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Teaching is a physically demanding job. Besides standing all day, as well as bending and lifting, depending on the age that you teach, many teachers develop nodules on their vocal chords from all of the talking/shouting. Then of course, there is the bladder problem. It's not like in an office when you can use the bathroom whenever you please. I have seen some rare teachers hang on until their early 70s, but that's not common.
There is also age discrimination in education. Perhaps, you can look in an area that has a teacher shortage. Otherwise the administration tries to push out the older teachers, even if they are not receiving higher salaries because of their start date. The grass always seems greener.
I'm a high school teacher, and I like it, but I've seen teachers stay too long and I sure don't wanna be "that guy."
I can probably get 60% of my current pay if I pull the trigger. I could wait till 65 but I want to have a long, happy retirement and want to jump on it. It's 10k a year more if I wait till 65.
Keeping stuff vague on purpose. Want to see what gets said. No grandkids, will probably work in some way after while I pull the pension.
Thoughts?
I've seen a lot of folk return to the workforce, often on short term contract positions, after "retirement" simply because they felt "lost" and needed to fill a void in their lives. They didn't need the money, or seem to particularly enjoy their job.
These were folk who never really had the time, or took the time, to create interests, hobbies or connections outside of work and their immediate family.
Perhaps if they had consciously started to build a life outside of work a few years before retiring, they may have found life in retirement more fulfilling and complete.
Teaching is a physically demanding job. Besides standing all day, as well as bending and lifting, depending on the age that you teach, many teachers develop nodules on their vocal chords from all of the talking/shouting. Then of course, there is the bladder problem. It's not like in an office when you can use the bathroom whenever you please. I have seen some rare teachers hang on until their early 70s, but that's not common.
There is also age discrimination in education. Perhaps, you can look in an area that has a teacher shortage. Otherwise the administration tries to push out the older teachers, even if they are not receiving higher salaries because of their start date. The grass always seems greener.
City schools are always going to need teachers because nobody really wants to teach there.
There are opportunities.
Finding a bathroom? Well, I guess that can happen if you develop that issue. Maybe getting into Administration is a better move for somebody with these problems.
Love what you do and are still valued by the admin and the students ... and don't have other pursuits which capture your time and attention? You've got a world of activity which you enjoy, with a good income and retirement bene's to look forward to when the time to "step back" and do other things presents.
You're a young man at age 62. Sounds like you've got your niche, are happy with it, and if your health and physical abilities are still good enough to pursue what you love for years to come ... continue to do so for the foreseeable future years.
The hardest part for many folk to achieve in retirement from your situation is giving yourself permission to not do the thing that you've done and enjoyed for so many years. Calendar age is no justification to leave the activities you enjoy and are valued at doing.
I've seen way too many folk reach that combination of age and financial ability to "retire" ... and after the first few days of "freedom" and taking up some hobby or recreation, they're bored and unfulfilled. It's the fastest path to deteriorating health and a near term demise.
OTOH, I've seen many folk who continue with their career paths ... or a new one ... at ages even a couple of decades older than you and are still living fulfilled, happy lives while enjoying good physical abilities. (I'm now one of that group ... still way too much to do that I enjoy and the infirmities that come with aging are relegated to a "bump in the road")
City schools are always going to need teachers because nobody really wants to teach there.
There are opportunities.
Finding a bathroom? Well, I guess that can happen if you develop that issue. Maybe getting into Administration is a better move for somebody with these problems.
It's not a matter of "finding a bathroom" but just being able to get to one.
Teaching a class is much like working on an assembly line (which I've also done), you can't just "walk away" and hope things take care of themselves.
Congrats on this. This is an amazing accomplishment.
If you still can handle the job, then stay on until you can maximize your retirement.
I am nearly 50 and decided to pursue a career in business and wish I had stuck with my teaching (I have all my education and student teaching competed and was certified).
It was a big mistake because age discrimination is real in the business world. That ship has sailed, it seems for me. And my motivation is almost gone. I was downsized several times in my career in business and have lots of trauma from those experiences.
So, my question to you is this...is 50 too old to get back into teaching?
I also know that I would need to put in 30 years to maximize my pension, which sounds a bit silly to consider, but I am thinking about it.
Have you seem people stick with teaching into their 80s?
Thank you for any feedback.
This last year I encountered more geriatric folks (65+) working in schools than I have in my entire career, almost all were retired teachers asked (begged) to come back in until they could be replaced because the school systems were in desperate need. Some only lasted a couple of weeks or months but most ended up not getting replacements and plugging through the whole year. I encountered some in their 80’s but all of them were true subs, meaning they worked only a couple of days a week at most. A couple only worked half days.
