Considering going back to full-time teaching

[Anonymous]

I paid an algebra tutor $75 for one hour the other day, cash. Can you tutor? SAT prep?

[Anonymous]

Id make my kid go to an instate college over going back to teaching. As a new teacher you also arent making the 80-100k salaries some teachers have and it is NOT worth the abuse. If you thought things were bad in 2008, don't even try 2023. Children and parents are entitled and abusive. I would rather work full time at target or Starbucks or do another $20/hr job admin somewhere than step foot in a classroom. Schools are TOXIC and there is no way to emotionally detach from the environment and turn off effectively.

[Anonymous]

Current DCPS teacher here. The new pay increase seemed great, but morale is really low. After seeing how much my friends and family make in other fields - I still think the pay is low, especially because I know I have transferable skills that could get me a better paying job elsewhere. However, there are benefits: summers off, Thanksgiving break, Winter break, Spring break, federal holidays. Basically, all my pros are the days we don't have to go to work.

If you're someone who doesn't have to work, then really think about if you want to choose a job where you're going to spend most of your time thinking about an upcoming day off. Like any job, there are positives and negatives. I'm starting to feel the scale tip towards the negatives, especially when I see job postings for more money than I currently earn. If you do decide to go back, set clear boundaries for yourself (e.g. only work during contract hours, don't take on more responsibilities, email parents as first form of communication, etc.). The negatives include: increase workload for everyone due to the shortage, more admin roles that center around observing rather than helping or guiding, increase class sizes, decrease support staff, increase in meetings (currently have grade-level alc, content leap, sped meetings, content observation debrief, and sped observation debrief every week), decrease in planning time, increase in workload/expectations, and decrease in positive student interactions (due to behavior and lack of discipline in schools). To survive you just have to do what you can and ignore the rest.

Now, you seem to be motivated by pay. Next year I will be earning 107k with an opportunity for a 10k bonus. I'm staying for the pay and retirement benefits until at least SY24-25 so that I can vest but also so that I can watch my freshman class graduate. I love some of my students (and even the difficult ones will usually have moments that pull at my heart strings), I love my summers off, I like most of my colleagues. When everything goes great, teaching can be a lot of fun.

I still don't think the pay is worth it unless you really really really love it. Figure out what your transferable skills are and find a cushy WFH job. If you taught for several years and have a masters, you are qualified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Parents are the worst. I don’t blame you for worrying about that.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Id make my kid go to an instate college over going back to teaching. As a new teacher you also arent making the 80-100k salaries some teachers have and it is NOT worth the abuse. If you thought things were bad in 2008, don't even try 2023. Children and parents are entitled and abusive. I would rather work full time at target or Starbucks or do another $20/hr job admin somewhere than step foot in a classroom. Schools are TOXIC and there is no way to emotionally detach from the environment and turn off effectively.

Chiming in to agree with this poster. You don’t really get time off. If I’m home, I’m still working or thinking about work. I know it’s not just me. I’ve already heard from 3 coworkers today about things they are doing this afternoon to prep for next week OR things from last week that are still plaguing them.

[Anonymous]

Jump in. People are returning to teaching in droves.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Jump in. People are returning to teaching in droves.

LOL.

[Anonymous]

I was a teacher in MCPS before having my first child. Everything you didn't like about the job has gotten exponentially worse in the last 15 years.

While kids were little I taught private preschool. Very low pay but great schedule. Once both kids were done with elementary I wanted the full-time pay and benefits but could not bring myself to go back to public school teaching.

I did some research into local government opportunities (read employment contracts closely and looked into fiscal health of each jurisdiction). Got an entry level job for a county government, then moved to a higher position.

Pay was not good--I started at $29k, less than I made right out of college in the 90s!! But less than 4 years later I'm at $60k and should be able to advance again. I'll take it.

I work 9 to 5 and when I walk out the door I don't take my work with me. State benefits, health insurance paid for post-retirement, small pension. Zero worries about getting laid off in my 50s. So it has some of the benefits of teaching (only I have to work in summer) and none of the stressors.

I would recommend looking into whether you can find something else in the public sector.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was a teacher in MCPS before having my first child. Everything you didn't like about the job has gotten exponentially worse in the last 15 years.

While kids were little I taught private preschool. Very low pay but great schedule. Once both kids were done with elementary I wanted the full-time pay and benefits but could not bring myself to go back to public school teaching.

I did some research into local government opportunities (read employment contracts closely and looked into fiscal health of each jurisdiction). Got an entry level job for a county government, then moved to a higher position.

Pay was not good--I started at $29k, less than I made right out of college in the 90s!! But less than 4 years later I'm at $60k and should be able to advance again. I'll take it.

I work 9 to 5 and when I walk out the door I don't take my work with me. State benefits, health insurance paid for post-retirement, small pension. Zero worries about getting laid off in my 50s. So it has some of the benefits of teaching (only I have to work in summer) and none of the stressors.

I would recommend looking into whether you can find something else in the public sector.

That health insurance piece is nice and something most won’t get teaching.