School

[cpowell]

It's been crazy at school for the past month or so. That's the reason I haven't been on here more. We've been getting the kids ready for the TAKS tests, getting them ready for the retest if they failed the first time and then retesting. It has been really busy.
School is almost out for the summer now, for Conroe there are two more weeks but only one for other schools. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to the break. I really need to unwind and relax for a couple of weeks before I start something else. No, I am not going to teach summer school. I've had enough for one year. I am going fishing for a while. Shoot, I may fish the whole summer! Again! It sure was fun last year.

[tylerdan]

Congratulations for surviving another year. I have a lot for admiration for the faculty and staff at our schools. That is a hard job.

[kingwoodcatfisherman]

That is cool Cpowell that you are a teacher. Enjoy your summer !! :applause: I'll have to talk to you sometime. I have been wondering if teaching is a good career to be in if you like to fish alot and spend alot of time with your family. I have been thinking about being a teacher but I don't really know that much about it. Everyone tells me that teaching is such a hard job but I am use to having my own company and working six days a week with usually fourteen hour days so I am not sure what they mean when they are telling me about how hard teaching would be for me. I would think that I would be able to handle it unless every kid in the class acted like my six year old ! :icon_eek: The College here in Kingwood was telling me that they have a teacher's certification program that I could do that would enable me to be an elementary school teacher because I have a BS degree in Accounting from Texas A&M.

[greyloon]

KCF, math is a big need area for high schools. Many districts give an extra stipend for math teachers. Spring pays math teachers $3,000 extra per semester. You probably have enough hours in math with that accounting degree to be certified in the subject.

Teaching is difficult. Its the classroom that's the problem. Kids are t***s these days and have no respect for authority. Many parents are as bad. Then, the district places difficult loads on teachers and offer little support. Special ed is the other big area of need, as well as ESL.

[cpowell]

Six fourteen hour days? Yeah, sounds like you could fit right in...ha ha
Seriously, teaching is a great career. It is hard though, kids with serious attitudes and problems that match the parent's, long hours of grading homework and recording grades, parent calls about grades and behaviors. Districts expect a LOT for their money these days. The paperwork alone is akin to having your own business and the documentation required now is unbelievable.
The rewards though are unbelievable too. When a kid comes up to you 5-10 years later and says "I remember you! You were my teacher...." Kind of makes up for a lot of things.
The pay is low but the long term job satisfaction is worth it.
Teaching elementary, they tell me, is a LOT different than teaching Jr. High as I do. This is like raising 90 teenagers at once.
We probably need to go fishing sometime to really talk this over. ha ha ha
As for me; well like most teachers at the end of May, I am burned out and need to recharge. I've been at it for 19 years and I have reached the end of my string. I am really burned out now so I am retiring at the end of next year. That is UNLESS the economy completely tanks and then all bets are off for all of us.

[Gentleben]

read his post again, he aint had time for poop Q!!!!!!!!:lighting:
It's been crazy at school for the past month or so. That's the reason I haven't been on here more. We've been getting the kids ready for the TAKS tests, getting them ready for the retest if they failed the first time and then retesting. It has been really busy.
School is almost out for the summer now, for Conroe there are two more weeks but only one for other schools. I can't tell you how much I am looking forward to the break. I really need to unwind and relax for a couple of weeks before I start something else. No, I am not going to teach summer school. I've had enough for one year. I am going fishing for a while. Shoot, I may fish the whole summer! Again! It sure was fun last year.

[Ole Bill]

yep i remember when my teacher could bust my buttocks and send me home with a note and the ole man would bust it again for not being right for the teacher never hurt me any im better for it

[greyloon]

My wife teaches high school. She's taught at all grade levels, prefers high school. For half of the 18 years she's taught, it was mostly English, a thankless job. The rest of her time has been in art. She was one of the best English teachers around, but an even better art teacher. This year, she's had at least 5 students get full or partial art scholarships, some to prestigious schools. But, its a grind. The hours have become longer each year, expectations higher. If coming from private enterprise, the school bureaucracy is like none other you've experienced. Almost all of my career was in government, at every level except the Feds. School bureaucracy is the worst.

[kingwoodcatfisherman]

That sounds good Cpowell ! A Fishing Trip to discuss teaching !!!! My wife should agree to that. I can honestly tell her that I am getting career counseling !!! :applause:

They told me with the accounting degree that I have I could be a math teacher at the elementary level. I think there is a big difference in being miserable and being real miserable and then being terribly misserable when you are talking about teaching at the elementary level verses the middle school and HS levels. I am not that worried about being in a career were you don't feel appreciated. In the business that I used to own, none of the 250 cutomers that I served appreciated the almost 24/7 service that me and my company tried to provide them. All that they seemed that they cared about was that a can of coke stayed at 50 cents and that their monthly commission checks from the use of my equipment and services was paid before the 15th of each month. Out of all of the customers that I had in 15 years, I think I had two that send me a Christmas card. So, lack of appreciation doesn't scare me a bit. Plus, I have the experience of being married to Trish for twelve years !! :) I think that it would be rewarding if I could make a difference with just one kid in a year. Make a difference in more than one kid... I would consider it a blessing !!!! :applause: I appreciate everyones input on this matter. I will be trying to figure things out for me career wise during this Summer. For right now , I just want to fish and play with the kids !!!

[john]

CP my sister says the same thing.I sure hope she doesn't teach summer school this year..