ADVICE NEEDED FOR A COLLEGE MAJOR

[j brown's body]

My cousin did that. Started off in NYC inner city schools to try to make a difference. Very bad experience. Impossible to teach the kids that actually want to learn when there are so many others causing fights and general disruption. Ended up teaching abroad. Demand is good. Pay is not stellar of course, but you get the opportunity to live in many different parts of the world. Speaks four or five languages now, I believe.

I too, was motivated by the idea that I could make a difference in a tough school. If they would just listen to me. They didn't, and it was very frustrating. It became much more rewarding when I listened to them.

 

[j brown's body]

No shit. But if a blue state is so good for teachers of English, what's going wrong in the Blue Utopia of CA? You brought it up.

It might not have to do with the teachers. I taught in a school where students had literacy issues. I used to wonder if they had been read to as kids, if there were any books in the house and if any adult modeled reading. I decided these things were unlikely.

I think of someone taking music lessons. If they never practice on their own, they won't improve. But it's not the teacher's fault.

I think we have something like that here.

 

[L88]

[

It might not have to do with the teachers. I taught in a school where students had literacy issues. I used to wonder if they had been read to as kids, if there were any books in the house and if any adult modeled reading. I decided these things were unlikely.

I think of someone taking music lessons. If they never practice on their own, they won't improve. But it's not the teacher's fault.

I think we have something like that here.

I agree. And it is a socio economic problem that produces generational poverty.

 

[Allan]

Wild guess on my part, with what I know. But I would bet the English literacy rate is higher in Germany than in the US.

I looked it up. Germany does not, but Sweden, Malta, Netherlands and Denmark all have higher English literacy rates than the US.

 

[Taylor]

I too, was motivated by the idea that I could make a difference in a tough school. If they would just listen to me. They didn't, and it was very frustrating. It became much more rewarding when I listened to them.

I believe my cousin was more disillusioned by the attitude of the administration than the students, but certainly tired quickly of having to physically break up fights every day.

 

[L88]

I looked it up. Germany does not, but Sweden, Malta, Netherlands and Denmark all have higher English literacy rates than the US.

I'll go with your data, but when I worked in Germany, everybody I worked with or hung out with in the pubs were English literate by high accomplishment.

They just are reserved about letting Americans know that.

 

[L88]

I believe my cousin was more disillusioned by the attitude of the administration than the students, but certainly tired quickly of having to physically break up fights every day.

Again as I posted, I worked in a well to do district. I was very surprised by the physical violence in the HS. Especially among young ladies. I saw a VP get body slammed. I relieved when I got to him he didn't have a head injury. And he was a retired NFL player.

 

[Ikari]

My grandson wants to be a teacher. Any advice for him??

Don't.

We pay our teachers shit, there's too much instability within our educational system, etc. I mean, you'd likely find a job pretty easily with a teaching degree and proper certification. But schools are incredibly understaffed, overworked, underpaid and it's become a rather thankless profession.

 

[Allan]

I'll go with your data, but when I worked in Germany, everybody I worked with or hung out with in the pubs were English literate by high accomplishment.

They just are reserved about letting Americans know that.

The interesting thing about Europe is that many people are multilingual. I have a friend in Denmark whose son is learning his 4th language (German). He's only 13.

Then there's Philip Crowther...

 

[L88]

Don't.

We pay our teachers shit, there's too much instability within our educational system, etc. I mean, you'd likely find a job pretty easily with a teaching degree and proper certification. But schools are incredibly understaffed, overworked, underpaid and it's become a rather thankless profession.

Yes and no. Some districts are well staffed and well paid with time served. You have to search them out. But I do believe most find starting jobs in the shit schools dists first.

 

[j brown's body]

I believe my cousin was more disillusioned by the attitude of the administration than the students, but certainly tired quickly of having to physically break up fights every day.

Administration can be a nightmare for sure. I once had a principal who was out to get me and recruited the dept. chair in his cause. The next year, both had been transfered and I got very supportive administrators in return.

There was fighting in my school but there was never one in my room, fortunately. I was just lucky.

Cellphones is what caused me to retire.

 

[MaryP]

Don't do it. America is now the country where education is taboo. If he really wants to teach, advise him to move to a country where education is valued.

Poor advice. If knowledge is no longer shared, we're no better than jackals. Giving up is not an answer.

 

[Airyaman]

Poor advice. If knowledge is no longer shared, we're no better than jackals. Giving up is not an answer.

Teachers are poorly treated and paid in this country. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

 

[weaver2]

My grandson wants to be a teacher. Any advice for him??

He should find out which states have opted-out of Social Security retirement plans to state employees. Opt-out states were required set up their own state retirement plans. Many are poorly funded and badly managed. In some states the legislature can simply vote to take money from the plan and pay less. I believe there are eleven or twelve states that have these state retirement plans.

 

[MaryP]

Teachers are poorly treated and paid in this country. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

Teachers don't go into it for the money. Obviously.

 

[MaryP]

He should find out which states have opted-out of Social Security retirement plans to state employees. Opt-out states were required set up their own state retirement plans. Many are poorly funded and badly managed. In some states the legislature can simply vote to take money from the plan and pay less. I believe there are eleven or twelve states that have these state retirement plans.

Practical advice.

 

[Airyaman]

Teachers don't go into it for the money. Obviously.

At one time, the desire to educate meant something. Today, not so much. If my son told me he wanted to be a teacher, I would advise against it.

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[tshade]

Good advice. A Masters is a must for the earning power it affords.

depends on where you teach

 

[tshade]

Why is literacy so low in California?

the material that goes into the schools there is often low quality................hard to make a high quality product from it no matter how good you are at teaching

 

[tshade]

Literacy will always struggle in states with high immigration, but California schools in general have been in decline. This is largely due to spending priorities. People revolted over high taxes and the education system took the hit. Funding went from local level to state level. California public schools went from being among the best in the country to being among the worst, though things were improving last I checked.

depends where you are

 

[Taylor]

depends where you are

I don't think so. You can't learn a new language overnight. Kids who come from places where English isn't the native tongue will undoubtedly lower literacy test scores.

That isn't to say that many of them won't go on to master the language and speak it better than other kids who've lived here all of their lives.

There are substantial individual differences in language acquisition ability.

 

[L88]

Teachers are poorly treated and paid in this country. I wouldn't wish that on anyone.

It starts out that for sure. But in a good district pay increases regularly over time.
In Missouri they publish public employees salary.
You can see the median range. Per district.

School teacher pay | Public Pay | stltoday.com

Find earnings information for credentialed teachers and principals.

graphics.stltoday.com

This is the pay scale for one of the better dists.
You can drill down to the individual teacher.

Parkway School District salaries | Public Pay | stltoday.com

Find earnings information for credentialed teachers and principals.

graphics.stltoday.com

Here is the teachers pay for one of the 3 High Schools

West High salaries | Public Pay | stltoday.com

Find earnings information for credentialed teachers and principals.

graphics.stltoday.com

 

[L88]

the material that goes into the schools there is often low quality................hard to make a high quality product from it no matter how good you are at teaching

I get that. I was replying to Jbrowns snarky blue/red state bull shit.

 

[j brown's body]

I get that. I was replying to Jbrowns snarky blue/red state bull shit.

Yet you liked my response.

[

I agree. And it is a socio economic problem that produces generational poverty.

 

[L88]

Yet you liked my response.

Yes, I did. It was a very good post. I would like to think I don't need to dislike a person or classify them with one response. Anyway, have a good day!