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Career Rating and Comparison
| Category | This Career | All Rated Careers |
|---|---|---|
| Career Satisfaction |    | |
Degrees and Schools
A bachelor's degree from a college or university is required for secondary school teachers. They may seek a degree in education, or, if they have a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field, they can attend a one-year professional development program to qualify for licensure. Two governing bodies, the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Teacher Education Accreditation Council, award accreditation to schools with educational programs.
Classes
Required coursework for secondary school education students usually begins during the sophomore year, since most schools require that they wait to apply to the education program until then. Areas of study include psychology of learning, teaching methods, philosophy of education, and the use of computers and other learning technologies. Participation in a student-teaching internship, as well as additional courses in areas of specialization such as math, English, the physical and social sciences, music and / or art are expected.
Online Classes and Programs
Online secondary education degree programs are available, and at least one school with an online program is accredited by TEAC. Although online schools can offer flexibility and convenience, they may be less likely to offer student-teaching internships or job placement upon graduation.
Employment Requirements
In order to qualify for a teaching license, states require that applicants for the test have a bachelor's degree. A degree in education, or a bachelor's degree in an unrelated field combined with completion of a one-year professional development program, from an NCATE or TEAC accredited school, is recommended. Secondary school teachers who wish to work for private schools do not need a license but must have a four-year degree in education.
State boards of education or licensure advisory committees usually grant licenses for teachers of grades 7-12. Requirements vary by state, but generally include a completion of a bachelor's degree, approved teacher training program and student-teaching internship. A minimum grade point average and training in educational technologies may also be required, and licensed teachers may be expected to obtain a master's degree at some point in their career.
How to Evaluate Schools
Consider asking these questions when comparing secondary education programs:
- Class size and courses - What is the student-teacher ratio for popular classes? Is the list of course offerings comprehensive?
- Tuition and financial assistance - What loans, work study programs and scholarships are available?
- Reputation - Has the program been accredited by TEAC or NCATE? If an online program, have direct-learning organizations granted accreditation? Is the school and its education program ranked nationally?
- Location - What are the state requirements for getting a teaching license? How well does the state fund education programs and provide opportunities for teachers?
- Student-teaching internships and job placement - Does the school have a well-organized and successful student-teaching internship program? A successful job placement program for graduates?
Secondary School Teacher Job Description
As students move from middle school to secondary school (also known as high school), their horizons are expanding in all directions. High school offers more choices in classes, and coursework delves deeper into areas of interest such as math, science, history, English, art, music, drama, language, social sciences and sports. Teachers of students in grades 7-12 act as coaches, facilitators, key authority figures and role models. They influence the goals, aspirations and confidence level of students who are starting to focus on their future.
There are national and state standards that all secondary teachers are required to follow. Their responsibilities include:
- Specializing in particular areas of emphasis, although they may be asked to fill roles in which they have not specialized
- Presenting established curricula as selected by the school
- Creating lesson plans, coordinating club activities, inviting guest speakers and planning field trips
- Preparing students for and conducting national and state tests and assessments, including pre-college tests
- Using computers, art, music, movies and video, experiments, books and goal-setting to motivate students to learn
- Monitoring behavior; instilling discipline and productivity
- Selecting required instructional materials and resources
- Administering and grading homework and tests
- Coaching individual students and groups; organizing and overseeing group projects
- Addressing current issues in the news, and happenings in the world and local community
- Encouraging understanding of racial and cultural diversity, and social mores
- Exposing students to potential careers and encouraging them to explore career options
Secondary school teachers usually rotate classes, working with quite a few more students in a given school year than do elementary or middle school teachers. Classes are usually quite a bit larger in public schools than in private schools. During the two-month summer break, secondary school teachers plan for the next school year and take courses to continue their education.
Career Profiles
To help career searchers evaluate their options, BrainTrack has asked hundreds of workers to profile their jobs with a review and ratings. See below for a summary of this career compared to all rated careers and for detailed reviews.
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| Opportunity for Promotion | | |
| Career Flexibility | | |
| How Cool Is The Career | | |
| How Stressful | | |
| Social Orientation | | |
| Earnings Potential | | |
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Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
Job Title: Math Department Chair
Attended: Southern Connecticut State University • New Haven, CT
Studied Mathematics (completion in 2002)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"I work in a great school. I get to talk about math all day!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The mathematics department is excellent. The education department is not as good. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | The school is small. I'm already the department chair. There's nowhere else to go. |
| Job Security | 8 | The school is not unionized. Contracts are year to year, but in ten years, only one teacher has not been renewed. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | School budgets have taken big hits. If you want to make a lot of money, teaching is not your best choice. |
| How Stressful | 8 | I am responsible for things over which I have little or no control. If a student is cold, hungry, sick, frightened or angry, he is not ready to learn, no matter how good a lesson I have prepared. |
| Task Variety | 5 | The basic structure is the same every day--plan, teach, assess, repeat. But kids will always surprise you. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Teaching is not particularly valued by society just now. Math, however, is so far beyond cool that you can't even see cool from there, so it balances out. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | I need to be there every day, ready to teach. It's not something I can do from home. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | All I do all day is talk to students and talk to colleagues. It can be stressful. |
Job Title: Substitute Teacher (I Am A Certified K-12 Art Teacher)
Attended: Chatham University • Pittsburgh, PA
Studied Teaching (Art Education) (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"It's been very difficult to find employment, particularly as an art teacher. Substitute teaching is always an option, but it is unreliable and difficult, the pay is poor, and the work is not at all fulfilling."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 3 | The art education program is still quite new, and they haven't worked out the kinks yet. It is difficult to find courses to fulfill the course requirements. For example, there are no graduate-level art classes, so we wound up taking undergrad art classes as independent studies, or graduate-level classes in arts-related fields, where I found myself out of my element. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There are no jobs. All teaching jobs in the arts have been cut from budgets; those few who remain are facing cuts. The "opportunities" are to lose your job or be made part-time. |
| Job Security | 1 | I'm still substitute teaching, and there's no job security at all. My experiences have also shown that even with a permanent position, newer teachers have little security, no tenure, and are often let go for no reason, or put on "performance improvement plans" with little justification. These plans make it easier for administrators to fire teachers. |
| Earnings Potential | 1 | Substitute teaching is paid poorly, has no benefits of any kind, and I never know whether I'll have work tomorrow. If I can find an art teaching position, which seems unlikely in this economy, my prospects would improve, but even then public school teachers are not paid very well. Everyone else I know with a master's degree working in other fields make more money and has more future earning potential. |
| How Stressful | 7 | I don't know if I will find work tomorrow, or next week, or next month. Assuming I will have work, it's not until I get to the school that I finally find out where I am going today. I don't know what I'll be teaching, and when they tell me ahead of time, it usually turns out to be untrue. The students are difficult, rowdy, disrespectful, and obnoxious. |
| Task Variety | 8 | I never know what I will be teaching. They say social studies, but when I get there they have me teaching physical education. It keeps me on my toes. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | If I could find a proper art teaching job, that wouldn't be too bad. Art teachers are not too "uncool." Substitute teachers are are so uncool that even the students look down on us. Teachers are paid so much less than people in other careers of commensurate education. I have a master's degree! |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | Teaching is not flexible. The hours are non-negotiable. My colleagues have no say in their schedules or the classes they are assigned to teach. As a substitute, the schedule is "flexible," but that flexibility simply consists of choosing not to work, and not to be paid. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | Obviously we interact with the students. There are sometimes opportunities to briefly interact with colleagues between periods or at lunch. When I am substituting, it's not much fun because I'm interacting with strangers. |
Job Title: English Teacher
Attended: St. Olaf College • Northfield, MN
Studied Theatre, English (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"Teaching right now is something I chose to do for now while I plan what I want to do next. It was never my career choice. It's my second year and I expect to stop teaching after this year."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Another side of the specific program I work with is that we remain in the same type of position while we work there. If I had a higher degree I might be paid more, but as it is I don't really get a chance at actual advancement. |
| Job Security | 8 | I am only contracted on a year to year basis through a program I'm working with; last year it was fairly easy to get asked back for a second year. For my situation, I'm confident I can continue doing what I do. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | I am getting paid at a beginner's level. While I'm working for the experience and not the money, I would not be able to work for this wage for more than a couple of years. |
| How Stressful | 7 | Sometimes, like when I have to get final grades in for a quarter or a term, I find it really stressful. Day to day it varies, because some lesson plans come easily and can be reused in different subjects for different purposes, while most of the time I'm starting fresh. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Some days I'm doing different things, though usually it's the same - class, break, class, go home. While it's different content every day, class is similar much of the time. Sometimes there are meetings or special events, but not often. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Some people really admire teachers. Other people don't. Students seem really split about whether they want to be teachers themselves or could never imagine teaching. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | I studied theatre and literature and I worked in a few different campus jobs while at school. I want to pursue acting and music, and feel like I have a lot of options for trying to do that. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | I spend a lot of time with people, although it's not always social. I see students constantly, but it's often me lecturing. I wish I could spend more time just chatting with kids. At the same time, I do spend time talking to colleagues each day, which is more social. |
Job Title: Biology Teacher
Attended: Louisiana College • Pineville, LA
Studied TEACH Program, Master Of Art In Teaching (completion in 2012)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I enjoy my students, but I am not pleased with the administration. Teachers are grossly underpaid for the amount of work required of us."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The staff is always very helpful. However, I feel like some of the assignments we are given are just busy work. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | There are always avenues for promotion available to teachers if they want to do the work. It is usually as simple as a test and a couple of classes to you move into an administrative role. |
