Sitting here in my empty class, everything boxed up and put away, walls and shelves clear, equipment turned in, just waiting on 2:30 to go to therapy. Students are done, and tomorrow I return for final checkout Hard to believe that 24 years ago, I was finishing up my first year of teaching, feeling about the same way I do right now. Even harder to believe that in 4 years, I'll be waiting for final clearance for the last time! I have to admit that I really didn't connect with this group of kids, but I think it was because I was dealing with my knee for 90% of the school year...regardless, I'm satisfied in what I was able to provide this group. Looking forward to this summer break since I'm walking normal and getting stronger everyday. I can do the things that I couldn't for the last 7 months! Planning a week in vegas and hopefully a trip to Peru. In between trips, I'll be fishing all day on my boat as often as I can, and training to ride the 65 mile conquer the coast in Corpus this September. Overall, I had a pretty uneventful year. No real problems aside from my knee, and my team did win district champs. Any year you come out of unscathed is a good year, so I guess I had a good year. Four more years and I'm D-U-N DUN!!!
Congrats! I loved the time I spent teaching, but I couldn't do it for 24 years... Well if the pay was a little better maybe. Regardless, congrats on school being out for summer.
Thanks for toughing it out and making it through another school year - many of us out here appreciate what it takes for people to be teachers.
Going to Peru myself in three weeks...better look into Machu Picchu tickets now--supposedly they sell out months in advance.
Yeah, it is exciting anytime we get a raise, but with my coaching stipend and my masters stipend, I'm doing ok. On that note, I'll be out of my two child supports in the next two years, which should give me a hefty pay raise!!!
Nice. My wife taught 2nd grade for fourteen years and is finishing her eighth year of 1st grade. It's a high income area, so most of her problems come from parents and the administration as opposed to students.
Did your masters stipend really help out? We lost money on that deal (after paying the actual college costs). It didn't raise my wife's salary by very much. As a matter of fact, after 22yrs and a masters degree, she still only makes about 7K more a year than first year teachers in her district.
Oh boy. Those parents can be something else. Hats off to your wife! All those lessons and lesson plans...*shudders*...scarier than a class full of repeating freshmen.
I enrolled in the Lamar online program. The entire cost of the program was about $5000, which is what my annual stipend for a masters degree is. It was a purely financial decision as I had no desire to go back to school. I finished my masters in 2010, so it's been a good investment. It also adds to my retirement since that 5k will be factored into my best 5 years. At 24 years, with my basketball stipend, I'm making about 25k more than a 1st year teacher.
Great. Now all the beaches, rivers, parks, lakes etc... will be full of families and their idiot kids 7 days a week for the next 3 months. Year-round schools for everybody!
After suffering through a PhD, I was making 18k as a first year teacher! I wish I was joking, hence why I went to industry.
Thanks Falcons for doing what you do. It's a tough job and VERY under appreciated!! Hope your knee continues to get stronger and stronger, and that you have a wonderful summer.
I was working at a community college and they paid $600 a unit per 10 week term. So for 10 weeks worth of work a 3 unit course netted $1800 before taxes, total. I loved the kids, some high school aged, some in their 40s and 50s, some college aged, but for the most part I hated the pay. The community college circuit is surprisingly cut throat.
Thats a good deal - my wife's cost us about 7K through a Tarleton State program where the profs actually came to our city to teach. However, the degree only netted her an extra $80 per paycheck which is less and 1K a year, so it's taken about 8 years to pay for itself. Your district seems to pay a lot better.
not too surprising - my understanding is that courses at the community college level are typically much more difficult for students than the same courses at the State Universities. Its that competition that drives the professors at that level, whereas profs at Universities tend to be way more laid back due to more job security.
