I graduated from college,beleive it or not, I did not go into teaching because I was offered a full time position at my then part time college job for a lot more money than a teacher makes.It turned out that I hated that job and quit after a couple of years . When i made the decision to finally go into teaching, I knew in an instant that is where I belonged. Now for the pros and cons-Teaching can be VERY rewarding. If you're a people person, if you can deal well with different types of personalities, if you enjoy the interaction it's terrific. The schedule is conducive to raising a family and continuing to work without feeling like your job is obliterating time with your own children. Sometimes the perceptions of teachers that I encounter upset me-"they have it easy, they only work part time, they have short hours etc., . I find that those comments really irk me, especially because I take my responsibility to my students very seriously. Unfortunately it is not a position that is held in very high regard in some circles.While the schedule is very good- teaching is very hard work.(so you really need to love it!)The hours spent in the classroom teaching are probably 2/3 of your daily work. Be prepared to be putting a lot of extra time. The initial salary is not great, but I can say with extra course work and experience it does get a lot better. Another plus for me was having the ability to leave the work force and return without taking a big hit in terms of salary. I left to raise my babies for 5 years and returned and was still on the salary track in a similar position to where i would have been had I stayed. I have relocated for my husband's job and been able to fing employment in different states. It is good in that you are not tied to a particular part of the country specific to a given industry.This gives you a lot of flexiblity. One thing to consider though ,is your state's spending on education for both higher education and elementary. I know many states are faced with large budget deficits and the colleges and elementary schools have had massive layfoffs.;( I am in California and would have lost my job this year if not for my special ed credential. Sorry for being so looooong winded. If teaching is really in your heart you will LOVE it. If you think teaching is a good idea because you like a lot of vacation time, maybe it's not for you. You have to look inside and honestly define what it is you're looking for and why teaching is appealing to you.Good luck!!!!

 

[wutherhi]

I teach full-time at the elementary level and part-time at the college level. I love them both! It might be tough, time-consuming, and frustrating at times, but it is never, ever, EVER boring! Even when I taught middle school English, 5 classes of essentially the same thing, it wasn't boring. I love every single second!

Shari

 

[Gayle]

Hi Winter,

Have you looked into adjunct teaching at the college level? The reason I mention it is that adjuncting (probably not a word) might not require that you have a degree, and it could give you a taste for teaching at the college level to you find out if you like it or not. I believe the contracts for part-timers is generally only for a semester at a time (probably depends on the institution), so you wouldn't be tied into a long term commitment if you decided you didn't like it. Also, this could help you network and give you a little bit on an "in" at a school if you decided you liked it and wanted to pursue something more permanent.

I work at a college and have taught some intro computer courses as an adjunct, though I don't have an MBA. Adult learners can be really fun. Good luck with your career exploration.

**Edited for really bad grammar

 

[hopefull]

Hi Winter,
I was wondering if you have looked into alternative certification. States with teacher shortages are offering this route now. I teach in Arkansas. You have to have at least a bachlors degree, and then you have to take 3 seperate tests call the Praxis 1,2, and 3. There is a bit more involved than this, but I know it is quicker than three years, and I know Arkansas isn't the only state resorting to this. Just go to your state's Dept of Education. You should be able to find out something there.

I teach in Middle School,6th grade math, and I love it. It is truly a myth that teachers have the summer off, but we do get some good breaks thoughout the year that allow us to catch our breath and go at it again. They are very necessary to keep up the pace. It is intense, but I love the kids and can't see myself doing anything else.

God Bless as you make this big decision!