| Job Security | 9 | I feel like my job is secure because there is always going to be a need for teachers. However, with ACT 54 coming, which includes merit-based pay, I'm not sure how long teachers will be allowed to not show growth before they are replaced. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | It depends on what state you are in and what county within that state you are in. Teachers in farming communities get paid poorly, while those in industrial zones get paid much more. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Teaching can be extremely stressful because even at the end of the school day, we are at home working on the next day or grading papers. Also, there is just so much paper work to deal with. Not to mention the IEPs and 504 plan students. |
| Task Variety | 7 | The task is always the same, but the way you do it is different. There is never a dull moment in class, not in mine anyway. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Teachers are rarely ever seen as cool. However, it really depends on the teacher's interaction with his or her students. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | There are several teaching options available to teachers now especially, for those who may teach in gifted programs. Many of them work at more than one school. Also, there has been a surge in virtual education which allows for working from home. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | It is frowned upon, but we do it anyway because adults need to have adult conversation to unwind. Of course, there are always "those teachers" who spoil it for everyone by snitching or just being anti-social. |
Job Title: High School English Teacher, Grades 9 And 10
Attended: University Of Texas • Austin, TX
Studied Education (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I teach at a good school. I get paid decently and enjoy the work."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The facilities are top-notch. Additionally, the teaching staff is patient, kind, and knowledgeable. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | As a teacher, there are not many promotions to be had, just raises year in and year out if the budget permits. However, I can get assigned to committees or take on extra responsibilities for some pay. |
| Job Security | 5 | Every year I am on the chopping block for cuts. The school districts are hit hard this year (as well as previously) and so they usually get rid of teachers who haven't been active long. |
| Earnings Potential | 2 | Teachers don't make much, it's a fact. I will always get paid less than the average family income in America. |
| How Stressful | 9 | There are times in the year when it gets very stressful, especially around standardized testing time. Other times, it's less so, but I still work a lot and have to adhere to a very tight schedule. |
| Task Variety | 8 | I stick to a lot of lesson plans, but these change daily. Often, I have to readjust for occurrences outside of school to make sure the kids take away real-world knowledge. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Teachers get very little prestige. We are the backbone of American social and industrial endeavors but we are usually forgotten in lieu of more glamorous professions. In other words, everyone forgets we are the building blocks. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | As a teacher, I don't have to teach over the summers. Additionally, I can work anywhere in Texas and there is always a need for teachers. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I am friends with many of the other teachers. some of the older teachers are less friendly, but they are quickly replaced by people my age as they retire. The other teachers are my social network. |
Job Title: Social Studies Teacher
Attended: (no school reported) • ,
Studied History (completion in 1993)
Highest relevant degree: Doctorate
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"It's a great job with great students and a very friendly environment. I am head of the Social Studies department and make a great wage"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I am already at the top of the Global ladder. I have a chance to get an office position, but that isn't very likely. |
| Job Security | 10 | As mentioned before, I am head of the Global department. Our district is currently going over budget cuts and Global is not on their list. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | I'm already on top. Like I said before, my chance of promotion isn't very high. |
| How Stressful | 4 | Some students will provide a little stress. Generally, as a teacher with little chance of being cut, I don't have much to stress about. |
| Task Variety | 2 | My day-to-day is fairly regular. I come in, teach, maybe do a club, and go home. What I teach changes everyday but the general routine is the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | My job is great and my students love me. I get to be very creative with my work and I have fun teaching. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | My career requires me to be there everyday from 7:30 AM to 3 O'Clock PM. I might also stay later to help my club. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I'm always going around the area meeting with other teachers. I also get to know my colleagues and students better everyday. |
Job Title: 11th Grade English Teacher
Attended: Atlanta High School • Atlanta, TX
Studied English (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"It is a very rewarding career because I get to teach the next great minds of America. I also enjoy having the summer as vacation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | The program tends to allow for an average promotion rate. However, if a teacher is comfortable with their current job, then they are allowed to stay. |
| Job Security | 10 | I feel that with my education and skills that I will be doing this for a very long time. The school also have a very low turnover rate. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Everyone knows that the pay a teacher receives isn't outstanding. However, if I wanted to be rich I wouldn't have become a teacher. |
| How Stressful | 7 | There is some pressure for standardized testing. A certain number of my students have to pass that test. |
| Task Variety | 7 | I create my lesson plans for my students. I have freedom as long as I am producing positive passing rates. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I feel that the kids look up to me. The job allows me to be as cool as I want to be. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | I work a normal schedule from 7a to 4p. It is usually a normal 8 hour day for me. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I have opportunities for social interaction. I would say that it is a closely knit community. |
Job Title: Social Studies Public High School Teacher
Attended: FIU • Miami, FL
Studied Social Studies Education Grades 6-12 (completion in 1993)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"It is a diverse, humanitarian job I enjoy very much."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | Excellent school! It prepared me to teach in all types of situations. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | There are no opportunities for advancement. |
| Job Security | 1 | Funding is low and laws have changed so that jobs in teaching are no longer secure. |
| Earnings Potential | 1 | Very poor. Been working since 1993 and our teachers have only received two raises. The highest raise was a 23 cent increase each month. |
| How Stressful | 5 | We never have enough books to teach with and students are often frustrated because of it. As teachers we do not have authorization to purchase from the publishers. Even if we did we could not afford the outrageous prices. |
| Task Variety | 10 | I have about, on average, 1,300 pages to read a week and grade. On top of that I have to clean my room - no janitors. I also have to fill out legal papers on a regular basis and attend ten meetings after hours which I don't get paid for it. We have classes constantly and as teachers we have to take and to complete assignments for these classes because of the change in the legal systems in the schools. It's a crazy job that I do not recommend to anyone that has a family. I work 60 hours a week. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | No glamor in teaching in an inner city school. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | There is no flexibility. The schedule changes every year and teachers have no choice in what they are assigned. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I have 235 students - there is a lot of interaction! |
Job Title: Substitute Teacher
Attended: Berkshire Community College • Pittsfield, MA
Studied CCNA (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Certificate
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"Who wouldn't want to be doing better? I'm not upset but I'm visioning much more."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | Was a good program and I learned a lot. There was a lack of hardware that made for long nights and weekends doing projects. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 7 | Always room for improvement in the school system, but it's not the lifetime profession I'm looking for. |
| Job Security | 7 | With the economy these days you can't trust the security of any job. Maybe teachers should get contracts. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | The potential for improvement is always there. Just the time it takes is not how much time I would like to be here. |
| How Stressful | 7 | What career isn't stressful when you're trying to keep food on the table for your child? Working with kids is stressful. Dealing with angry parents is stressful. |
| Task Variety | 8 | Everyday is different, whether it be projects or homework. If you keep everything repetitive, students tend to lose focus. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | The wages aren't too cool, but educating and being a positive role model for the youth of my city is very cool. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | Summers off with the school schedule is great. Snow days are great. No complaints about the work schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | All of my job involves social interaction. It's a good thing to stay social and speak with people. It's good to hear others' opinions. |
Job Title: Biology Teacher
Attended: Appalachian State University • Boone, NC
Studied Biology (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"It is rewarding when the students actually want to learn the material. However, this is not usually the case."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | I feel that this school provided the necessary tools to do my future job. I would recommend this school to any future education majors also. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | The only promotional opportunities are to go back to school. Obtaining a masters will allow you to get paid at a higher rate, but otherwise your pay does not increase. |
| Job Security | 5 | At current economic times, hiring and firing decisions are hard to predict. At the end of each year, everyone waits and wonders who is going to be out of work next. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | NC has not allowed pay increases. This means teachers are actually getting paid less each year. |
| How Stressful | 10 | If the students cared, it wouldn't be that stressful, but unfortunately it is continually stressful. Every once in awhile everything goes well, but usually the students do what they want. |
| Task Variety | 10 | Everyday I have different tasks. This is because I have various lessons that I have to present to allow for various styles of learning. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | The cool part is that you are allowed time off. Each year, I have spent time out of the country, this past year in Africa. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | In education, you have to work at home, at school, and everywhere else. This is because the work load is more than what is done at the school. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | I am able to have social interaction with neighboring teachers, but for the most part I am always with the students. Teachers have no social time due to all the work. |
Job Title: High School Teacher / Educator (Liberal Arts)
Attended: Texas A&M University • College Station, TX
Studied History/Education (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/20/2012
"I do deeply enjoy helping my kids. However, the combined politics, bureaucracy, and stress are very trying at times."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | I love everything about Texas A&M. The program both taught me many of the finer points of modern education and set me up with my first school. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | Apart from becoming a department head, there aren't many opportunities for advancement. However, if I went back to school for either counseling or the office, I'm sure I could be "promoted" to those positions. |
| Job Security | 7 | I feel rather secure at my specific school since we are understaffed right now, but the district is having problems and is quickly cutting programs. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | I don't consider myself to be very well paid, but given the economy, I'm thankful to have a job. Also, when I think back to how hard my parents had to work, my pay is very reasonable. |
| How Stressful | 10 | Teaching is MUCH more stressful that I ever thought it would be. The combination of TARD, Parents, Administrators, and students that just don't want to be there - it QUICKLY eats up all of your sanity. |
