Recently I have been sort of questioning my plan for education and thinking more along the lines of a sociology major. Now, I understand that this topic is very broad, but I have come to this idea through various thoughts and experiences including, my working at Girls Inc (after school program), my intense dislike for long term planning, and my drive of working with people- this includes children- in a helpful environment.
This school year I have been working at an after-school facility for Manchester girls ages 5-15- Girls Incorporated. This is a well renowned, national, non-profit program which has helped the lives of many local community members, including my family. I have worked there for the last two summers and this year, upon my transfer to SNHU I have been able to work there after school as well. I enjoy working there very much and everyday I am able to pull something good or happy from my time spent working/teaching, but it has become very stressful and rather concerning. I have come to realize my habit of favoritism towards certain children, and in the teaching field, that is a huge no-no. Also, I have become aware of my sinking level of patience for some of the girls I work with, and that concerns me for my patience level when it comes to education. I am not trying to sound like a big cry baby about this, simply stating that various (rather negative) personal qualities have come to the surface as a result of working at Girls Inc after school.
I have never liked planning. Not even vacations or birthdays or exciting events. The idea of it is daunting to me. I am what some may call a "fly by the seat of my pants" sort of planner in that I sort of do what is best and right at the time and make it up as I go. That's no to say I don't plan ANYTHING simply, I don't go out of my way to plan things. Teaching is a profession where everything for pretty much the entire year is planned out perfectly with little wiggle room, because in order to accomplish all that needs to be accomplished within 180 days, it needs to be. This idea terrifies me, and I simply don't want to do it.
Finally, I have learned throughout the course of this pat summer and this school year that I enjoy working with individuals of all ages and feel good about helping them in anyway possible. Therefore with that thought in mind (helping everying not simply helping kids), sociology opens up a broad range of professional fields to work in: Counseling, Case Management, Advocacy, Mental Health Services, Programming, and Administration to name a few. This idea is not only appealing to me because it incorporates more of what I want to do, the less stressful path of getting to where I want to be, and it leads to potential professional happiness-more so than I think teaching could offer.
Now this is not to say that I will never want to be a teachers, simply that I might have jumped into the idea of education too quick before taking time to explore various fields. College is the perfect time in which to change you mind and explore new interest, and i intend to so just that (assuming it doesn't cost too much...)
Recently, I too have been questioning whether or not teaching is the right profession for me. I am currently volunteering in a fourth grade class to help make that decision. I think that it is good that you have identified the qualities in yourself that wouldn't line up in the role of being a teacher. I am struggling with determining that myself. I think it's awesome that you've determined a back up plan. I have no clue what I want to be if I do decide that I do not want to be a teacher. Like you said, "college is the perfect time in which to change you mind and explore new interest".
ReplyDeleteI have also been questioning if teaching is right for me. Last year I was a Psycholohy major but realized I just couldn't get myself to be interest in it anymore. I always thought I wanted to work with people or children, for sure. After really thinking about it I'm still unsure what I want to do in my future. I think its awesome that you know what your interested in and are willing to try other things and your right, you don't need to know exactly what you want to do right now. College is to explore and try new things and see where your mind takes you. So I also agree with you. I just need to be more open to other opportunities.
ReplyDeleteThis is a fascinating discussion to follow! It's always important to examine and re-examine our goals. Honestly, Moira- if you sense that your level of patience isn't where you would like it be, a few factors could be at play. It can be really hard to manage behavior and instill structure in a situation under which you have no control. You aren't in charge there, so you weren't able to set the standard. Long term planning was never my strong point either. I am a much better "intuitive teacher", one who makes a general plan and then goes with the flow of the students.
ReplyDeleteYou can possess these qualities and be a good teacher! But for all 3 of you who are thinking carefully about your choices, the more time you spend in classrooms, talking to teachers, exploring #ntchat and other online communities about the reality of teaching, the more you will know.
Thank you all for your input and understanding! It helps to know that I'm not alone with this struggle, if I can even call it that.. regardless it helps to know I'm not the only one! I am worried that if i do decide to change will I like what I changed to even less? It's all just really overwhelming sometimes but working through it with peers like this helps a lot, so thank you again for you thoughtful words of wisdom :)
ReplyDeleteI have had some of the same struggles when thinking about my career as a teacher. What really scares me is the whole idea about having to teach math to my students because I am not the best at math period and teaching it is way harder. Also, I think that I would be better as a personal trainer because I love the way that the body changes with hard work and detection. I think that I would like doing that so much more then teaching, but there is something about teaching that I really enjoy. I think it has to do with working with children just like you and your girls inc. But this is a great post to relate too!
ReplyDeleteThis was a great write-up and easily can make a future educator stop and think about if teaching is the profession they want. I never really asked these questions to myself, I honestly feel as if this is the only profession I can do. I don't really like anything else besides school, I would much rather be a truck driver just to keep myself happy. Teaching for me is really the only profession I can be happy with at least that involves a college education. I just asked myself these questions and they do scare me to think about but I feel that I can handle it. It is very overwhelming and that I agree with. Word of advice, do whatever makes you the happiest. Life is to short to waste it doing something that makes you depressed or not happy with yourself. Do you know what you want to do with a sociology major by any chance? what future careers?
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