Has anyone left the self-employed carpenter arena to take up teaching the trade? If so, any regrets, opinions, advice or otherwise.
I am currently doing well as a high-end finish carpenter, love my work, however could do without the anxiety of worrying about what I’ll have for work next week, month, year..etc.
I have taught College on a part-time basis previously, equally enjoyed the work, yet would likely miss seeing the tangible results of my work, the freedom, and the beer breaks with the guys after work on Fridays.
I currently have an offer to teach full-time and was considering whether I might regret hanging up the tools while still in my early 40’s. Or is there a whole new exciting career out there that I might be missing.
Any thoughts.
Replies
I'm not a teacher but what makes you think you'll hang up your tools? There's a lot to be said for teaching kids that WANT to learn. As for some of the punk a$$ nit wits walking around, that's another topic.
I enjoyed teaching people with less machine shop skill than I had providing they wanted to learn. Taught set up and inspection to an x-con. Never asked him about the scars he had. There were many. He got pretty good. Taught a few Vietnam immigrants some tricks and they caught on very quickly. They went to the boss for more money after they got it down. :-)
Sounds like a good thing to try for a while, if you hate it you can always go back to the trades. Nothing ventured nothing gained, you might really love it and god knows we need more good capenters coming into the work force.
I'll bet you'll love teaching.
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"You cannot work hard enough to make up for a sloppy estimate."
If you really enjoy teaching as much as you say you do, then I wouldn't let this opportunity pass by. You'll always wonder "what if" if you don't give it a shot. Besides the steady paycheck and the satisfaction there's a lot of other nice perks that come with a job like that.... pension and healthcare come to mind.
As others have said, you can always come back to the trades full-time if you decide it's not what you thought it would be. But I highly suspect that you will give up the actual work part entirely. There's still weekends and breaks and even weekdays depending on your schedule. I'd bet you'll find the time to supplement your income with all the 'hands on' work you desire.
scruff,
In '96/'97 I taught part-time after being in the trades, but kept my business going also. When the opportunity came to go full-time, I chose to not teach full-time.
I taught at the Technical school level so the students ranged in age from 18 to about 30. I really enjoyed teaching the students who wanted to learn. Those that didn't really tested my patience, and a few were eventually booted from class. There was some administrative BS to deal with too, but the primary instructor took the most of that.
Re: your comment "Those who can't do......teach". There are challenges to both sides. I found teaching to be not as easy as it would first seem, however it also was not as difficult as many teachers (and I am married to one) have made it out to be. I came away with a better perspective of both sides.
One of the primary reasons I chose not to go full-time was the enjoyment I get working for, and getting to know a wide variety of people. (I am a remodeler). When I told the primary instructor that reason, he was surprised, because as a former contractor, he hated dealing with the customers. But to me the idea of seeing the same 20 students 7 hours every day for a year, wasn't very appealing, as there was no summer vacation.
When I taught, it was for 2 days a week and I worked my business 4 days a week.
A couple of weeks ago I was at the landfill, and saw one of the better students that I taught. Went over and talked with him, and he is on his own now. He said he just signed a contract for a $325K log home.
Good Luck with your decision
Bowz
A couple of weeks ago I was at the landfill, and saw one of the better students that I taught. Went over and talked with him, and he is on his own now. He said he just signed a contract for a $325K log home.
Cool!
Eric[email protected]
if you can get health care, insurance and retirement, hell yea
I taught the trades and was involved in teaching programs for about 4 years. Teaching was great but I moved up from teaching into program management, which was full of politics and stress. Eventually I got an offer to PM in a good company and went back that that. Teaching has great rewards and is much easier on your body. We had a world class shop, and I got paid federal scale with about a million paid holidays and sick days, medical/dental, retirement, everything. Getting a direct deposit on the same day every month is a great thing for a guy who is used to the uncertainty of business. I would not pass up the opportunity.
I also taught for 4 years at a high school vocational school. Really enjoyed working with the kids. Great to see the light go on. Didn't mind the "troubled youth" group either as I understood them.........I was one. Like you hated the politics and BS. Send you a memo, email you the same memo, call a special meeting and hold you over for a half an hour to read you the exact same memo. Reason? Wanted to make sure everyone heard it. DanT
We had funders to please and contract to fulfill. Sometimes got in the way of actually teaching and getting people into jobs. I improved my carpentry and cabinet skills a LOT during that period, due to having to refine everything so that newcomers could perform starting on day 1.