| Task Variety | 3 | I am allowed a small amount of freedom when creating my syllabus and lesson plans. However, on most days I am very bogged down with very routine work for both myself and the kids. I believe my district is too focused on standardized testing. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | I don't consider my career to be particularly exciting or "cool," nor do many other people. The only prestige I can think of is actually having up to 30 kids listen to you at once. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | Another job or a changing schedule really isn't an option, apart from the summer months. However, with reasonable budgeting and time management, neither should be required. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | The job almost requires you to be VERY social. While at school, teachers are very talkative and social, but outside the school walls, you have possibly hundreds of kids and their parents who can and do meet you almost anywhere. |
Job Title: High School Math Teacher
Attended: Grace College • Winona Lake, IN
Studied English Ed (completion in 1995)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"Generally, I enjoy teaching. However, I am currently teaching math in a small private school. Since my degree is in English, this is proving difficult."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | Since it's a small school, there aren't as many opportunities for students. However, the school does a decent job with the resources it has. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | I know if I would return to the school where I used to teach I would be promoted. I know that my current administration is satisfied with my work. |
| Job Security | 7 | There aren't many people willing to work for the salary I get paid. Also, high school math is daunting to many. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | Private schools do not pay as much as public ones. This one is especially small, so the pay is especially poor. |
| How Stressful | 7 | This year is more stressful because I am teaching a subject I am not as familiar with. Also, I have aspects outside of teaching that are stressful this year. |
| Task Variety | 5 | There is a normal schedule to follow that dictates the daily tasks. However, there are always things cropping up that vary the day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | I think teachers are generally respected. However, since I am in a private school, I do not get the recognition that I would in a public school. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | During the school year, the schedule allows little flexibility. During the vacations and summer, there is much flexibility. |
| Social Orientation | 3 | I feel that the staff at this school is rather cold. It is also a small staff, so there are not as many opportunities for interaction. |
Job Title: Teacher
Attended: Teachers College, Columbia University • New York, NY
Studied TESOL (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"Although I am frustrated at times, usually I feel satisfied knowing that I've made a difference in someone's life and helped them achieve their goals. I enjoy the relationships I build with my students over the course of the school year."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I had excellent professors overall, many of whom focused on practical situations in the classroom instead of just methodology. However, I felt there was a strong lack of support during the student teaching phase, which can probably be attributed to the shortcomings of one specific professor who oversaw the teaching practicum. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | No matter how long I am a teacher, I will always just be a teacher. The only option for promotion is leaving the classroom to become an administrator, which is essentially a totally different area. |
| Job Security | 8 | One reason I became a teacher was for the excellent job security. However, in the current economy even teaching jobs have become less of a "sure thing" when budgets are frozen. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | After many years teachers can make a respectable salary. However, considering the amount of their own time and money teachers must put in as well as the stress level, it probably should be higher (at least for good teachers). |
| How Stressful | 10 | There is no time to prep, a serious lack of materials and support from administration, and classroom management can be stressful at times. When you spend your whole day attending to other people's academic needs, as well as emotional and other needs, stress can pile up. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Many teachers feel they're doing the same things every day. However, if you make the effort, even the same class day after day can be filled with various activities which provide some diversity. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | People in general do not respect teachers. Even those who do respect the profession would never consider becoming a teacher. Everyone thinks they understand the job of a teacher since everyone has been a student; therefore there is no intrigue. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | Teaching jobs are available everywhere, which is a great thing. Furthermore, once you have an initial certification it's not so difficult to get certified in a different area. However, the work schedule can be a problem because with only 45 minutes of prep a day, barely enough to make copies for a single class after waiting in line and fixing the machine, planning and prep work take up all of my free time. Therefore, the schedule can be very limiting. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | It really depends on the school. When you have friendly coworkers, lunchtime or even just passing each other in the hallway provide opportunities to interact. However, some teachers, especially older teachers, want to be left alone and don't care to interact. |
Job Title: Mission Possible Academy Director, ELA Teacher
Attended: Northeastern University • Boston, MA
Studied Education (completion in 2013)
Highest relevant degree: Doctorate
• Submitted: 1/22/2012
"I am tenured in my position and enjoy the relative job security. I am respected by my children because of the adult-to-adult relationships we have established."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | While it is not easy working towards my doctorate in education, the Northeastern doctorate program has been flexible and accommodating. My thesis is on the broad impacts of community service learning on students. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | Since I have recently received a promotion, another does not seem likely to come soon. Public schools have shrinking budgets, and not many new positions are being created. |
| Job Security | 8 | I have been at my school for more than 5 years now and enjoy my tenure. Also, the new position of Mission Possible Academy Director was created for me out of a large grant to offset dropout rates at Whitman-Hanson. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | As I reach higher levels of education, my pay rate also increases. Public schools, however, do not pay their teachers well because of shrinking budgets. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Every day I deal with students that have very severe behavioral problems, and it can be heartbreaking to see these kids struggle to graduate. It is hard not to become very invested in the success of these students. |
| Task Variety | 6 | I go to many different places in the district every week and this adds variety to my work week. I do, however, assume the same daily responsibilities. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Not many people envy teachers because we have dirty jobs: kids can be cruel and unforgiving, and we must give them the discipline they sometimes lack at home. My kids still think I can be cool, though, because I treat them with respect. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | To satisfy requirements of the program grant, I must drive to meetings in western Massachusetts bimonthly. I am also required to attend meetings all around the two town school district. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I interact with many people because of the meetings I ritually attend. Also, I interact with hundreds of students daily. |
Job Title: Secondary Art Teacher
Attended: Kaplan University • Davenport, IA
Studied Education (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/21/2012
"I really enjoy what I am doing and it is fulfilling. However, the pay makes it hard to make ends meet."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 4 | Kaplan was a means to an end. It got me a degree and a job, but the school is lacking. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I don't see a lot of areas for advancement. But I do get a small raise every year. |
| Job Security | 6 | I am on a one year contract. I believe I will be hired on again next year. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | I make a living wage and not much more. I do have the summer months to supplement my income. |
| How Stressful | 5 | There is stress from day to day. However, the stress is moderate and manageable. |
| Task Variety | 6 | I plan my classes so I can change things up if I am getting bored. I like running my classes. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Teaching is not considered cool or glamorous. Most people assume that I am teaching because I can't do anything else. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | I have flexibility in how I run my class, but not in my work schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I am friendly with my fellow teachers at school. I don't see them outside of school. |
Job Title: Science Teacher
Attended: Wayne State University • Detroit, MI
Studied Education (completion in 2002)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/23/2012
"I find my one-on-one work with students to be very fulfilling. However, I have other interests that I would like to pursue."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | Wayne State provided the resources that I needed, but some of my colleagues were better prepared. New teachers who did a full year of student teaching seemed to be well-prepared. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | There are not many promotions available. If I chose to enter a management position, I would no longer be teaching. Upper level jobs in education are usually administrative, and therefore much different than teaching. |
| Job Security | 5 | There are a lot of budget cuts in education at the moment. However, these go by qualifications and seniority, so a well-qualified and experienced teacher has a fairly safe position. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | A teacher can reasonably expect to get yearly increases in pay. However, there is a ceiling. At the moment it is highly unlikely for a classroom teacher to make 6 figures. The pay allows for security, but not luxury. |
| How Stressful | 7 | I find my job stressful at times because I answer to so many individuals. I may have 150 students at a time, each with one to four parents involved. Students have needs, parents have concerns, and administrators have expectations. It can be difficult to keep it all in perspective. |
| Task Variety | 10 | In an environment with hundreds of teenagers, a fitness center, music classes, video classes, and chemistry classes, strange things happen. This varies from overhearing stories about the personal lives of students, to students coming to class without pants on. I once looked out the window and saw a horse on the lawn. It is unpredictable. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Teaching is not a "cool" profession, but I teach high school science. I have access to a lot of cool demonstration equipment, and I get to demonstrate surprising scientific principles. I can also (carefully) play with fire, and students are always intrigued by that. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | The school day has a strict schedule, but I am able to choose what will happen in my classroom every day. I have paperwork to do outside of class, but I can do that at work or at home, whenever I choose. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | Each teacher works in his or her own classroom. However, I eat lunch with my department, and we will sometimes meet outside of school for drinks or events. |
Job Title: Mathematics Teacher
Attended: University Of Northern Iowa • Cedar Falls, IA
Studied Mathematics - Teaching (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I enjoy the subject matter very much. However, I am disappointed with how difficult it is to get students interested in learning."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | UNI provided multiple opportunities to experience classroom environments throughout my education. However, some of the courses were redundant and some information was obsolete. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | There are few opportunities for advancement, unless one pursues an administrative position. However, with experience and seniority, one may receive more pay and more desirable courses to teach. |
| Job Security | 9 | Teachers are always needed, especially in the area of mathematics. Program cuts by schools are a possibility, but core academic subjects are generally safe. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | No one pursues teaching because of the paycheck. However, with experience and advanced degrees, one can live comfortably. |
| How Stressful | 9 | Teachers must simultaneously control, entertain, and educate up to 40 or 50 students. They also have to deal with unrealistic demands from administrators and parents. |
| Task Variety | 7 | Teaching never gets dull. You never know what new challenge each day will hold. Teachers have to vary things from day-to-day just to keep their sanity and keep students engaged. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Teachers typically do not experience immediate gratification for their work. They are not always seen as experts or professionals in their field. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | Teaching offers a very limited work schedule and, depending on certifications, few career options. Work-at-home options are limited almost exclusively to tutoring and some areas do not have many jobs available. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Not a day goes by at school that I am not interacting with multiple people. There are students to teach, meetings to attend, parents to notify, etc. |
