Well, not really. But I'm considering it.
I've completed an online application to test the teaching waters. The paperwork to get my certification renewed is on my desk. I've contacted an old friend to pitch an idea about High School courses in Statistics and Psychology. And my stomach is in knots.
In case there was any doubt. Teaching is a suck job. I have theories about why teachers don't get respect and those theories mostly sit with the fact that teachers are largely unaccountable for their product. If a doctor fails to cure all of his patients, if a lawyer loses all of his cases, career suicide. But a teacher can fail to bring her students up a grade-level and gets to blame the students, parents, society. Imagine if a doctor said, "well, Joe was already sick when he came to me, of course I couldn't cure him."
But, I digress.
The pay is less than what I make, although not bad with my Ph.D. and experience.
Lesson plans, grading, other people's children, other children's parents, no freedom to eat or use the bathroom when I want. And other teachers like to whine! I hate whiners! They cut up in meetings, complain about paperwork, backstab, you name it. Anything they fuss at students for they are worse. And I know, because I did all that at four different schools, three districts, and even a private school. Plus I had a job in state professional development training teachers.
So if I'm such a hater, why am I considering going back?
Good Question.
I am bored in my current job. I'm BLOGGING now for Chrissake!
The hours and commute suck. People hate me b/c I'm state employed (for real, my mom introduces me to other teachers as the enemy). And most importantly, my babies are starting school. My sister watches them now and all three have stayed with relatives all their lives. I'm feeling super guilt about having them in school all year and summers too. I fell like teaching will allow me to have precious time with them that I don't get now.
Now don't think I'm kidding myself. I know during the summer they'll be watching tv, or at friends', I'm no June Cleaver. I never said the guilt was rational. They might be better off in a camp with structure and activities. I also feel a tug to do it right this time. I know I wasn't that bad, parents have told me they wish I would teach again. But with the shortage, I think I'd make more of a difference with 25 kids than trying to get the adults in charge to change like I'm doing now. Ironically, I left the classroom b/c I wanted to affect change on a larger scale. But guilt is a mo fo and it makes you do wierd things.
Like apply for a teaching job.
