5 ms·

This is one of the main reasons why I left the field before even graduating (elementary education, left halfway through the degree). The amount of bullshit you

This is one of the main reasons why I left the field before even graduating (elementary education, left halfway through the degree). The amount of bullshit you have to deal with on top of the terrible compensation and how little people seem to value the profession despite its importance played a big part. I'm not even 5 years out of school as a dev (and not even as a college level graduate), I already make way more than I would have been 15 years into my teaching career (max salary!), my schedule and quality of life are orders of magnitude better. I don't regret my decision other than the impact having a man teacher can have on some of those kids.

mensetmanusman 5y ago
You can still volunteer with the kiddos, maker spaces!
- folkrav 5y ago
  Yeah, I did scouts for a couple of years. I'd like to do some dev coaching at some point, maybe. COVID put a brake to some of my plans, but I'm having a lot of fun teaching my 4yo son in the meantime haha.
giantg2 5y ago
"The amount of bullshit you have to deal with" This. My state pays well. I have friend who earned his teaching cert but never used it because of how terrible student teaching was, including child behavior and school policies.
nemo44x 5y ago
You should consider you've only been a dev in a massive bull market for software engineers. Teachers don't get laid off or face the types of uncertainty other types of careers do. You'll always make more money in private industry but you will probably work more and have less time off. Teachers get a lot of time off and work about 35 hours per week during the school year. And then of course the summers. It's an especially good career if you have kids yourself as you are home when they are.
- danaris 5y ago
  Have you ever actually been a teacher? Unless you're one of those that scrapes by doing the bare minimum, teachers frequently work about 60-80 hours per week during the school year, and 20-40 during the summer to prepare. There are lessons to plan, classwork/homework/papers/tests to grade, extracurriculars to coach/lead, students needing extra help to work with...
  - folkrav 5y ago
    This. It's really not a 35h/week job. 35h in class doesn't equate to 35h of work.
- OldHand2018 5y ago
  > Teachers don't get laid off or face the types of uncertainty other types of careers do. Sure they do, although I think most places call it a RIF. Wait until you live in an area with stagnant or declining enrollment due to demographic changes (even if your city is still growing). EDIT - please remember that >50% of US counties faced population decline in the 2020 census!
- folkrav 5y ago
  It's most definitely not how you're describing it in terms of time. There's tons of extracurricular work, outside of work meetings, prep work, grading, etc. The vacations are shorter than they look, a short month, maybe. Teachers don't get laid off, they just rot for decades in a society that doesn't value their work in increasingly difficult teaching conditions (increasingly large groups, larger numbers of behavioral issues, etc) for poorer and poorer pay that doesn't follow cost of life increases. I do know I'm in a bull market where I have the bigger end of the stick. I also have the ability to put way more money aside and be prepared if the market shifts and I have to, too. I don't have issues with W/L balance.

mensetmanusman 5y ago

You can still volunteer with the kiddos, maker spaces!

folkrav 5y ago
Yeah, I did scouts for a couple of years. I'd like to do some dev coaching at some point, maybe. COVID put a brake to some of my plans, but I'm having a lot of fun teaching my 4yo son in the meantime haha.

giantg2 5y ago

"The amount of bullshit you have to deal with" This. My state pays well. I have friend who earned his teaching cert but never used it because of how terrible student teaching was, including child behavior and school policies.

nemo44x 5y ago

You should consider you've only been a dev in a massive bull market for software engineers. Teachers don't get laid off or face the types of uncertainty other types of careers do. You'll always make more money in private industry but you will probably work more and have less time off. Teachers get a lot of time off and work about 35 hours per week during the school year. And then of course the summers. It's an especially good career if you have kids yourself as you are home when they are.

danaris 5y ago
Have you ever actually been a teacher? Unless you're one of those that scrapes by doing the bare minimum, teachers frequently work about 60-80 hours per week during the school year, and 20-40 during the summer to prepare. There are lessons to plan, classwork/homework/papers/tests to grade, extracurriculars to coach/lead, students needing extra help to work with...
- folkrav 5y ago
  This. It's really not a 35h/week job. 35h in class doesn't equate to 35h of work.
OldHand2018 5y ago
> Teachers don't get laid off or face the types of uncertainty other types of careers do. Sure they do, although I think most places call it a RIF. Wait until you live in an area with stagnant or declining enrollment due to demographic changes (even if your city is still growing). EDIT - please remember that >50% of US counties faced population decline in the 2020 census!
folkrav 5y ago
It's most definitely not how you're describing it in terms of time. There's tons of extracurricular work, outside of work meetings, prep work, grading, etc. The vacations are shorter than they look, a short month, maybe. Teachers don't get laid off, they just rot for decades in a society that doesn't value their work in increasingly difficult teaching conditions (increasingly large groups, larger numbers of behavioral issues, etc) for poorer and poorer pay that doesn't follow cost of life increases. I do know I'm in a bull market where I have the bigger end of the stick. I also have the ability to put way more money aside and be prepared if the market shifts and I have to, too. I don't have issues with W/L balance.