Job Title: Year Ten English Education Teacher (I Teach 10th Grade English And Homeroom)
Attended: Bridgewater State University • Bridgewater, MA
Studied English, English Education (High School, Middle School) Concentration, BA (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I am an English and homeroom teacher. I teach grade ten. I truly enjoy my students, but do not like the politics of the school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Bridgewater is known as a teaching school. My major allowed me a concentration and certification. I felt I was well prepared and have a great student/teacher ratio. Everything was very hands on. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | The areas of promotion would be to chair/department head of the English department. Also VP/Principal, but the chance of that is slim to nil. |
| Job Security | 5 | I work for a parochial school. We have little public funding, and most is through the alumni network and the archdiocese. We did have a batch of layoffs last year due to budget cuts. I feel some stability, as most funding was cut in the PE/Arts departments (I am in English). |
| Earnings Potential | 2 | VERY poor pay rate. Little room to grow. Working for a Catholic school, our pay is on average $8,000.00 less per year than public school teachers. |
| How Stressful | 5 | High school age can be hard, but not as hard as middle school, which is where I started. Our school is parochial (Catholic), so in general we have kids who are MUCH easier to deal with than those in public schools. We never have to deal with bomb threats, arson, etc. Students must be of a certain intelligence level to be accepted. |
| Task Variety | 6 | Every day can be different because I provide the lesson plans. We do, however, have to stay within the curriculum, but I have the ability to change things up as I like. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Being an English teacher is not the "Coolest" job in the world. There are no red carpets (but LOTS of red pens for correcting papers!) I feel "cool" when my students come to me privately to speak with me about problems, relationships, etc... that makes me feel as if they can trust me and I made a difference. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | We have weekends off. Our school day is 7:30 - 2:45. Summer vacation. Ability to tutor privately after school/weekends if I ever needed extra income. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I really couldn't ask for more social interaction. After all, I'm teaching an average class size of 28 from 7:30 - 2:45! CONSTANT social interaction, and the teachers have great relationships among ourselves. |
Job Title: Art Teacher
Attended: American Public University • Charles Town, WV
Studied English (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"Teaching is not exactly what I thought it would be. Growing up I thought teachers were able to help kids to learn morals and principles and values, but now with standard based instruction there is little time for that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | It was an online program so I could not really get the full college experience, but the content was well rounded and the overall experience was good. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | I would say that anyone in this line of work, including myself, can get promoted given the years put in and education obtained. |
| Job Security | 4 | I would say my security is less than average because I teach Art. With budget cuts and lower tax bases, the fine arts are at higher risk than other departments, like Math and Science. I also am a new teacher and I do not have tenure. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Due to budget cuts and pay freezes, the earning possibilities are less than average. However, you can get raises based on college degrees. |
| How Stressful | 8 | With the amount of pressure teachers feel already with meeting AYP along with the fear of being laid off, plus having larger class sizes, the job can be incredibly stressful. |
| Task Variety | 9 | Although you teach the same kids everyday, no two days are alike. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I would say being an Art Teacher is pretty cool, but I am biased because I love the subject. I do get to paint and draw all day. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | Just like any other full time job, teaching does have some time constraints and you do have to take work home with you. However if you manage your time right you have enough free time to remain flexible. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | You are in constant contact with people, whether it be your students, fellow teachers, community leaders, and even local businesses. Teachers are always interacting. |
Job Title: Teacher/Coach
Attended: East Texas Baptist University • Marshall, TX
Studied Biology (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/19/2012
"I am not completely satisfied with my job choice because the pay is mediocre. I do enjoy having the summer off and do enjoy most of my tasks as a teacher, but the paperwork and overall work load has become extensive."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The school provided a very good education in my major, Biology. However, the education program did not do a very good job preparing us for the real world of education. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | The opportunities for promotion in education is very limited. Unless I go back to school and get my Master's, promotion opportunities are limited and even with a Master's degree, I can really only go into administration. |
| Job Security | 6 | At first I thought my job was very secure. Since the educational budget cuts in Texas, my job has become less secure. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | The salary is pretty capped in education. Unless you get a promotion into the higher ranks of administration, the salary only improves slightly every year and raises are not given frequently. |
| How Stressful | 7 | With all of the standardized testing, teaching has become much more stressful. Also, teaching teenagers can be stressful because of the problems you have to deal with (like behavior). |
| Task Variety | 5 | A lot of the tasks I come across in my job are fairly similar day to day (grading papers, taking attendance, correcting behavior). But because I am dealing with teenagers everyday, new circumstances will always arise. You never know what they are going to say or do and so I averaged those out to a 5. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Most people do not admire high school teachers or even think it is a glamorous position. It is a rewarding career but is not usually considered prestigious. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | The flexibility of the schedule during the year is limited. The schedule during summer and breaks, on the other hand, is very flexible. So I think they average each other to a 5. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Everyday I am interacting with students and adults. Whether I am talking to students, parents, or other teachers, my day is filled with interaction with other people. |
Job Title: Short-Call Substitute Teacher
Attended: University Of Missouri-Columbia • Columbia, MO
Studied German, International Relations, And Business Administration (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I just recently finished a post-baccalaureate program for my teaching license. I am happy to finally get into a field I enjoy."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | The University of Missouri in Columbia has excellent schools for business education as well as "Arts & Science." I rated the program a 9 because I think they could do more to increase job placement opportunities for their students. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 10 | I will have a German teaching license in the state of Minnesota. I can get "promoted" by continuing my education in terms of adding a secondary license or getting my Masters in Education. |
| Job Security | 2 | My career as a German teacher is not secure. Unfortunately, we are seeing foreign language programs cut across the state. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | I think the earnings potential for a teacher is below average. However, I think many teachers would agree with me in saying they don't go into the career of teaching for the money. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Working with youth can be very stressful. That being said, it is always worth it. |
| Task Variety | 10 | The tasks of a teacher do have consistency. However, I think there is extreme variety in what each day at school entails. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | To be honest, there is nothing "cooler" than teaching our youth. I especially enjoy helping students find an interest and get passionate about learning everything and anything about that interest. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | My current work schedule as a substitute teacher is extremely flexible. I can choose where and when I would like to work for several school districts. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I love being able to spend my days with well-educated colleagues as well as dynamic and energetic youth. There is constant social interaction with a great variety of people. |
Job Title: English Teacher
Attended: Texas A&M, Kingsville, Texas • San Antonio, TX
Studied English And Journalism (completion in 1975)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"By the standard Professional Development and Appraisal System, for the last four years I have received a rating of "Exceeds Expectations." Some of my strengths are in goals and objectives, motivational strategies, and critical thinking. I love teaching American Literature at the Junior level. I also enjoy my Advanced Placement English III class. When my students succeed, I feel successful."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 4 | In the last 5 years my high school has had a very high turnover rate in the English Department. We have also had a high turnover rate among Administrators. I believe that these factors have affected student success. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Since I do not have a Master's Degree in English, I am somewhat limited to promotion opportunities. For example, I cannot teach any college level classes. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have taught at the same high school for the last 24 years. I have never failed to receive a contract for the following year. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I am now satisfied with my salary. The earnings potential for new teachers is greater than ever. |
| How Stressful | 5 | The majority of stress for me is in dealing with parents. When a student is failing, parents tend to blame the teacher. |
| Task Variety | 5 | At my school, there is some variation of daily tasks. There are assemblies and field trips and UIL contests, to name a few. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | I do not teach at a prestigious school. We have a relatively high student drop out rate and a high turnover rate among staff. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | I have been given some opportunities to choose my classroom and courses I teach. I have some small degree of seniority. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | I work in a high school with a small staff. We tend to socialize quite a bit when we are not teaching. |
Job Title: Teacher
Attended: Mount Vernon Nazarene University • Mount Vernon, OH
Studied Physical Science Education (completion in 2012)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"There is always going to be a downside to any career. For me, the down side is the red tape involved in dealing with the administration."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Aside from a few bumps which were mostly caused by myself, the program worked very smoothly. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | There isn't much advancement opportunity, but that is ok, because I don't really want to advance past actual teaching. |
| Job Security | 8 | As long as I am willing to go to work, I should never have to leave the state in order to teach in my field. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Based on the amount of time spent at work throughout the year, the pay is not lacking. However, spread over the entire year, the pay may come up short on its own for those with families. |
| How Stressful | 6 | The amount of stress is completely up to the individual. Some take it all on themselves and have more stress where as others refuse to stress about things. It can be fairly stress free. |
| Task Variety | 7 | The work is never boring. Sometimes it can be more difficult than other times and sometimes it can be a cakewalk. But there is as much change in the daily routine as you decide. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | If there is one thing that can be said about teaching, it is that it is never boring. No matter what the class may be discussing that day, there is always something to keep you on your toes. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | There is always the chance of special circumstances which can lead to the need to be flexible. Mostly, though, there is a very set schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | There is always interaction with students, and then the amount of contact and interaction with coworkers is dependent on how much you want. Some schools require more or less interaction, but there is still a vast amount of leeway. |
Job Title: ESL Instructor
Attended: Buffalo State College • Buffalo, NY
