This morning I volunteered to help out one of my physics instructors with an activity on fiber optics at a local high school. I had to skip one of my classes this morning in order to volunteer, but I'm killing it in that class and I haven't been in a high school classroom in a long time. I've been out of the classroom since the middle of June, 2011. Okay, okay, so that's not even 6 months, but the 60ish minutes I spent in a high school today reminded me how much I miss it.
I miss the mental gymnastics of devising solid lessons and activities. I really miss the relationships with students. After playing a minor part in a classroom for an hour this morning I wanted to stay the rest of the day observing teachers, tweaking lessons, and talking to students.
My life is much less stressful this year (despite the lack of a salary). I go to class. I do my homework. I come home to more free time than I've ever had in the last 9 years.
And yet, I miss teaching1. It's good gig.
- I'll be back teaching next year (assuming I get a job). In fact if you know anyone hiring a physics/earth science/chemistry teacher next year... [↩]
Ah, I have missed this development in your life, Ben. What are you doing out of the classroom? Ph.D. work? Let me know if that is the case-- I have been batting this idea around for myself for centuries, it seems, and still can't come to a satisfactory conclusion...
http://theline.edublogs.org/2009/08/25/epiphany/
Well, it's a bit of a story- but I decided to take this year to get my certifications in physics and chemistry. I did give some thought to starting work on a Ph.D., but besides the financial issues involved in that decision I just really enjoy being in a classroom. I would love to teach teachers at some point in my career, but I've decided at this point I'd prefer to do that in a mentoring role working with new teachers in their classrooms as opposed to teaching classes at the college level. In fact, I think it'd be "fun" to plan and implement a mentoring program like that...which...sounds like Ph.D. work...
So, I suppose I haven't totally ruled out the Ph.D. route. 🙂
Are you in a state that ties teacher evaluations to test scores? We in NY are now well down that road, and frankly, it has me running scared about investing more in my professional development, for multiple reasons.