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On College majors: job prospects/happiness?
Original Rufus
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
First some background.
I'm a sophomore in college, and I recently decided to add secondary education as a secondary degree to compliment my in-progess English major. Doing so will more or less guarantee me work right out of college. So far, I've taken two courses, and I'm enrolled in two more...however, it's looking like even if I were to forgoe going abroad next semester, I would still fail to graduate on time, and the work-load would likely cause me a mental breakdown.
So I have a choice to make.
I can either remain in college as an English and Secondary Education double major and risk insanity in the name of job security.
Or, I can simply focus on English, pick up a minor in something I enjoy, and let fate take over once I graduate.
Obviously the internet is not my only avenue of advice here, but I'd really like to hear some opinions.
I'm a sophomore in college, and I recently decided to add secondary education as a secondary degree to compliment my in-progess English major. Doing so will more or less guarantee me work right out of college. So far, I've taken two courses, and I'm enrolled in two more...however, it's looking like even if I were to forgoe going abroad next semester, I would still fail to graduate on time, and the work-load would likely cause me a mental breakdown.
So I have a choice to make.
I can either remain in college as an English and Secondary Education double major and risk insanity in the name of job security.
Or, I can simply focus on English, pick up a minor in something I enjoy, and let fate take over once I graduate.
Obviously the internet is not my only avenue of advice here, but I'd really like to hear some opinions.
Original Rufus on
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They do, but the workload will still ultimately be massive. I began the secondary ed major a year later than they tend to reccomend, and its appearing as though the accelerated pacing will make the last couple years of college hellish at best.
What Grundlterror said.
Also, coming from someone who has a BA in English, if you have even a little concern about job security, do the double major. Unless you just really want to go the MA/PhD or MFA route (or take the English degree into something else, like a law degree), I wouldn't take a single major in English. It's a great degree, and I love that I got it, but I got into it knowing that I'd have to get a masters. If that's not where you want to go, the double major is your best bet.
for an example, i live in Ohio. due to No Child Left Behind, the state has mandated that all high school teachers have their bachelors in their primary area of teaching, along with a master's degree in education within three years of obtaining their license.
what i'm saying is that a BA in secondary education doesn't really guarantee anything. plus, social studies teachers aren't exactly in high demand right now, so that's another thing to consider. if i were you, i'd find out as much about the teaching process in your state as you can before you make your decision.
My conflict lies in the fact that I know the workload would be, at best, hellish, and I wish to take the secondary ed principally because I fear joblessness, not out of any outstanding love for the craft, though I do find education interesting.
honestly dude, if that's the extent of your knowledge, i'd find out more about it. teaching isn't some job you can just do for a paycheck. if you don't have any real devotion to it, don't do it. it's hard work, and you're just going to end up wasting your time and your potential students time. i'd suggest tutoring in a local school for a while and see how it takes.
and read this: http://www.academploy.com/cert/certri.htm
from the looks of it, RI requires a similar process that Ohio does, except you've got 5 years to obtain your master's. seriously, read up. you're not really telling me exactly how much you know about the process, but if you think all you need is a BA, you might be in for a world of hurt.
I knew the Masters was an eventual necessity, but you can get work with just a bachelors, and most schools will subsidize the cost of your master's degree thereafter.
I'm not so concerned about the work as I am about the returns I'll see in terms of not feeling as though, like you said, my time was wasted.
some districts will pay for your master's, but often those are the districts hurting for teachers (read: crappy districts). and again, social studies teaching jobs are NOT in high demand. it is possible that you'd have to go outside of the state to find a job, and in that case a master's would be crucial.
and about the time wasting thing, again i emphasize the point that you should probably do some tutoring in a local school. like i said, teaching isn't just a regular ol' job to make money. if you aren't into it, you're going to be a horrible teacher. tutoring will help you figure out if it's for you.
I've actually been a pretty gainful tutor the past two years, and I've really come to enjoy helping students through their writing, but I question whether or not I can take the plunge into actually teaching full-time.
And as for the districts paying for your master's degree, I've spoken to a few teachers across a few differing districts who have all received some assistance. But yeah, it's a sketchy crutch to rely on.
have you been tutoring high school students in a high school setting (or middle school students in a middle school setting)? because if so, and you like it, then that's obviously something to consider.