Studied Multidisciplinary Studies (Concentration In ESL Education) (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I love teaching in general, but am particularly interested in ESL teaching, as I can meet a variety of students from all around the world. It also allows me to travel to most countries and obtain a job. In addition, I feel good about what I do, and it challenges me and offers me new experiences every day."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | Most classes at my school were excellent, and they prepared me for both the theoretical aspects as well as the "hands-on" aspects of teaching. I didn't give it a 10 only because the program was sometimes disorganized. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | I suppose I could be given extra "projects" or small positions within the school, but not really a true "promotion." I feel that obtaining a position like Principal would require additional leadership training that I don't have. But I'm ok with my current position. |
| Job Security | 10 | People will always need teachers. In addition, as an ESL teacher I can get a job in most foreign countries. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | As most people will tell you, nobody becomes a teacher to "get rich." We do it because we love the job. There is potential for moving on to college education, but that usually requires a PhD and honestly doesn't pay that much more. |
| How Stressful | 4 | A passion for what I'm doing overcomes a lot of the stress in this job. Stress comes mostly from the restrictions placed on me by my superiors and troubled students. There are a lot of stress factors in the job, but because the job is interesting and rewarding, they don't feel as stressful as they should. |
| Task Variety | 8 | While there are generally repetitive tasks at my job, there is always something new... new students mean new ideas, and I am constantly changing my lesson plans and coming up with better and more interesting ideas. Teaching is a game of trial and error, and that makes it ever-changing. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | In the US, being a teacher is not "cool." Though I have taught in countries where it has a great deal of respect, that respect has not carried over to the United States. People still repeat the ever-offensive quote "those who cannot do, teach." The only thing "cool" about it is I love my job, and most people can't say that. |
| Career Flexibility | 10 | As mentioned before, I can travel and work most anywhere. The more experience I acquire, the more opportunities open up for me, such as teaching online classes, tutoring, and other part time jobs. I consider most teachers to have extremely flexible careers, especially ESL teachers. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Teaching is a fairly social activity, though most of it takes place in the classroom. However, there is a lot of opportunity for social interaction with my co-workers in exchanging information about students and methods of teaching. |
Job Title: History Teacher
Attended: Worcester State University • Worcester, MA
Studied Secondary Ed (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I wake up every morning and look forward to go to work. I love that I get to teach material that I love."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I found the experience satisfying but there were too many education courses. I had to take multiple education courses even after I took those courses as an undergraduate. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | I can not advance unless I go back to school to get another degree. My school does not have department heads. |
| Job Security | 10 | I have been working the same job for ten years and I have tenure. Besides, there are two people below me in the department. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | In the town I work in, teachers max out at a certain level and only move up in small increments after that. The base pay to start is not very good compared to private sector jobs. |
| How Stressful | 5 | After being a teacher for a while, I have learned how to forget about stressful situations. During some classes I do get stressed, but at the end of class the stress leaves. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Each day is a different topic but some of the tasks are similar. You never know what a student is going to say. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 1 | Most kids and teenagers don't think to themselves that they want to be a teacher when they grow up. People know that teachers are underpaid. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | I have to be at work Monday through Friday at a specific time and can't leave until a specific time. I can't work from home because of the nature of teaching. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | I can talk to students but can't really socialize. I am in my room for most of the day so I don't really have a chance to socialize with other faculty members often throughout the day. |
Job Title: Senior English Instructor
Attended: Baylor University • Waco, TX
Studied English Literature (completion in 1998)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"The teaching field is very fulfilling and challenging, and I enjoy impacting the lives of young people. However, the salary leaves a little to be desired."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | There is very little opportunity for promotion. The only higher offices would be Principle and Vice Principle. |
| Job Security | 7 | I do not know why I would lose my job. Our school has not had to lay off any teachers. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | A teacher's salary is not great. I would certainly appreciate a bit more money. |
| How Stressful | 6 | For the most part, my kids are well-behaved. However, there is always the odd class clown or pupil who will not cooperate. |
| Task Variety | 4 | I essentially perform the same tasks day in and day out, year after year. It can be repetitive, but no two students are the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | There is very little "coolness" to my career. No one is impressed when I tell them that I am a high school teacher. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | It is great to be able to spend more time with my kids. Grading responsibilities are not particularly intensive, and I am generally done by 4pm. |
| Social Orientation | 5 | Again, people aren't particularly impressed when I tell them that I am a teacher. Most of my colleagues are in the same boat, however. |
Job Title: Substitute Teacher
Attended: Florida State University • Tallahassee, FL
Studied Information Technology (With Teaching Certificate) (completion in 2013)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"It can be very frustrating to come into a class where there are no instructions left and you are more or less just playing entertainment for a room full of uninterested kids. Even worse is when you show up and feel powerless to keep any kind of order. It makes you feel like a failure at what should be a simple task."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | What can I say, there isn't really much of a hierarchy of substitutes, save an odd de facto tenure system that I'm apparently not privy to. Even if there were, unless you're the superintendent, you'll never be fully compensated for the hard work and time you pour into mostly ungrateful bodies. |
| Job Security | 5 | Security, oddly enough, is decent for substitutes from my perspective. Pay any attention to Florida (Leon County in particular) and you'll see how dismal the market and pay for full time staff can be. I get a spot almost everyday. |
| Earnings Potential | 2 | Florida teachers (and substitutes for that matter) don't earn much, and it doesn't really get better. I don't envy the faculty who are full time in the least, as I have overheard some of their figures in the office and am very unimpressed. My pay is rather lackluster as well, but it is good part-time work I suppose. |
| How Stressful | 3 | There's almost no stress when things run like they should, as long as I don't get any kids that try to make themselves 'large and in charge.' The only other stress is trying to read off the roster, some surnames... |
| Task Variety | 5 | There can be some variety in the day moving from subject to subject. Nothing is particularly out of the ordinary (except maybe me in place of the normal teacher), but you do end up hopping around a bit. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I do have to say I enjoy what I do, because I'm known as 'the awesome sub' by a lot of the students. I walk into the class (when they actually have the door unlocked) and I here small cheers, "Yes! We got him!" At the end of the day I do like the work, it's just a frustrating administrative system. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | As I said, I get a call nearly everyday. I have the choice on whether to accept or decline. It is very nice for my university work to be able to have that kind of freedom. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Obviously it's very social keeping kids pacified for 50 min - 2 hours at a time for blocks. I find that I end up giving mini lectures, asking questions, and the like based on their usual subject matter. |
Job Title: High School English Teacher
Attended: University Of Maine • Orono, ME
Studied Secondary Education W/ Focus On English (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"It's the job I've always wanted and I love teaching. My only gripes thus far have been on the extensive and ever changing state standards and some minor issues with Administration."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | The head of the English department is firmly entrenched in his position and has many years left before retirement. If I had interest in administrative duties then promotion would be more attainable but, unfortunately, I enjoy teaching too much. |
| Job Security | 9 | I've recently garnered tenure so my job security is very high at the moment. Just two years ago, though, I would have set that much lower. My only worry at this point, though minimal, is that the school districts in my area have discussed consolidating for years. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | Starting pay for teachers in the state of Maine is insulting and the rate at which pay increases is not much better. Once tenured, your salary does jump, but it is far from what I'd call an exceptional, comfortable living wage. |
| How Stressful | 4 | Other teachers find their jobs to be very stressful from what I've seen, but I have little issues with class work and building course lessons. Overall, the most stressful thing is often the students' parents. |
| Task Variety | 10 | The tasks, while they often serve the same end, are as varied as I can possibly make it. I have almost full control over the lesson plans so the vast majority of boredom that may happen in my courses is largely due to my own planning. After several years, I've learned how to shake things up on an almost daily basis in order to keep students interested. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | My students largely think that I'm the "cool" teacher, but outside of my classes there is little prestige that goes with being a teacher these days. You do occasionally get the businesses that cater to you, but primarily that's because we spend so much money on course and curriculum materials. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | We follow a standard high school schedule, however there are a lot of vacations and time off during the summer months. Substitutes are always available, as well, for whenever we are ill or must attend meetings and so forth. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Social interaction, for me, revolves mostly around the work I do with students. From time to time, teachers will have get togethers which I do attend, but those moments are few and far between. |
Job Title: ELD/English Teacher High School
Attended: California State University Fullerton • Fullerton, CA
Studied English, 18th And 19th Century British Women Novelists (completion in 1992)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"I love teaching and I love the students. I really enjoy when kids turn on to learning or I make a connection. I dislike being a babysitter and a police officer."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | There is opportunity for advancement into the district level if that is something that you wish to do. There are also opportunities to be more involved with curriculum planning and choosing. More education also equals more advancement as each level of education that we achieve raises our salary. |
| Job Security | 8 | I have 23 years of teaching so I am tenured, which provides me with a modicum of security. Because of the budget in California, no one is completely safe. My credential is for Elementary and High school so I have more flexibility than most. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | We have a very steady income and the opportunity for step raises and educational raises. We have not gotten COLA in several years, however, because of the budget crisis. |
| How Stressful | 10 | I work with teenagers on a daily basis and that is extremely stressful because they are constantly in flux. There are always hundreds of small fires and large emotional issues to put out and deal with. I am responsible for teaching these kids and for giving them the ability to succeed in life. That is a huge responsibility and because I take it seriously there is stress associated. But there is also much laughter. |
| Task Variety | 10 | There are a million different things to do every day even within the structure of the day and the lesson plans. I am never certain what will need to be addressed or explained. Teaching for as long as I have never gets boring because I never know what I'm going to get! Each day is an adventure. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | To the general public teaching is pretty "uncool," but to the students whose lives we touch, we are about as cool as it gets. I know that the difference I make in students is about the coolest thing I can think of. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | We are able to work summers if we want to and can share contracts with other teachers if we can get district approval. Because we are tied to a calendar, there is less flexibility than other jobs, but we have excellent vacations. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | I have constant social interaction with students, but not nearly as much with peers. There are students in my classroom from 7 am to 3 pm daily and there is as much interaction as can be pushed into that time frame. I am lucky to have four aides from college level up that I interact with on a daily basis as well. I enjoy the time that I have with my peers during staff meetings and collaborative working. |
