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In Need of a Career Change?

In Need of a Career Change?

How can teaching become an option

Have you been too moody lately? Are you complaining about anything and everything? Feeling you have not been yourself?

Has your body been telling you that something is wrong by lacking concentration, being exhausted all the time? Is your body aching?

Well, these are signs that tell us that, sometimes, a job is not just the money. The feeling of fulfillment does not always go hand in hand with the career chosen for life.

Changing careers is not so easy, being family sustenance the main reason. If you feel that you are disconnected from your passions and your professional life has not been rewarding as you may have expected, probably it is time for a change. Sometimes, your professional career is being rewarding, but still, you need something else, something extra to complete you. In both cases, as a total swift or, as a second job, teaching is an option. It is not for everyone, though.

If, for whatever reason, you have come across the possibility of embarking on a career in education, there are some issues to consider first.

  • You will be expected to have excellent communication skills. Although communication skills are essential in any field, in teaching, the fact of how you present a topic, how it is written, and your abilities to listen and speak will be the key to a successful class. 
  • Your communication skills will also be present on how you deal with diversity, people from the most varied background in terms of age, ethnicity, culture, social strata, religion, etc. You will need to capitalize on specific qualities, such as patience, understanding, openness, courtesy, respect of differences, which will make your students feel more comfortable and thus, become better listeners ready to receive what you have to give.
  • Critical thinking also plays a vital role in the teaching-learning process. Teachers need to be able to lead and support their students in analyzing, evaluating, and reaching conclusions to help them become independent thinkers.
  • The minimum educational requirement to become a teacher is a bachelors degree. However, most states expect a Masters degree within the first years in the profession. It would help if you found out what your state requirements are.

If you are thinking of becoming rich with a job in a school or college, then this is most likely not the path you should take. However, education will provide you with a full range of options, not only in teaching, where you can get employment faster than you think.

According to BLS, Occupational Employment Statistics, Employment of education, training, and library occupations are projected to grow 5 percent from 2018 to 2028. About 512,900 new jobs are expected to be added from 2018 to 2028. BLSprojection shows that enrollment is expected to increase at both the college and university level and among public elementary and secondary schools. Therefore teachers at all levels will be needed to meet the demand. In the case of education, training, and library occupations, as they are affected by state and local budgets,  budgetary restrictions can limit employment growth.

The median annual salary for education, training, and library occupations was $49,700 in May 2018, which was higher than the median yearly wage for all occupations of $38,640.

 

Occupation

 

 

2018 Median Pay

Teacher Assistants

$26,970

Library Technicians and Assistants

$29,640

Preschool Teachers

$29,780

Archivists, Curators, and Museum Workers

$48,400

Adult Literacy and High School Equivalency Diploma Teachers

$53,630

Career and Technical Education Teachers

$56,750

Kindergarten and Elementary School Teachers

$57,980

Middle School Teachers

$58,600

Librarians

$59,050

Special Education Teachers

$59,780

High School Teachers

$60,320

Instructional Coordinators

$64,450

Postsecondary Teachers

$78,470

 

 

Source: https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/home.htm

Now, if teaching is your calling, if you feel that besides academic learning, you can add your professional insight to your students and school community, then go for it. Teaching is a profession that is widely enriched by experience from outside the classroom. Students and the school community will benefit from what you are sure to contribute.