One of those old folks was me. I was supposed to have a temporary interim position while they were supposed cast a wider recruitment net but it lasted all year. While it looks like the school I was at finally found someone I may end up doing it again next year at a different school. However, I was not in a classroom, which between the standing, cruising the class, and necessary voice projecting can be physically draining. In all honesty, I am not sure I could still physically do it.
Interestingly, the oldsters tended to have better behaved classes. Whether that was because they were highly experienced and had better classroom management skills or the kids were nicer because they were older or appeared frailer, I can’t really say.
Being a teacher in your 50’s is not out of the norm or unrealistic but if your plans are relying on being able to work in your 80’s you might want to rethink it. It really is a much more physically demanding than people think.
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This last year I encountered more geriatric folks (65+) working in schools than I have in my entire career, almost all were retired teachers asked (begged) to come back in until they could be replaced because the school systems were in desperate need. Some only lasted a couple of weeks or months but most ended up not getting replacements and plugging through the whole year. I encountered some in their 80’s but all of them were true subs, meaning they worked only a couple of days a week at most. A couple only worked half days.
One of those old folks was me. I was supposed to have a temporary interim position while they were supposed cast a wider recruitment net but it lasted all year. While it looks like the school I was at finally found someone I may end up doing it again next year at a different school. However, I was not in a classroom, which between the standing, cruising the class, and necessary voice projecting can be physically draining. In all honesty, I am not sure I could still physically do it.
Interestingly, the oldsters tended to have better behaved classes. Whether that was because they were highly experienced and had better classroom management skills or the kids were nicer because they were older or appeared frailer, I can’t really say.
Being a teacher in your 50’s is not out of the norm or unrealistic but if your plans are relying on being able to work in your 80’s you might want to rethink it. It really is a much more physically demanding than people think.
As usual, Old Hag, you said what I was trying to say more eloquently. Finding the location of a bathroom is never a problem. Being able to hold in your liquids for 4+ hours when you are past menopause or have an aging prostate is a problem. You can't leave the class alone, not even for an emergency.
As usual, Old Hag, you said what I was trying to say more eloquently. Finding the location of a bathroom is never a problem. Being able to hold in your liquids for 4+ hours when you are past menopause or have an aging prostate is a problem. You can't leave the class alone, not even for an emergency.
That's one of the things that I hate about the series Abbott Elementary. They are always leaving their children alone. The other thing is that they leave school for lunch.
In my experience, I've very rarely had a duty-free lunch. In the schools where I've taught, the administration required teachers to accompany their students to the lunchroom when called or at an appointed time during class, remain with them in line, sit at the table with them or just opposite to monitor behavior and ensure that they didn't leave without permission, ensure that the table was clean and monitor them on the way back to the classroom, with the teacher having the option to take their class by the restrooms on the way back to resume instruction. Teachers who needed to go themselves had to find a staff member to supervise for the few minutes that it took.
This is apparently not the norm in states where unions negotiate contracts, but it was the norm in the urban district where I taught for decades.
That's one of the things that I hate about the series Abbott Elementary. They are always leaving their children alone. The other thing is that they leave school for lunch.
In my experience, I've very rarely had a duty-free lunch. In the schools where I've taught, the administration required teachers to accompany their students to the lunchroom when called or at an appointed time during class, remain with them in line, sit at the table with them or just opposite to monitor behavior and ensure that they didn't leave without permission, ensure that the table was clean and monitor them on the way back to the classroom, with the teacher having the option to take their class by the restrooms on the way back to resume instruction. Teachers who needed to go themselves had to find a staff member to supervise for the few minutes that it took.
This is apparently not the norm in states where unions negotiate contracts, but it was the norm in the urban district where I taught for decades.
Amen on that! I have never worked in a school where you could leave the school for lunch. In most schools leaving the building during the contract time was a write-up worthy offense. Not a real issue though, since it’s not like there was enough time to do it anyway. I felt it a win whenever I worked at a school where I had more than just 15 minutes to inhale food if I also had the audacity to use the bathroom.
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This is so interesting. I had never thought of these issues. They ought to put a single bathroom in each classroom (for use by students and teachers). It could be used primarily before and after class (otherwise I could see how that would be entirely disruptive in and of itself).
Of course, it really begs the question regarding remote learning. It's possibly more comfortable for all concerned. I realize there are no easy solutions.
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