So I’m 24 and I graduated with 3.1GPA/BA in Political Science and have been working for a year now in marketing for a healthcare company.
I am not sure sales/marketing is for me, and I was wondering if I ever wanted to explore getting what I need to become a teacher (I’m flexible as far as subject/age i.e. special ed, etc)
Is it too late? I can’t just quit my current job. I live in New York State and I’m not sure what I’d have to do to start getting what’s required…I’m not even sure if it’s possible if I have a 9-5 schedule…
I’m not sure you’d find it all interesting, but you could look in to the Peace Corps. You’d be a good fit for either Education or Small Enterprise Development. Anyway, it’s a good chance to experience something new, try out teaching, and if you like it there is the Fellow’s USA program that gives a lot of help (scholarships, etc.) towards volunteers looking to get Master degrees in certain subjects (Ed is one of them.)
But I’d imagine there is a SUNY college near you that accommodates non-traditional students. I would assume that eventually you would have to return to school full-time, but it’s really not that insurmountable. Existing loans will go into deferment and most likely you will also be eligible for financial aid.
Also look at NYSaves – it’s a program meant to help parents save for their children’s education, but (unless the rules changed) you can also open an account for yourself, I did this when I was about to start grad school.
Can’t say for NY, but sub teachers are in demand in many places. A teaching degree is usually wanted for FT work (I was told NV is pretty hard on this). Subbing is good practice (or trauma) if this is something you wanna pursue. I can’t think of how you’d do this without quitting your job, though; teaching AND getting a teaching degree need all your daytime hours. There may well be some program for loans/grants for getting there.
This sounds way too negative. I just happen to have seen the process in action, and it’s a LOT more hassle than good sense or decency would ever guess. Best wishes!
Word of warning about this: subbing is all the worst parts of teaching, and if you can enjoy it even a little bit, you will really like teaching. Even if you hate it, you may very well like teaching.
Most states have some sort of alternative certification programs that will make it possible to start teaching without having to take much time for full-time, unpaid school. However, you’ll have to be willing to teach in schools that need teachers badly enough to justify heavily recruiting teachers. But they aren’t as bad as all that, and after a year or two you will have your certification and can go anywhere.
Sorry for the buzzkill, but teaching never struck me as something that someone would “just want to explore.” It always seems like a calling: you’ll KNOW that you want/have to do it.
