Life Decisions can be so complicated.[solved]

I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up

So I am planning on attending Digipen for graphics design and computer repair in the fall. This I'm almost positive on. the problem I have is, I kind of want to go into teaching computers and graphics design instead of working for a company.

Are there any extra classes you have to take to be able to teach it minus the 2 extra years of school? Is anyone here a teacher/do you make a fairly decent amount of money.

Money isn't too important as long as I have enough to pay off my school bills and live.

and I can't imagine anyone's had this problem but have you ever choose between making a large amount of money and being able to help people learn? I really like the latter but wouldn't like to be poor from college loans and a low paying salary... thanks

Demerdar

Teaching pays absolute shit, unless you teach college level courses. However, that requires a masters at the very least, if not a doctorate. If you want to work really awesome hours for around 24k a year, then go for it. Otherwise, you might be better off working for a company. And if you do decide to start teaching down the road, you'll have lots of valuable experience in the field, which will allow you to get that college level, well paying teaching job a lot easier.

Zeon

Depends on where you want to teach. If you teach highschool, youll make... ok money. I think it works out to somewhere around 15-16 dollars an hour, atleast to start. As you work longer youll make more, especially if you get into the union (If there is one). By the time my aunt retired, she was making around 100k a year teaching highschool math. Ofcourse, she did it for almost 40 years.

If you teach college/university level, or at a specialty school, you will undoubtedly make more.

The good part is if you decide you dont want to teach, or that you need more money, you will atleast have skills you can fall back on and make a career out of.

I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up

I wanted to teach at highschool level.

so are there any special classes to take?

and it is 6 years right? or is it 4?

Kismet

I know in my state you need a 4 year degree + 2 years of field experience or a Master's Degree to teach highschool level (unless your 4-year degree is in a field of education like Math Ed., English Ed., General Ed.)

Once you have that done, you have to take a certification test which is pretty simliar to the ACT or SAT, I used to proctor the exam on some weekends(75 bucks for a few hours)

Once you do that, you get to teach temporarily pending a review of your performance(by committee), after which you'll either be granted a license or not.

This is all for Oklahoma though, and licensing varies by state, so you may want to e-mail your state's department of education. Or whatever state you want to get licensed in. Their website may also prove helpful. Usually something like this would be found under "Alternative Placement" or "Alternative Licesening"

edit - also, some beginning salary info:

atf.org(American Federation of Teachers) wrote:

The average beginning teacher salary in the 2003-04 school year was $31,704

That's for a regular school year, so you'd have another 3ish months to do whatever you want.
Also, I would imagine you can get some decent benefits working as a teacher.

I'd Fuck Chuck Lidell Up

awesome thanks