Our state legislature has deemed every child capable for college. Simply is not true as you know. Some don't have it up top and others simply don't have the home support for it. Anyway they were (and are) bent on prepping for college instead of improving trade ability. Lab time and such slowly getting smaller and smaller. A shame really. And, of course, voice an opinion (mine) and you are the latest non-follower and should be not involved.
Really too bad as I feel it is such a needed type of education and some kids really can benefit from it. You are right about improving your own skills. It really was amazing to me what I learned having to teach it to someone else. I remember when I went to teach electric service panels having to learn where and how power was generated. Never gave it a thought before. Check for power and go to work lol. DanT
Our state legislature has deemed every child capable for college. Simply is not true as you know. Some don't have it up top and others simply don't have the home support for it. Anyway they were (and are) bent on prepping for college instead of improving trade ability.
I've been lucky. My son is a 3.5 GPA student who got accepted into five schools. To include Bucknell.
But we live in an area that's pretty comfortably middle class.The percentage of students that go on to college is a huge source of pride.
Except for one thing. There is something that resembles a vocational program taught at a Vo-tech campus.
But what it really is...................is a dumping ground for kids who are dragging the class average and overall college placement percentages down.
I would do it in a heartbeat.
Scruff,
I moved out of trade work for an entirely different reason. But I know what you are talking about. I hated the business part of it. I hated worrying about the next job or if the check really was "in the mail".
When I ran a framing crew I would lose sleep the first three nights of a new job worrying that my price was right and that I was on track to make money. The middle nights I worried about where I was going next. Then the last two or three nights I would lose sleep worrying if I was going to get paid in anything that even resembled a timely manner. My wife tells me I didn't sleep for three years.
There's a lot to be said for seeing a deposti in your checking account on the 1st and 15th of every month and not worrying how.
you can always go back.
But you'll probably find a way to satisfy your need to do real work..............and find you enjoy it more without the pressure.
my BIL started teaching last year @ 55yo.... he wanted the retirement the healthcare ... ect.... he being an older white male in a mostly blk school system... they really wanted him... so far he's pretty cool with it.... I gave him an artical... that shows most teachers spend 20% of their classroom time teaching... and 80% in behavior management... he said that was about right
p
Background....
Taught high school math, English for 3 years--both private and public schools. Twenty+ years ago I let my teaching certificate lapse and swore I would NEVER set foot in a classroom again. Now I'm seriously looking at taking the stupid test and reinstating my license.
Some thoughts.... (I'm assuming you are looking at a high school position--not college or adult.)
Teaching right out of college, when you've never done anything but go to school, is insane--you have very little to offer the students. And if all you ever do is teach--no summer internships, no sabbaticals doing non-teaching things--that doesn't change significantly with time. Going into teaching as a second career--you'd have a lot to offer. (Not looking like a student is a big plus as well.)
Straight-A students don't generally make the best teachers--everything came too easily, and they don't understand why any rational person would behave the way the majority of high school students do.
Every district is different, but most that I'm familiar with pay at the end of the month only--not twice/month. And remember, you will be paid based on years of service, not quality of work.
Three-months summer break is a myth. Your contract will most likely be for 190 days, with 180 days of teaching. Because of holidays, etc., you'll start first of August and end just after Memorial day (some districts shift that a month on either side).
Don't underestimate the administrative garbage that teachers have to endure.
Keep in mind that, for the most part, problem students have problem parents. You think you hear stupid stories from clients as a contractor? Wait till you hear what your parents say and do!!!!
Be absolutely certain you are well-versed in the sexual harassment and abuse laws and reporting requirements in your state!!!! Never be in room by yourself with a student--especially a female student. And having another male in the vicinity generally doesn't count.
Other teachers can be a major source of problems also.
Figure out how to keep in contact with your current work group on a regular basis. Short-term "internships" for your better students on select jobs might be a way. (There are a multitude of additional benefits to this as well.)
Best of luck if you decide to go with the teaching.
Kathleen