Job Title: Computer Applications Teacher
Attended: University Of Alaska At Anchorage • Anchorage, AK
Studied Computer Science (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"I enjoy the school environment where I am at and the student body. I have very few problems with administration or other teachers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | I have no desire to change my position, but I know that there are opportunities to get promoted into administration. The main reason I would not want to move up is because I would have to move from where I live to another village. |
| Job Security | 10 | My school is in desperate need of teachers and holds onto the few who stay. I live in rural Alaska and there are not many people who would live out here. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | As a teacher in Alaska I have earning potential that is far better than anyone working in the Lower 48. I know many of my friends that work in high schools in Georgia that are making less than me. |
| How Stressful | 5 | While I have numerous stressors, such as getting grades in and dealing with student attendance, I do not think that my stress ranks as highly as someone who works in Air Traffic Control. The most difficult and frustrating thing is encouraging kids to show up at school. |
| Task Variety | 7 | I have the same group of kids every day, but I am always going over new and different topics. Sometimes the kids get stuck in certain areas for a week at a time. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I have such a good time working where I am, and the kids always provide endless entertainment for me. I am a role model for many of these student who know very few people who have gone to college. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | As a teacher I have set hours that I must adhere to. I have no chance to work at home or change my hours in any way. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | While I have the students to talk to, I try to limit that as much as possible. The staff that I work with is very friendly and inviting. |
Job Title: English Teacher
Attended: USF • Tampa, FL
Studied English (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"I absolutely love teaching. I teach English and really love to see my students getting involved and learning."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The facilities are new. Funding, however, could be better. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | Again, I am new to the field, and it will take me a few years to advance. Department head is definitely obtainable. |
| Job Security | 8 | I am new to the field, but I'm not worried at all about losing my job. Unless I show I am completely inept at teaching (I'm not), I have no fear of losing my job. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Starting off, it's much better than, say, waiting tables or any other non-educated job. However, the pay seems to cap off well under what other grad students will eventually make in the careers that they choose. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Test prepping students, who in some cases do not want to learn, can be extremely stressful. I feel the weekend off time helps out a lot in this. It gives us some time to clear our heads and deal with the stress. |
| Task Variety | 10 | Everyday the students provide me with new challenges. This helps to keep the workplace interesting. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Being a teacher isn't what you would call "cool". Still, I feel pride being a mentor to my students. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | I thoroughly enjoy the weekly schedule of teaching. The vacation during the summer months is great, as well. I must give a good reason, like any other job, to call off during the week. |
| Social Orientation | 9 | Social interaction is key to being a teacher. I must interact intelligibly with co-workers and students to accomplish my goals. |
Job Title: Teacher
Attended: Grand Canyon University • Arizona, AZ
Studied Secondary Education Mathematics (completion in 2012)
Highest relevant degree: Associate's
• Submitted: 1/25/2012
"I do not have a full time classroom. I feel that I am not able to show my full range of talents as an aide/substitute."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 4 | I obtained my degree online. There is very little interaction with the professor or classmates. Online discussion is not an ideal education. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | I will get a yearly raise, and there are opportunities for stipends. I can get additional certifications for extra money, but the only real way for promotions is to get more education. I would have to obtain a master's degree in a different major to move up in the ranks. |
| Job Security | 8 | There are budget cuts; however, there are constant jobs for high school math teachers. I feel confident that I will have a job for decades. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Teachers traditionally do not get paid much. I am thankful that my earnings are a supplemental income. |
| How Stressful | 7 | It is emotionally taxing to deal with students day in and day out. The rambunctious attitude of teenagers can be very hard to deal with. Additionally, the tasks of teaching, grade books, teacher/parent conferences, etc. are time consuming and stressful. |
| Task Variety | 5 | The lessons can change every few days. In a math classroom, I have to continue to review previous information. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | There are cool teachers, but it is not a glamorous job. The teaching career is not known for its cool factor. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | A teacher is required to be in the classroom for a required number of days. A teacher does have sick leave and accumulated vacation, but there is very little wiggle room. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | I am not full time in a classroom, so I have not had the opportunity to meet many people. The majority of interaction happens with the students. |
Job Title: High School History Teacher
Attended: Idaho State University • Twin Falls, ID
Studied History (completion in 1983)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/24/2012
"Teaching is a field where you see great progress. You can see the results of your work with your students."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The curriculum prepared me for my work in the classroom. It did not prepare me for dealing with the many behavior problems that occur. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | One can take classes to obtain additional certificates. Once done, administrative jobs are open to you. |
| Job Security | 10 | In my state you are given tenure after three years of positive observations. Once you have tenure, you are very secure in your job. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | There are not great leaps in earning potential in teaching. We work on a scale that determines earning by years worked and units of schooling beyond your BA. Occasionally, the school board will grant a raise in this scale. |
| How Stressful | 6 | Your stress depends upon your classroom control. If you have good management of your class it is not stressful, however if you do not teaching can be a very stressful job!!! |
| Task Variety | 6 | Teaching the core curriculum of US History does not vary. Presentation of the subject can vary. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 4 | Teaching is hard work. It is especially difficult working with students who do not want to be in school. Some students think you are cool, but many do not. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | You are to be in the classroom daily. If there is a need to be absent, you need to prepare the classwork for your substitute. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | Hopefully there is not much social interaction in your classroom. The place for social interaction would be the PE class. |
Job Title: Math Tutor- Premier Academy Math Instructor - Ohio Wesleyan University Upward Bound Math Tutor - Ohio Wesleyan University Upward Bound (Academic Year Component)
Attended: University Of Notre Dame • Notre Dame, IN
Studied Business Administration (MBA)
Undergrad Major - Economics
200 Credits (Quarter Hours) Of Work After The Masters At Ohio State University - Math, Statistics And Economics (completion in 1982)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/30/2012
"I enjoy teaching students mathematics. I find it challenging to work with the less academic students who disrupt class."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | Notre Dame - Great Business Program, very thorough. Ohio State University - Many course offerings. Excellent in math, business and economics, and education. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | I'm a tutor and an instructor. Unless one seeks to go into administration or break away and open one's own school, promotion and advancement are not truly applicable concerns. |
| Job Security | 9 | Ohio Wesleyan University - I've been teaching for Upward Bound each summer since 1987 and tutoring during the year since 1985. Premier Academy - This is a new position for me. |
| Earnings Potential | 2 | Unless one seeks to go into administration, teaching pay is usually fixed by the school/school district. This is not a profession to enter if high financial compensation is critical. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Non academic students (class clowns, etc) make the work harder. There are administrative pressures to get as many students as possible to pass state achievement exams and state graduation exams. This is tough to achieve for the nonacademic students who leave questions blank and do not try to do well. |
| Task Variety | 6 | The essential tasks are the same, but of course we cover different course material each day. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Teachers and tutors are reasonably well respected, however this is not Hollywood, sports, or music, so "cool" or "glamor" are not really considerations. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | Hours are part time but not flexible. One must be available to teach class at the time the class is scheduled to meet. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | We speak with students everyday. We see teachers everyday and discuss issues related to teaching, issues related to students, and some non-work conversations when there is time. |
Job Title: English Department Chairperson
Attended: Hofstra University • Hempstead, NY
Studied Education-English Education (completion in 1994)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/28/2012
"I became a teacher because I enjoy the life and atmosphere of the high school setting. This is always what I wanted to be, although not specifically a high school teacher, but a teacher of sorts. As it turns out, I got a promotion in these last few years, and I received my own office as well. My future looks bright."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 6 | Hofstra provided me with everything I needed to be a successful teacher. The program was alright and taught me what I needed to know, but it was more the opportunity in the neighboring towns, in the form of interning, that gave me what I really needed to get a good feel for my future responsibilities as a teacher. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 8 | Well, seeing as I was just promoted to Chairperson of the English department, there is not much left for me in terms of promotion. There are, however, district superintendent positions for me in the future, however, I still teach a few classes, and would not like to leave them. |
| Job Security | 9 | I feel that the work I am inputting to the district is sufficient and well-accepted. I have been promoted recently, and am voted the school's favorite teacher when that time comes. I certainly feel safe here. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | My salary as a teacher is not outstanding. However, my salary as chairperson, coupled with the length of time I've been at this school, certainly make up for it. |
| How Stressful | 10 | This career is very stressful. Being an English teacher and teaching 6 classes a day was challenging enough. However, I have since dropped 3 of those classes for my chairperson position, which demands a large portion of my time, both in the office and at home. |
| Task Variety | 9 | Every year is the same, however, every day brings some new, unexpected twists. For example, I got a promotion on one day, and that didn't happen the year before. However, in terms of day to day tasks, the work load, the readings, the choices, everything is always changing. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | Being a teacher is not the most glamorous job out there; neither is being a chairperson. However, being the favorite teacher here certainly has its moments, and the love and respect I receive is very warming, and glamorous. |
| Career Flexibility | 8 | My career is also very flexible. As a teacher, I have been shifted between grades and course levels. Additionally, there is always room for a change in the book's we read, and those changes were mainly my call. There is plenty of flexibility here. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | As a teacher, there is plenty of social interaction with the students, the faculty, the superintendent, and the parents. My meetings are always long and numerous, and there is always someone in my office or classroom. |
