Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread, but isn't this a case of "what do I want to be when I grow up?". If the OP doesn't like working with kids, they have no business taking on that responsibility. I've known lots of people who started their careers as teachers and changed professions because they discovered teaching wasn't for them. The OP needs to figure out what they want to be and do it.
I really feel for the OP. It's so sad because, as mentioned above, she does seem to be very intelligent. She is obviously miserable and is in a pretty tight spot. Being so far in student loan debt but bringing in a teacher's salary has got to be terrifying, and it's especially bad when the whole teaching thing isn't working out well...at all.
I also really feel for the kids she teaches. All kids deserve to have good teachers, but kids in a detention facility need the right adults in their life even more. Unlike your average child who goes home to supportive and caring parents at the end of the day, these are kids who already have criminal records and likely have no positive adult role models in their lives. I'm not trying to be mean, but these kids need and deserve more than what the OP is obviously capable of giving them.
OP, maybe you should look into adult education, like teaching GED or adult high school students at a local community college? I also think you probably need some counseling of your own, but as others have said, that's apparently something that you're not willing to look into?
Most posters are responding to the particular thread....Many of us have no previous knowledge.....although being enlightened is helpful.
OP....Have you ever consulted the rules regarding a medical discharge of your student debt? I would talk to
your counselor, your loan provider or a Disability advocate. You may also want to call 211 and ask how to contact the proper agency to apply for a medical discharge of your student loans. 24/7 online resource assistance for anyone seeking answers and contact info. 2-1-1.org
Whether or not to have kids at some far off point in the future is the least of your troubles. You're on the autism spectrum, you did lousy in your education coursework and practicum...did poorly as a sub, doing poorly at your current detention center job?
You're making crap money trying to pay back loans for an education on a topic you have no aptitude for and actually dislike. You need to concentrate on the present and find a profession you can do well at and make decent money. Unfortunately that's hard to do without further education...why did you keep going in an area you don't do well at - education?
Maybe you'd do better developing curricula that you don't actually have to present? Do you have any coding or software experience that you could do some online educational stuff? Tutoring online?
I haven't had a chance to read the whole thread, but isn't this a case of "what do I want to be when I grow up?". If the OP doesn't like working with kids, they have no business taking on that responsibility. I've known lots of people who started their careers as teachers and changed professions because they discovered teaching wasn't for them. The OP needs to figure out what they want to be and do it.
Sure sounds like it to me. A lot of us don't find out "what we want to be when we grow up" until well after we have long been grown up.
Based on a number of other comments, it also sounds like the OP is unwilling or unable to undertake a different path. It seems that OP is determined to beat themself up trying to improve or make this career pattern work. I've been like that sometimes myself - like managing people. That has always gone wrong for me when I try to do it. I always end up feeling "if I only improved this way a little bit" - but it never seems to work. Maybe eventually I could learn to be adequate at it, but I have to face that I am now retirement age, and I have not managed yet! The moral is sometimes we can't recognize our weaknesses directly, but if it isn't working, we need to move on.
There are very real limits on how much one can improve, especially if one does not have a natural talent in that area. I get a bit tired of all these self-improvement lists (The 5 Secrets of a Great You-Name-It, etc, etc), because they always seem to say "Do THIS, and you will succeed!", when in reality, if you don't have the talent, you may never succeed, no matter how massively talented you may be elsewhere. Think of talents like persuasiveness. If you don't have a talent there, no matter how much you do "right" according to the experts, you might improve a bit, but you may never be able to succeed with it. You need persuasiveness for sales positions, management positions, and teaching positions.
Or think of sports analogies - when I was young, I was a pretty talented local bicycle racer. But the kind of muscle talent I had, I would never have been as good at baseball or football, no matter how much time I spent on it. I don't have that kind of muscle memory and coordination. Our capacity for personality traits is hard-coded, just like muscle (physical) traits. You can improve what you have, but you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
I think OP is stuck, trying to be something they are not, and stuck on believing they can "make it work" somehow. Even though history says otherwise.
But, who knows! Maybe OP is a troll, just trying to see how many people will tune in to their litany of complaints. Stranger things have happened!
