I want to become a primary teacher even though most do not support me.
June 8, 2013 10:40 AM Subscribe
I have just graduated from university with a bachelor of science in environmental sciences. My dad would love for me to continue down that route and become an environmentalist. I want to be a primary teacher and he is not happy with that decision.
To be honest, most of the modules were boring, and though I am good at science it is definitely not my passion, although I am really glad I studied it overall the degree was interesting and I learned a lot.
My uncle was a teacher for a few years and now is deputy head. He says there is a shortage of good teachers in the UK which is where i live, and he thinks I would be a good teacher and could eventually become head.
My dad says it is not well paid and that it is a lot more interesting to work with the environment because I'd be able to travel and be with animals and nature. I do love those things, but when i think of becoming a teacher and having my own classroom and being with children, I get butterflies in my stomach and i feel i would love it. I have classroom experience already.
Another thing is that I feel people will think it is not challenging enough, and wonder why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching. I know this sounds like I rely too much on what people think, but it is just difficult receiving so much support from friends and family on my choice of degree, and now not receiving much support for wanting to teach. I have wanted to teach for a few years now, but chose environmental science because I love nature and to become a teacher in England you first need a degree. Am I making a big mistake into choosing this route, or should i just do what I want to do even though I have no support other than from my uncle? Thank you..
To be honest, most of the modules were boring, and though I am good at science it is definitely not my passion, although I am really glad I studied it overall the degree was interesting and I learned a lot.
My uncle was a teacher for a few years and now is deputy head. He says there is a shortage of good teachers in the UK which is where i live, and he thinks I would be a good teacher and could eventually become head.
My dad says it is not well paid and that it is a lot more interesting to work with the environment because I'd be able to travel and be with animals and nature. I do love those things, but when i think of becoming a teacher and having my own classroom and being with children, I get butterflies in my stomach and i feel i would love it. I have classroom experience already.
Another thing is that I feel people will think it is not challenging enough, and wonder why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching. I know this sounds like I rely too much on what people think, but it is just difficult receiving so much support from friends and family on my choice of degree, and now not receiving much support for wanting to teach. I have wanted to teach for a few years now, but chose environmental science because I love nature and to become a teacher in England you first need a degree. Am I making a big mistake into choosing this route, or should i just do what I want to do even though I have no support other than from my uncle? Thank you..
Listen to your heart. Don't listen to people who discourage you to follow your dream, they are just expressing what they think, you don't have to listen to them. You know what is best for you, you feel it so be a teacher. Your dad will get over it, believe me. And if now, too bad for him. The only important thing is what YOU think.
posted by daile at 10:50 AM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by daile at 10:50 AM on June 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I have a friend who is a first grade teacher. It is indeed challenging!
posted by radioamy at 10:51 AM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by radioamy at 10:51 AM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Absolutely do what you want to do. You are the one who has to live it, who has to spend 8 hours a day, five days a week performing tasks that the job entails. It's more important, I think, that you end up enjoying the minute-by-minute chores of your day, rather than slogging through work that your heart isn't really invested in, only at the end of the day getting to potentially tell people you have a "cool" job.
posted by Squee at 10:52 AM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Squee at 10:52 AM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Another thing is that I feel people will think it is not challenging enough, and wonder why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching.
There are a lot of good and bad sides to a career in teaching - but the bad sides generally don't include "not challenging." If anything, it's quite the opposite.
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:00 AM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
There are a lot of good and bad sides to a career in teaching - but the bad sides generally don't include "not challenging." If anything, it's quite the opposite.
posted by Tomorrowful at 11:00 AM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
One of the toughest but also most important parts of becoming an adult is figuring out what you want for your own life. Sometimes this matches what your parents want for you, but often it doesn't, and that's the situation you're in now. It can be painful going through that process, especially when you're used to having a lot of support from your parents, but it's so important that you go through it.
Also, to be honest, it sounds like your father doesn't really know much of what he's talking about. Environmental scientists (which is a huuuuuuuge and varied field) don't spend all their time traveling and hanging out with animals. And that's fine - he doesn't need to be an expert on every field. But you are totally within your rights to smile indulgently at your dad's ideas and do what you want with your life.
You know what you want to do.
posted by the essence of class and fanciness at 11:01 AM on June 8, 2013
Also, to be honest, it sounds like your father doesn't really know much of what he's talking about. Environmental scientists (which is a huuuuuuuge and varied field) don't spend all their time traveling and hanging out with animals. And that's fine - he doesn't need to be an expert on every field. But you are totally within your rights to smile indulgently at your dad's ideas and do what you want with your life.
