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frankcritic
Snowy Owl
Joined: Apr 25, 2008
Age: 27
Posts: 145
Location: United States, AR
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 Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 1:44 am Post subject: No Teaching For Me |
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I had my interview for the teaching program today. Oh, they let me in but they told me that teaching was a group effort and that there's no room for lone wolves. It was made clear that I'd have to engage in group work with other teachers on a constant basis and that that would influence my lesson plans. As much as I was willing to bend over backwards to a spine-snapping degree for this career, if the workplace environment is fundamentally anti-individualist, I'll never survive in it.
So, even though I've worked on it for over a year, I'll give up on teaching. There's virtually no job where you can avoid working with others, so I'll have to become a freelance writer. It's the least human contact possible.
-Frank |
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Island
Tufted Titmouse
Joined: Jun 07, 2008
Age: 27
Posts: 26
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 11:50 am Post subject: |
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I understand. I just finished my first year of teaching, but it was in the Special Education department. I've learned that we're often ignored anyway (a lot of people are afraid of the children, so they don't bother with me either). Other teachers are polite, but I never have much communication with them. Ideal, huh? Only problem is that I had a couple of aides, but I just tried to focus on the kiddos as much as possible.
_________________
What fresh hell is this?
Shut up! I'm having a rhetorical conversation. |
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Scheherazade
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jan 15, 2007
Posts: 154
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| Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 2:45 pm Post subject: |
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What about finding a specialization in teaching? Instructional design seems to be a growing interest lately, and while you may have to attend meetings, I suspect that there is a fair amount of time for you to work alone. Plus, a lot of institutions are getting into online learning, so you may be able to find work designing and/or administering online learning programs. Not just in schools, but universities/colleges and even in businesses (as an aspect of training staff). Or you might be able to find work with testing organizations like ETS, or Kaplan and Princeton Review - helping to develop SAT tests or study materials.
So... don't give up on the teaching just yet. See if there is someone you can talk to about other things you can do as a teacher that give you a little more independence. Worst case scenario you could always et a PhD in Education and teach teachers how to teach.  That would give you more independence than you'd get teaching in an elementary or high school. |
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penny07960
Snowy Owl
Joined: Jun 10, 2008
Age: 44
Posts: 154
Location: US - right coast
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 5:59 pm Post subject: why teaching?? |
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I am mystified as to why you would want to teach. I have a (tiny) bit of experience teaching at the college level - which is much easier than teaching grade-school kids. To teach well you must [u]connect [/u]with your class. You must constantly pick up subtle signs that they aren't following, or are getting bored. This is much harder than merely coordinating with a few other teachers on a 'game plan'.
If interpersonal stuff is hard/unpleasant for you - and I understand that, i avoid it when possible - of all possible careers, why would you pick teaching?
Penny
Software (almost no interpersonal interactions required!!) Engineer |
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MsTriste
OTS
Joined: Dec 08, 2005
Age: 44
Posts: 3373
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| Posted: Thu Jun 12, 2008 6:23 pm Post subject: |
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I've taught college-level, and now I'm teaching staff. I find teaching works really well for me, I just go into teach mode and that's easier than interpersonal mode. I abhor staff meetings, though, and dream of the day I can be excused from them due to my AS.
My suggestion for the original poster is to see if maybe college-level teaching might be easier, less group involvement is generally required. Think of how many undiagnosed aspies are professors. |
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Tohlagos
Phoenix
Joined: Apr 26, 2008
Age: 37
Posts: 932
Location: Boise, ID
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| Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 9:59 am Post subject: |
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Frank,
Sorry to hear the teaching route did not work out. If you do go into free lance writing, I hope that is more successful for you.
This is definitely a "warm beans" type of situation. 
_________________
Ah yes... that hurricane of hate and anger still swirls with reckless abandon within the recess of my soul... may the peace and light in the center of that never-ending storm lead me to that promised paradise... I only have faith in what I know. |
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ignisfatuus
Raven
Joined: Feb 06, 2008
Posts: 116
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 3:13 am Post subject: |
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Very few people can scrape an existence out of writing. I would keep a 'day job' if I were you and dabble at night with the quill and paper.
As far as teaching is concerned, if you can handle standing in front of and instructing a group of uninterested children/teenagers, the rest is pie.
_________________
"In certain kinds of writing, particularly in art criticism and literary criticism, it is normal to come across long passages which are almost completely lacking in meaning." George Orwell |
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frankcritic
Snowy Owl
Joined: Apr 25, 2008
Age: 27
Posts: 145
Location: United States, AR
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| Posted: Wed Jun 18, 2008 11:09 am Post subject: |
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Inherited wealth will provide a cushion for me here. The whole day job thing...I may not be capable of holding down a job. That's a reality that's very damning but that I've just come to accept. If you lack social skills, you might be fatally crippled in the modern workplace. Not the workplace of even 10 years ago mind, but workplaces of today are so based upon teamwork and cooperation that the work itself is social. You can't just concentrate on the work and ignore the social element.
As far as teaching is concerned, I can handle the students just fine. It's the other teachers that make the profession impossible for me.
-Frank |
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