I know that autism can take many forms, but my understanding is that there is frequently a lack of social awareness that comes with it.
Teaching is a job that requires successful interaction with students, parents and staff. I know there are other occupations that you would be more suited for, so I suggest you find one.
My nephew is self diagnosed with Aspergers and he is an engineer who works in a cubbyhole at a company where he doesn't need to interact with the public. This works out fine.
I was seeing a counselor who specialized in ASD, but she mainly wanted to focus on my OCD and anxiety. I really didn't feel like we were getting anywhere, and I eventually stopped going. She was good about providing documentation of my disability to employers and job training places, and I'm grateful for that, but I don't know if she was a lot of help otherwise.
I'm glad you were able to find some help. Just remember that changing counselors is a good thing to do when your current counselor isn't providing satisfactory help.'
Quote:
Originally Posted by lkmax
Have you considered looking for a more traditional teaching job, where you're probably only going to have a handful of "problem" students rather than a whole classroom full of them? Do you think that would be a better fit for you?
Good suggestion! Much better than teaching the worst of the worst.
Upon reading more until I caught up with the topic, I hadn't been aware of the OP's other topics. It appears this topic is a recurring theme.
I think to sum it all up, OP must face up to the need for counseling because C-D members can only make suggestions. OP needs professional help, and needs to make some difficult choices. That help would be of aid in making those choices.
Last edited by Lovehound; 05-29-2017 at 02:15 PM..
If this is typical of how the "system" produces teachers, then I suddenly understand better what the problem is with teachers prepared that way (actually "unprepared") resulting in the school system we have. Imagine medical doctors with that kind of preparation.
I had imagine teachers would attend college and learn (1) the subject they intend to teach, (2) the subject of teaching itself, and then (3) get teaching credentials, and (4) go forth and teach. It seems some institutions are skipping #2 how to teach. All the things Ruth mentioned should be in #2.
This is the biggest problem with teaching as I went through the traditional route (classes, student teaching) and I learned absolutely nothing about classroom management. There is sort of this expectation of "baptism by fire" as veteran teachers in my experience had zero desire to help new hires. Sort of the "I had to go through hell so you should too" attitude. So anyone with personal issues added on top of that would have a tough time surviving.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom
Why don't you look for an online teaching job? You will have less interaction with the kids, most communication between you and the kids will be through email so it's documented, you won't be stuck in a classroom with a group of potentially hostile teenagers, and you'll still be able to use your degree. My kids have gone to online school for years now. Some teachers are really outgoing and friendly. Others are not. All of them seem to do okay at the school.
Having kids and teaching kids are two different things. Your kids would not necessarily turn out like your students. Still, parenting is a ton of work and the earth has plenty of people on it, so if you're happier living a childfree life, there's nothing at all wrong with doing that.
I think this is a good idea. OP is in bad debt and any additional schooling should not be considered. There are many online schools now looking for instructors that it could be a good option for OP while she also gets the counseling she needs for her ASD.
This is the biggest problem with teaching as I went through the traditional route (classes, student teaching) and I learned absolutely nothing about classroom management. There is sort of this expectation of "baptism by fire" as veteran teachers in my experience had zero desire to help new hires. Sort of the "I had to go through hell so you should too" attitude. So anyone with personal issues added on top of that would have a tough time surviving.
I'm glad psychology isn't run this way. I mean what's the worst a bad teacher can do? Ruin our kids' lives?
At least they have crying, "safe" spots now. /sarcasm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Coloradomom22
I think this is a good idea. OP is in bad debt and any additional schooling should not be considered. There are many online schools now looking for instructors that it could be a good option for OP while she also gets the counseling she needs for her ASD.
I didn't read all the responses...sorry. A few thoughts though:
Have you tried working in elementary school? Most of those kids idolize teachers. But its always hard being a sub.
Have you considered working with special needs kids? Its a challenge but you might find you fit in better.
Have you considered therapy and counseling for not being neuro-typical and the struggles that come with it?
As for not wanting kids...you don't have to. It isn't required. But I don't think you should continue to work with a population of children that you hate. They totally know you hate them.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