You know what you want to do.
posted by the essence of class and fanciness at 11:01 AM on June 8, 2013
Is there really a shortage of teachers, though? I have a teaching degree and in the province where I am (population 4 million), student enrolment has declined by 45,000 students in the 13 years since I got my degree. I'm not a teacher, and in some ways the money I paid for my (second) degree was a bit of a waste. I do like teaching though.
posted by KokuRyu at 11:02 AM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by KokuRyu at 11:02 AM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Things that do not matter: what your father (OR your uncle!) think is a better job; nor other people's opinion of what constitutes a 'cool job'.
Things that DO matter: your preferences, your interests, your --- forgive the cliche--- passion.
posted by easily confused at 11:11 AM on June 8, 2013
Things that DO matter: your preferences, your interests, your --- forgive the cliche--- passion.
posted by easily confused at 11:11 AM on June 8, 2013
Don't you still have to take a teacher training course to become a QTS in the UK? Do you have any work experience at all? I think you should do what you want, and if you want to teach, then find a way to get the training and certification you need as quickly as possible.
posted by Ideefixe at 11:19 AM on June 8, 2013
posted by Ideefixe at 11:19 AM on June 8, 2013
My dad says ... that it is a lot more interesting to work with the environment because I'd be able to travel and be with animals and nature.
OK, so let your dad go be an environmental scientist.
I don't think it's a good idea to ever let other people tell you what you should think is more interesting, or what you should enjoy spending your time doing.
You just graduated from university with a degree in environmental science. I'd guess that you probably know more about the field and what your level of interest is than your dad does, unless he is also an environmental scientist. In all seriousness, in university did you meet anyone who does this for a living, or have any classmates who went on to work in the field? If you don't have a sense of the job and what it entails, and whether you'd like to do it, I think it would be better to talk to people like that than to talk to someone who knows little about it.
posted by Sara C. at 11:28 AM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
OK, so let your dad go be an environmental scientist.
I don't think it's a good idea to ever let other people tell you what you should think is more interesting, or what you should enjoy spending your time doing.
You just graduated from university with a degree in environmental science. I'd guess that you probably know more about the field and what your level of interest is than your dad does, unless he is also an environmental scientist. In all seriousness, in university did you meet anyone who does this for a living, or have any classmates who went on to work in the field? If you don't have a sense of the job and what it entails, and whether you'd like to do it, I think it would be better to talk to people like that than to talk to someone who knows little about it.
posted by Sara C. at 11:28 AM on June 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
It is your life and career and your father sounds clueless.
(My impression is that most environmental jobs are related to compliance and remediation - the natural result of the legislation and regulations that come about due to environmental activism.)
posted by Good Brain at 11:42 AM on June 8, 2013
(My impression is that most environmental jobs are related to compliance and remediation - the natural result of the legislation and regulations that come about due to environmental activism.)
posted by Good Brain at 11:42 AM on June 8, 2013
I had a friend once with a similar dilemma. She wanted to do something with her career, and her parents disapproved. She was torn! She loved and cared about them!
And so I was blunt. "Friend, one day, your parents will be dead. And you will still be here, doing whatever work you've decided to do, except that it will probably be too late to make a career change at that point. Which means that in the long run, what you want is the only important thing here, not what they want. Because when your time comes, they won't be the ones looking back with regret over what you missed. You will."
And she went and did what she wanted, which she probably would have anyway, but she's been very happy. And her parents sniffed and moaned but got over it.
Perhaps you are worried, that, having made the bold choice to teach, you discover later you hate it, or that something else makes it impossible to do. And then your father may say "Told you so!" or something to that effect.
You have to let that go. You have to let pleasing your parents go, as a goal, now that you're an adult. It is no longer your job to please them. You can love them, be polite to them, and still say "Well, it's my life, and that's what I'm doing with it. So, what's Aunt Margaret up to?"
posted by emjaybee at 12:04 PM on June 8, 2013 [8 favorites]
And so I was blunt. "Friend, one day, your parents will be dead. And you will still be here, doing whatever work you've decided to do, except that it will probably be too late to make a career change at that point. Which means that in the long run, what you want is the only important thing here, not what they want. Because when your time comes, they won't be the ones looking back with regret over what you missed. You will."
And she went and did what she wanted, which she probably would have anyway, but she's been very happy. And her parents sniffed and moaned but got over it.
Perhaps you are worried, that, having made the bold choice to teach, you discover later you hate it, or that something else makes it impossible to do. And then your father may say "Told you so!" or something to that effect.