Job Title: Math Department Chairman
Attended: Nichols College • Dudley, CT
Studied Finance (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"Throughout the beginning of my career, my appreciation of my employers, my students, and my colleagues has only grown. I have been very satisfied with my financial success acting as the Chair of the Math Department, and hope to see future growth within my field for years to come."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 10 | I lead an excellent math program, and have the great fortune to have joined a team with an already sterling reputation. We continue to strive in educating high school students, and take pride in our highly esteemed math program. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | Because I am already acting as the Chair of the math department, the apex of my career has already been near reached. I will have to obtain a doctorate degree to pursue a higher position within my field. |
| Job Security | 10 | Being that I am very good at what I do, I feel very secure with my position. I project my future career to see only positive growth. |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | I am fully satisfied with my current and future earning expectations. There are, without a doubt, more lucrative careers, but education is where my passion is. My school district is one of the highest paying for public schools, so I am very grateful to be working where I am. |
| How Stressful | 5 | With an important position like mine, a certain degree of stress follows. I have many responsibilities, from teaching to running the entire department, that often create added stress and difficulty. |
| Task Variety | 10 | With a job that involves working with hundreds of students everyday, there are bound to be variations in daily experiences. No two students are alike, so the dynamic day-to-day energy creates a very fun and ever-changing workplace. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 10 | I love working with young minds every day and shaping them to become future leaders. To me, there is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than being a role-model to a generation of future leaders. I consider my position very prestigious. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | My presence is crucial for the operation of my department, and the overall success. Being a teacher, it is very difficult to take any significant time off, other than summer vacation of course. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | Obviously, a teacher's job is to socialize with many students constantly. I find great enjoyment working with young people everyday. I also socialize with other teachers significantly, as my position as Chair requires me to do. |
Job Title: English Secondary Educator
Attended: Baldwin-Wallace College • Berea, OH
Studied English Education (completion in 2006)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"I find meaning in my career, and feel my pay and benefits are adequate. However, I feel that, creatively, my hands are tied because of a need to teach to standardized exams and the pressure to force students to excel on tests, rather than actually learn, can be draining."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 3 | Before teaching in Florida, I cut my teeth as a substitute teacher in Ohio. When it comes to English, the two states are like night and day. My high school students read at what I'd consider to be a middle school, or possible even elementary, level. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 3 | I have little or no interest in working in administration, so there's not much room for promotion from my position. I'd likely have to move to another institution, or type of institution, to experience any upward mobility. |
| Job Security | 7 | I feel fairly secure in my position. When I started, the schools were in more of a financial crisis and many teachers were being laid off, but now it's a much more stable situation. However, there's always the worry that if my students under perform on the FCAT, I will be placed on probation or replaced. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | The scale of pay raises looks nice until one factors inflation into it. However, it's more than enough for me, because money is not a major motivator in my life. |
| How Stressful | 9 | When it comes to teaching, problem students and poor behavior are definitely a major cause of stress. However, dancing the dance between administrators, parents, and the state is an even bigger one. |
| Task Variety | 9 | One of my reasons for choosing teaching as a career was that I despise tedium. Not only do I get to teach a different lesson each day, but additionally each lesson will be different because I will be teaching different students. This will require me to find proper ways to reach these students and answer their particular questions. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Being a teacher is not "glamorous" at all, but I do feel that it is a well-respect profession. I often feel proud of my successes, because this is not a job that just anyone could do. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | The work schedule is pretty set in stone, as a teacher must be there to teach the class and taking extended absences is detrimental to students' success rates. Part-time work is mostly limited to substitutes, and this is not really a job that can be done from home. However, one can teach English almost anywhere; even other countries. Additionally, summer vacation allows for a great deal of freedom when it comes to travel and personal activities. |
| Social Orientation | 2 | As I am a new and fairly young teacher, most of my co-workers are in a different age category than I am. Additionally, while I do fine in the workplace, outside of it I don't seem to get along with other teachers very well. My early schedule every day of the week makes it hard to socialize outside the workplace as well. |
Job Title: Art Teacher
Attended: Bard College • Annandale-On-Hudson, NY
Studied M.F.A. (completion in 1985)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/28/2012
"I enjoy working with students and being inspired by their work. I am able to be creative and help others be creative as well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | This school provided a lot of freedom in planning your own program. The time spent on campus was convenient for those working and teaching. The instruction was very good. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 6 | The only direct opportunity is to become department chair. If interested, you can get into administration as well. |
| Job Security | 7 | Once you have seniority, you have some job security. The number of high school students is shrinking, so teachers may be laid off. Also, art is a subject that is often cut. |
| Earnings Potential | 4 | Teachers don't get paid very much, considering the years of education. There are no opportunities for overtime or bonuses. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Teenagers have a lot of problems. They are rude and can be violent. It is not always pleasant. |
| Task Variety | 7 | There are different projects everyday, but overall, things are routine. Generally I teach different courses each semester, so that provides variety. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | Being a high school teacher is pretty uncool. Kids don't usually enjoy school and they dislike their teachers. |
| Career Flexibility | 1 | The job is pretty inflexible. You need to be at school during school hours and can't really take time off. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I am constantly interacting with students and other teachers. There are a lot of one-on-one and group interactions. |
Job Title: Social Studies Teacher
Attended: California State University Northridge • Northridge, CA
Studied Political Science (completion in 2010)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/28/2012
"I love my job. It is amazing to be able to work with and guide youth."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | I loved my school. I had great classes and great teachers. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | There are some job opportunities. Many of the jobs require a lot of experience though. |
| Job Security | 5 | Job security is very bad now. Teachers are being fired constantly. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | Being a teacher is rewarding, but I do not make very much money. |
| How Stressful | 10 | The job is very stressful. The job requires a lot of government oversight, which causes stress. |
| Task Variety | 9 | being a teacher requires that I keep things interesting. As a result of this, the days are very different from each other. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 8 | I think it's pretty cool to be a teacher. You get to meet a lot of people, and you have a powerful effect on the future. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | The job is not very flexible. You must work in schools and by school schedule. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | This job requires a lot of social interaction. I work with youth and adults everywhere. |
Job Title: English Teacher
Attended: Old Dominion University • Norfolk, VA
Studied English And Communication (completion in 1999)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"I enjoy teaching my students to appreciate literature. I also love interacting with the students. I do not, however, like the pay. I put in much longer hours than my husband, and he gets paid three times as much as I do."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | ODU gave me a good education, but I would have liked to have studied under different professors. It also wasn't as challenging as I had expected. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | There is really no where to go except to administration, and I am interested in staying in the classroom. However, you can go up on the pay scale if you obtain more education. |
| Job Security | 5 | High school teachers are needed across our state, but state budgets have been cut. In many schools they have eliminated positions and have made class sizes larger. |
| Earnings Potential | 2 | Teachers are paid very poorly. You can get raises, though, with the more education you obtain. |
| How Stressful | 8 | We are under pressure from the administration as well as the parents. We are accountable to a lot of people. And the students can definitely stress you out! |
| Task Variety | 8 | I am with the same students every day, but we are always doing different things. The curriculum changes from day to day and year to year. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 2 | There is no glamour in being a high school teacher! I do, however, find it exciting. It is different every day and I enjoy working with the students. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | As a teacher, I need to be in the classroom. The hours are very fixed. There is no way I could work from home unless I became a teacher of an online curriculum. I wouldn't enjoy that as much as being in the classroom. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | I interact with 5 sets of 25 students every day. I also interact with parents and administration. |
Job Title: Math Teacher
Attended: State University Of New York At Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studied Mathematics (completion in 2001)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/28/2012
"I love what I do. I love teaching and interacting with teenagers and helping guide them to their future successes."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 8 | What makes me a good teacher isn't the education courses I was required to take in order to teach but the math courses I took to develop a thorough understanding of my subject matter. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 1 | Unless I want to pursue administration, which in my mind is not teaching, I have no opportunity for promotion. |
| Job Security | 10 | I am a good teacher with good pass rates on standardized tests. The students always have positive things to say about my teaching and administrators are happy with my contributions to the school and the community. |
| Earnings Potential | 3 | My earnings depend on the state budget. There is no room for public education in the state budget. My earnings potential is limited at best. |
| How Stressful | 10 | The only way I can be a good teacher is through daily assessments so that I can keep a pulse on my students' learning. With daily assessments come daily lesson plans, remediation and enrichment plans, creating more assessments, and evaluating current assessments. All these instruments must be done every day for me to be an effective facilitator of knowledge and information. |
| Task Variety | 5 | The tasks are not varied, but the responses to the tasks are. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 5 | You are a "cool" teacher when you build relationships with your students and maintain their respect. I am cool in the eyes of my students, but not as in the prestige of my career. |
| Career Flexibility | 3 | The only flexibility I have is in which school within the district I teach at, and maybe which courses I teach. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | I interact with my colleagues, administrators, students, and community every day on the job. |
Job Title: Teacher
Attended: University Of California • Davis, CA
Studied English (completion in 1984)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/26/2012
"I enjoy being in the classroom, working with teenagers and watching them develop academically and socially. They can be troublesome at times, but it's always rewarding when students open up and share something about themselves."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 9 | Although UC Davis is most famous for its agriculture and veterinary programs, it offers many other areas of study. Its English program rivals that offered by any other university. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | Although there is really no room for promotion at particular schools, we can enjoy more earning potential. The more years we teach, the farther we progress on the pay scale. |
