<p>I've been pursuing an economics/history degree for the past 2 years, but I have no desire to go into the business world. I could very well go to graduate school, get an MBA and work in a corporate setting for the next 60 years of my life, but that doesn't appeal to me. What I really want to do is become a history/social science/humanities teacher. The only problem is when I tell people this I get those strange "oh this kid must be dumb" glares. I agree, the majority of people majoring in education are wasting their undergraduate degrees, and that's precisely why I'm double majoring in eco and history with the plans of getting a masters in education. So, why is it that teachers get a bad reputation? The job outlook doesn't look bad, I know I won't be making millions but I won't be impoverished. Unemployment in the field is fairly low and I live in New York where the public school system offers some of the higher salaries for teachers in the country. So what do you all think? Am I living a delusional dream? Should I just buckle down and use my work ethic to try to make money in business?</p>
<p>Sounds like a good plan.</p>
<p>There’s really no career that doesn’t get you glares from someone or other.</p>
<p>Sadly, it is not uncommon for people in the corporate/academia/industry world to look down on those who become teachers with the attitude of “those who can’t do, teach.”
This is crap. Teaching is seriously undervalued in our society. Think about the fact that all those people looking down on teachers were educated by them 7 hours a day for at least 12 years. Being a teacher can be stressful; it’s not a 40 hour work week with 3 months of free time, and you have to learn how to deal with students AND their parents. But most students and parents really do have respect for teachers and the work that they do. You won’t earn as much as in the corporate world, but I definitely feel like it’s a much better job to contribute to the good of society.
There is also concern with the job security. Once you have seniority and stay put, then your job is quite secure. However, it can be difficult to get there. Budgets are still often uncertain, and if you are at the bottom of the totem pole seniority wise when there are cuts, you will be the first to go. It can also be difficult to get the job in the first place. Like a lot of fields there is the catch-22 that prospective employers want experience, but you can’t get experience without having the job.</p>
<p>Sorry for the rant. But I think if you want to go into teaching, go for it. We always need good teachers. Don’t let corporate types discourage you because of their messed up attitudes toward educators.</p>