You have to let that go. You have to let pleasing your parents go, as a goal, now that you're an adult. It is no longer your job to please them. You can love them, be polite to them, and still say "Well, it's my life, and that's what I'm doing with it. So, what's Aunt Margaret up to?"
posted by emjaybee at 12:04 PM on June 8, 2013 [8 favorites]
Does dad see himself boasting "My son the environmental scientist"? Does dad cringe to admit "My son the grade school teacher"?
posted by Cranberry at 12:04 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Cranberry at 12:04 PM on June 8, 2013
You should gather objective data on salaries, employment openings and quit rates, as well as the experiences of other young people. There are people who look down on any job; I wouldn't let prestige bogeymen influnce me too much. Teaching has challenges which are very different from science field work; you have to decide what they're worth to you. Teachng sucked to me, because the hard parts were loathesome and not worth the low pay. Other people love it and would do it for free.
posted by Ms Vegetable at 12:11 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Ms Vegetable at 12:11 PM on June 8, 2013
With these decisions I ask myself - what will I regret more, trying it or not trying it?
posted by Laura_J at 12:22 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by Laura_J at 12:22 PM on June 8, 2013
Best answer: I can't really offer you any good advice, but just thinking about those kids who will have a passionate, nature-loving teacher to enrich their childhoods puts a smile on my face....
posted by ipsative at 2:10 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ipsative at 2:10 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
In my view, primary teachers are the most important people in our society. I've heard Finland sees it that way and pays accordingly. It's a disgrace that anyone sees it at "too easy". Well educated teachers have an impact far beyond what a mainstream university researcher can achieve, because their students go out and achieve multitudes.
I was lucky enough to have had amazing university educated math and science teachers in primary school, almost by coincidence. The joblessness rate for their generation was huge, and as they moved to teaching the last boomer generations in primary school, my school was responsive to their plight.
Among my normal class, 25% went on to get Phds, and all but one now have college-level educations. In my understanding, the primary school educators should have much more credit for that than our many different secondary school teachers (who never achieved anything like that), or even university.
And in that sense, our primary school math and science teachers contributed much more to society than any of their peers.
Also, one of my math teachers studied theology while he taught us part time (reading Ivanhoe for us each Friday), and eventually became a bishop. Isn't that a feel-good ending?
posted by mumimor at 2:29 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I was lucky enough to have had amazing university educated math and science teachers in primary school, almost by coincidence. The joblessness rate for their generation was huge, and as they moved to teaching the last boomer generations in primary school, my school was responsive to their plight.
Among my normal class, 25% went on to get Phds, and all but one now have college-level educations. In my understanding, the primary school educators should have much more credit for that than our many different secondary school teachers (who never achieved anything like that), or even university.
And in that sense, our primary school math and science teachers contributed much more to society than any of their peers.
Also, one of my math teachers studied theology while he taught us part time (reading Ivanhoe for us each Friday), and eventually became a bishop. Isn't that a feel-good ending?
posted by mumimor at 2:29 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
"Another thing is that I feel people will think it is not challenging enough, and wonder why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching. "
You say, "I'm not sure what cooler job there is than influencing generations of young people and helping them learn to love science!"
I'm sort-of personally ticked off on your behalf because my uncle, who got one of the first PhDs in environmental science in the U.S., went and taught high school biology for 30 years with it. He sent HUNDREDS of kids to college in the sciences. He was recognized by the president for his excellence in science teaching and his contributions to the country through his excellent, innovative educational methods. He was recognized repeatedly by his city and his state for his contributions to the environment -- creating one of the state's first recycling programs, creating student-led environmental restoration projects, building community green spaces, creating curriculum for nature centers, all kinds of things. Many of his students have gone on to do awesome things because he got them hooked on science. He just retired at the end of this year and visited me with some scientific samples from his cleaned-out classroom in his suitcase to give to MY kids to help get THEM hooked on science. It is hard to imagine a better-lived, more important life than his.
People telling you it's uninteresting or unimportant or unexciting or unchallenging have no idea. No idea.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:38 PM on June 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
You say, "I'm not sure what cooler job there is than influencing generations of young people and helping them learn to love science!"
I'm sort-of personally ticked off on your behalf because my uncle, who got one of the first PhDs in environmental science in the U.S., went and taught high school biology for 30 years with it. He sent HUNDREDS of kids to college in the sciences. He was recognized by the president for his excellence in science teaching and his contributions to the country through his excellent, innovative educational methods. He was recognized repeatedly by his city and his state for his contributions to the environment -- creating one of the state's first recycling programs, creating student-led environmental restoration projects, building community green spaces, creating curriculum for nature centers, all kinds of things. Many of his students have gone on to do awesome things because he got them hooked on science. He just retired at the end of this year and visited me with some scientific samples from his cleaned-out classroom in his suitcase to give to MY kids to help get THEM hooked on science. It is hard to imagine a better-lived, more important life than his.