| Job Security | 7 | Teachers are being laid off these days as both federal and local governments make budget cuts. The odds are that some of us will be able to keep our jobs! |
| Earnings Potential | 8 | As I stated earlier, the more years of service we provide, the more money we can earn. New teachers' pay is rather low, but with more education and more time on the job, earnings increase. |
| How Stressful | 8 | Dealing with teenagers is always stressful. Additionally, we need to file reports, participate in extracurricular activities, and so on. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Tasks vary within the classroom, according to which lessons are being taught and topics covered. Administrative tasks, however, do not. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Being a high-school teacher is not exactly "cool." We just do our best to relate to students on our own terms. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | We need to be in the classroom to maintain continuity for academic and disciplinary reasons. For the most part, we can expect to teach Monday through Friday 8-3 but can arrange for time off with the principal's permission and, of course, in the events of personal illness or family issues. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | There is much interaction between fellow teachers and secretaries, administrators, etc. Much of this interaction centers around education, but there are also functions that encourage friendships and forming bonds. |
Job Title: Physics Teacher
Attended: Stony Brook University • Stony Brook, NY
Studied BSc. In Physics/M.Ed. (completion in 2009)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/30/2012
"The career is strictly dependent on the high school at which you happen to eventually find employment. Considering the current job market, even if you happen to be able to teach physics, you are really forced to take the first job you can. Some get lucky, I did not."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 5 | The university is an excellent institution for studying physics. The education program was a joint undergraduate-graduate program that allowed me to both get an actual degree in Physics, unlike the physics education degree, and receive a M.Ed. all in 5 years. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | This is a state job, therefore there is no real corporate ladder here. On the other hand, your pay continually increases, and if you take some extra classes or get another administrative degree, you can be promoted to administrative positions that pay significantly better, like head of department, vice principal, and others. |
| Job Security | 4 | The job itself has excellent security once you receive tenure. You are basically unfireable. However, it takes a couple of years to get it and you have to stay at the same school. I personally have not received tenure yet, and really have to watch my Ps and Qs, unlike the teachers who already have it. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | There are certainly jobs that pay better and are less stressful. However, the benefits are good, the job security eventually becomes excellent, and you can retire fairly early. |
| How Stressful | 8 | The job, for the level of responsibility you actually have, is extremely stressful. The students can be absolutely horrible, yet you have absolutely no authority to do anything to maintain order. On top of that, you constantly have to deal with the administration and sometimes the board who act more like politicians than school employees. |
| Task Variety | 3 | The job is extremely repetitive. The material never changes, and you get to reuse your notes from year to year. The only thing that changes are the students, but as a whole the different groups of students are relatively the same. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | Being a high school physics teacher is probably the least "cool" profession any person can imagine. The only reason it does not get a 1 is because it is clean, the hours are stable, and the pay is reasonable. |
| Career Flexibility | 4 | There is no part-time work really, and your schedule is more or less set in stone. However, it still varies a little depending on what you teach. Physics and math fields have a shortage of teachers and the school does give them some small breaks to make sure they do not start looking for other schools. |
| Social Orientation | 6 | You only get to interact with your coworkers during breaks and after classes are over. There are no business interactions, and most of the time it is just a bunch of people complaining about their days. |
Job Title: Teacher
Attended: Umass Amherst • Amherst, MA
Studied History (completion in 2008)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/29/2012
"I enjoy what I do but the hours and pay could be far better."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | The program is held in very high regard. However, there are better programs at the school. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | There is not much chance for promotion besides becoming department head, or in very rare cases, vice-principle. However, this is all based on seniority. |
| Job Security | 9 | I feel very confident in my job security. The likelihood of getting laid-off is not high. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | For the degree I hold, I don't make very much and probably won't make much in the future. However, the benefits package I get is fantastic. |
| How Stressful | 5 | The first year of teaching and creating lesson plans is very stressful. Every year after this tends to be less stressful and more routine. |
| Task Variety | 4 | A bad part of teaching is that the days can tend to blend together in monotony. Days tend to become more routine. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 3 | If you have ever been to high school you know there is not much glamour in it, even in teaching it. However, there are other aspects that make up for this. |
| Career Flexibility | 6 | The work hours themselves are not very flexible at all. However, there is already plenty of time off. |
| Social Orientation | 7 | Fellow teachers are very sociable. However, any aspect of a dating scene is practically non-existent. |
Job Title: Social Science Teacher
Attended: University Of South Florida • Tampa, FL
Studied Teaching (completion in 2011)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"I find it very rewarding to have my students come up to me after graduating and thank me for helping them along there journey. Also, as a parent I would like to think that what I'm doing is an inspiration for my children."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 5 | The only opportunities for promotion are to move into administration. Our school does offer benefits for teachers willing to get certified to teach math and science, though. |
| Job Security | 7 | I have a two year contract with my school. However, at the end of my contract I am not guaranteed a contract extension. |
| Earnings Potential | 7 | Teachers get a bad rap for not making a lot of money, but the way I look at it we're getting paid for working 9 months of the year. Also, the time off allows for making additional money working alternative jobs. |
| How Stressful | 9 | It is very stressful trying to make sure that 250+ students a year are learning the material so that they have bright futures. It is particularly stressful to try to get students to learn who have no desire to learn. Also, making sure the courses stay on schedule throughout the year causes a great deal of stress. |
| Task Variety | 5 | Daily tasks vary because each day you are teaching a new topic to your students. However, if you have to teach the same class to different groups each day, you tend to repeat material and it also comes up the next year. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | Obviously, students do not want to end up back in high school while they are students, so to them it is not very cool. However, when my neighbor sees me relaxing most of the summer while he is working, I know he is envious. |
| Career Flexibility | 9 | I enjoy having summers off and winter/spring break along with many holidays off. In particular, the summers allow me to attend field schools in the field of anthropology, which is what I got my B.A. in. |
| Social Orientation | 8 | Obviously there is continuous interaction with students and each day I interact with various other teachers. Also, a few times a month we have faculty meetings that provide interaction with the administration. |
Job Title: High School Mathematics Teacher
Attended: UW - Oshkosh • Oshkosh, WI
Studied Mathematics Education (completion in 2007)
Highest relevant degree: Master's
• Submitted: 1/27/2012
"I really enjoy finding ways to take more complicated mathematical processes and ideas and break them down into discrete steps. I like finding creative ways to then explain these concepts to students."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| School Rating | 7 | I think that some of the classes offered needed to have more of a connection to how they could be useful in teaching; there was a definite lack of consistency between the professors in this area. Some of the professors and classes were wonderful - the classes gave us an insight into new areas of mathematics, and applications at a lower high school level were discussed. Other classes were very theory-based, with little to no discussion on how we could use what we were learning to help with our careers. |
| Opportunity for Promotion | 2 | Unless I wanted to work toward eventually becoming department chair or working in administration (which I don't), there really are not opportunities for advancement. Salary wise, the more classes you take, the more you get paid... to a limit. I have already gotten my master's degree, so I am maxed out on that aspect of the salary scale. I could expand what I do (include more extracurriculars), but that is more of a lateral movement, not a promotion. |
| Job Security | 10 | I feel very secure in my job right now. I know there are a lot of budget cuts going on in education (especially in Wisconsin), but I feel I am a very good teacher and would not be replaced. Once a teacher is hired into a system, if he or she can prove themselves to be a valuable asset, they usually are not let go. |
| Earnings Potential | 6 | A public teacher's salary / benefits are not that great compared to a comparable job in the private sector. Now that the union bargaining power is destroyed, teachers have even lower salaries in many districts. |
| How Stressful | 9 | Meeting state standards and federal standards, as well as district standards and one's own guidelines on what he or she feels is important to teach, while still keeping students interested in the learning process, can be challenging. Conflicts between teacher and student, teacher and other staff, teacher and parent, and teacher and administration do occur. Plus, teachers need to be adaptable and be able to think on their feet and adjust when things do not go as planned (fire drills, snow days, etc. messing up lesson plans). |
| Task Variety | 8 | Every day is usually a new topic to teach, and even though they have been taught in previous years, the challenge is to be constantly looking for ways to improve them. Also, the students are different each year as well. Some stuff is repeated - grading, emailing, copying papers, etc., but that takes up a small percentage of my time. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 6 | I find my job to be new and exciting each day, with new challenges and new opportunities. However, to an outsider, teaching is not a career that one usually gets recognition for. |
| Career Flexibility | 2 | My work schedule is absolutely fixed; I work on school days for a fixed amount of time. There may be a possibility of part time work in teaching; that varies district by district. There are some part time teachers in my district. Working from home is not possible. While teachers are needed everywhere, jobs may not exist for them in a lot of places, as teachers often tend to stay in jobs once they get them (lower turnover rate). |
| Social Orientation | 10 | A teacher's job cannot be done without social interaction - mostly with other students, but with colleagues as well. I enjoy my time spent with those I work with and those I teach. |
Job Title: Social Studies: U.S. History Teacher
Attended: University Of Florida • Gainesville, FL
Studied History: College Of Liberal Arts And Sciences (completion in 2001)
Highest relevant degree: Bachelor's
• Submitted: 1/29/2012
"I am pleased to educate young minds in the History of our country. I would like to state that my pay is not very good, and I do this job for the kids."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Opportunity for Promotion | 4 | There are not a lot of opportunities for promotion. A higher degree of education is required for those jobs. |
| Job Security | 7 | It can be difficult to be a teacher. We have to do a very good job or risk being fired. |
| Earnings Potential | 5 | We are not paid very well, however it is enough to get by. The positive of the job is not the money, to say the least. |
| How Stressful | 6 | If you maintain a positive outlook, this job is a fun one. Students can be disruptive at times, but we handle them the very best we can. |
| Task Variety | 8 | It is basically up to us what to teach on a specific day. We must prepare our students for their future jobs, however. |
| How Cool Is The Career | 7 | I think it is very "cool" teaching students about U.S. History. I find students prefer History over other classes. |
| Career Flexibility | 5 | The schedule we have is average, because we have to basically come up with lesson plans before school starts. It is flexible because we get to choose the lesson plan, as long as it sticks to curriculum. |
| Social Orientation | 10 | We interact on a daily basis with other teachers and many students. |
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