Topic awaiting preservation: teaching

Thought I'd throw this out there . . .I am interested if anyone here teaches, either full time or part time and may be able to provide some brief details regarding the job.

Over two years ago, in-between jobs, I spent a semester as a Teacher Asst for a web class- which I really enjoyed because I was helping people and making good use of my knowledge. Soon after the semester ended, I interviewed, presented and was accepted in a computer training school (teaching powerpoint at night/weekends) but had to decline my acceptance as I began a full time job- and thought it would be too much balancing 2 new jobs at once. Fast forward 2 years, still at the same firm. The past few months I have been revisiting the thought of teaching an adult class on a part time basis- in addition to my full time job. Maybe at a local community college or one of the many computer training schools in NYC. I was thinking of capitalizing on my years of experience (powerpoint, Word, Excel, windows, MAC, basic html + javascript), while practicing/building solid presentation skills. Although my current job is paying rent and I feel its pretty secure (we are responsible for designing/production of all marketing materials for the firm (finance)), I feel I am losing some valuable skills which could aid me in future job opportunities- and not particularly teaching. Maybe sales, or whatever comes down the road.

Tough to be accepted without prior teaching experience?
Type of hourly salary a beginner can expect?
Advantages of teaching in a community college vs computer training school?

Many thanks.
CRO8

[This message has been edited by CRO8 (edited 07-19-2003).]

CRO8: It can be a good job and pay OK (althoug the hours always tend to be longer than advertised). I'm not sure if I can be much help but:

Tough to be accepted without prior teaching experience?

It depends on the job market, your references, skill, etc. I haven't got any formal qualifications in the area and have done OK (although as I've said before pos. doing more web design interests me more).

Type of hourly salary a beginner can expect?

It depends - you'd need to have a look at various other jobs in your area - if you do part-time work then it can compare with web design (ish).

Advantages of teaching in a community college vs computer training school?

Can't really help you on that.

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If it is something you'd think you'd like to do then go for it as it can be very rewarding but you should always keep your options open.

You might also want to nose around some other specialised forums (I presume there must be some for people who teach computers) as I can't really tell you anything specific.

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

hey thanks Emps. I will look for a teaching related forum to poke around.

Thanks!
CRO8

[This message has been edited by CRO8 (edited 07-19-2003).]

CRO8: If you find one post it back here (always handy to have a bitch and a whinge ).

___________________
Emps

FAQs: Emperor

Type of hourly salary a beginner can expect?

I wouldn't expect an hourly salary at all. Educational facilities normally pay on the wage basis...you get paid X amount per week or per fortnight. No overtime, but then, also no undertime too. The same every pay period, no matter what.

The school where I worked last year, this is what the first year teachers got as their wage.

AU$35,000/year gross salary
12 weeks holiday leave (full pay...this is school holidays we're talking here)
15 days paid sick leave a year
2 weeks carer's leave a year
unspecified contagious disease leave (it's however long it needs to be)
3 weeks paternity leave or 10 months maternity leave
5 days religious obserment leave.

OK...I worked at a Catholic school, and they tried to prepare for every contingency.

One tip I will give you if you intend to teach...

Never, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, *deep breath*, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, ever, teach teachers. I have done it many times in the past and I found it to be the single most difficult thing I have ever done. [gross generalisation]Teachers, no matter what they teach, tend to be supremley(sp?) confident that they know what your talking about. They are more disruptive than a group of Year 9 students and less likely to listen that a group of kindergarteners[/gross generalisation]

OK...I've had my bit. I've had my teaching experience, and I never want to do it again, but don't let that stand in the way of you doing it. Your experience may turn out ot be very different from mine. I had a horrendous year, and that's kinda jaded me. You make your own mind up.

Thanks Skaarjj. Always helpful to listen to other people's experience. I will most likely stay away from public schools and look into training schools (where the students are professionals looking to learn another program), and community colleges (pretty much the same student demographic). I will take your advice and stay away from teaching teachers- point well made. My dad was a teacher and I would not want to teach him!

At the computer school where I was accepted- their classes lasted different durations: 1 week M-F, 2 week night sessions, or 2 eight-hour weekend sessions. Schedules mostly catered to working people. They would call instructors upon demand. So it would not be every weekend or every night.

<sometime later> Man, its tough to find forums on teaching. Yahoo was a good bet, but didnt pan out</sometime later>

[This message has been edited by CRO8 (edited 07-19-2003).]

isn't Krets a teacher?


Code - CGI - links - DHTML - Javascript - Perl - programming - Magic - http://www.twistedport.com
ICQ: 67751342

Kerts use to teach web stuff at a University, I think... Now he works for some chemical company gettig high on all of their produ... err, flying around the country teching people about some robot, aparently. I reckon that's the chemicals talking though.

I've thought about teaching myself. I might try and get some part time work next year teaching tutorial classes to first year students at university, which I hear is pertty good pay, good hours too, but I'm not sure. I don't know if I'm confident enough to stand up infront of a class and well, teach.

I get along really well with most of my teachers/lectures/tutors and I like and respect them, but a lot of my fellow class mates seem to share a different, less favourable opinion. Which is making me have second thoughts about it.

quote:

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I don't know if I'm confident enough to stand up infront of a class and well, teach.

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Me too, but that?s what make me so interested . . that and simply helping people. I enjoyed my Teacher Asst. experience so much- if someone will hire me PT as the Instructor, why not give it a shot? It may turn into something and if not- at least I tried. No regrets. I believe that the more experience I can get public speaking- the more confident I will be later in my career- whatever that may be. But I want to be prepared.

Time is the issue. As it is I am working late hours during the week and freelancing web design in my spare time. If I am going to prepare myself do take on another role- I need to prioritize my goals.

[This message has been edited by CRO8 (edited 07-21-2003).]