People telling you it's uninteresting or unimportant or unexciting or unchallenging have no idea. No idea.
posted by Eyebrows McGee at 3:38 PM on June 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
Good scientists are passionate about what they do. Good teachers are passionate about what they do. I'm not so sure you'd makes great scientist from what you've said. Teaching on the other hand...
posted by jujulalia at 3:53 PM on June 8, 2013
posted by jujulalia at 3:53 PM on June 8, 2013
it is a lot more interesting to work with the environment because I'd be able to travel and be with animals and nature
A friend of mine is in environmental science. They are passionate about their job, glad to be doing something important to help preserve the environment, and feel they are making a difference in the world.
Are they passionate about their job because they get to be with animals and nature all day? I haven't asked, but I suspect that these things don't appear in their office environment or excell spreadsheets. There is travel involved, going to conferences -- there might be animals there if some of the attendees have service dogs.
They did work in "nature" on a previous job, visiting polluted industrial sites.
I have also known several people in hydrology who get to do most of their work out of doors, much of the work in this seems to be measuring pollution around gas stations.
This is important work, and necessary, and helps people, and everyone I've known doing it seems very very happy with the path they chose -- but I'm sure if they chose these fields because they liked "animals and nature" that they would have been extremely disappointed.
why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching
Is it more important to have a job other people will think is cool just from the job title, or to do something you really enjoy?
Do you care more about enjoying your work, or having other people think you enjoy your work?
It sounds like these are things you are deciding for yourself now. Everyone needs to decide these for themselves.
I have wanted to teach for a few years now, but chose environmental science because I love nature and to become a teacher in England you first need a degree. Am I making a big mistake into choosing this route, or should i just do what I want to do even though I have no support other than from my uncle?
If you were in the US it would be fairly easy to get a degree and a teaching cert at the same time, you'd only need a few extra classes, I don't know how it works in England.
It's not clear from your question if the problem is financial support or that your family simply says things about your career choice. If it doesn't make any difference as far as paying for school goes, and since you aren't bent on some field where jobs are hard to come by, do what you want to do!
posted by yohko at 5:46 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
A friend of mine is in environmental science. They are passionate about their job, glad to be doing something important to help preserve the environment, and feel they are making a difference in the world.
Are they passionate about their job because they get to be with animals and nature all day? I haven't asked, but I suspect that these things don't appear in their office environment or excell spreadsheets. There is travel involved, going to conferences -- there might be animals there if some of the attendees have service dogs.
They did work in "nature" on a previous job, visiting polluted industrial sites.
I have also known several people in hydrology who get to do most of their work out of doors, much of the work in this seems to be measuring pollution around gas stations.
This is important work, and necessary, and helps people, and everyone I've known doing it seems very very happy with the path they chose -- but I'm sure if they chose these fields because they liked "animals and nature" that they would have been extremely disappointed.
why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching
Is it more important to have a job other people will think is cool just from the job title, or to do something you really enjoy?
Do you care more about enjoying your work, or having other people think you enjoy your work?
It sounds like these are things you are deciding for yourself now. Everyone needs to decide these for themselves.
I have wanted to teach for a few years now, but chose environmental science because I love nature and to become a teacher in England you first need a degree. Am I making a big mistake into choosing this route, or should i just do what I want to do even though I have no support other than from my uncle?
If you were in the US it would be fairly easy to get a degree and a teaching cert at the same time, you'd only need a few extra classes, I don't know how it works in England.
It's not clear from your question if the problem is financial support or that your family simply says things about your career choice. If it doesn't make any difference as far as paying for school goes, and since you aren't bent on some field where jobs are hard to come by, do what you want to do!
posted by yohko at 5:46 PM on June 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
wonder why i would ever give up a cool sounding job for teaching.
Because you want to teach.
Another thing is that I feel people will think it is not challenging enough, and
Primary school teaching is one of the most challenging things anyone can ever do (which is exactly why I only got half way through my teaching course).
Do what you're interested in.
posted by heyjude at 6:27 PM on June 8, 2013
Because you want to teach.
Another thing is that I feel people will think it is not challenging enough, and
Primary school teaching is one of the most challenging things anyone can ever do (which is exactly why I only got half way through my teaching course).
Do what you're interested in.
posted by heyjude at 6:27 PM on June 8, 2013
Response by poster: Kokuryu- My uncle said there was a shortage of good teachers, not teachers in general.
It is just hard disappointed my dad, as we get along so well and usually agree on most things and sort of are a 'team', and I feel this will break it. But it is my life, and i should learn to form my own opinions without relying on his approval.
Thank you all for the wonderful replies, which have encouraged me to pursue teaching.
posted by lovisa91 at 3:44 AM on June 9, 2013
It is just hard disappointed my dad, as we get along so well and usually agree on most things and sort of are a 'team', and I feel this will break it. But it is my life, and i should learn to form my own opinions without relying on his approval.
Thank you all for the wonderful replies, which have encouraged me to pursue teaching.
posted by lovisa91 at 3:44 AM on June 9, 2013
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 10:49 AM on June 8, 2013 [22 favorites]