Need some non biased advice

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

So i officially joined the Huddle in 2012 but have been around and about since before than. I know some of you personally through tailgating and huddle/riot events, but I need some non biased advice. I have a great family but sometimes they don't give the best life advice. I'm at a crossroad right now. I'm 26 and have a gen ed associate degree. I'm very fortunate to have a solid job with a good career path but I'm miserable where I work and I'm stuck waiting for people to retire to advance. I got married last May and my wife has an amazing job and is super supportive. I've decided to go back to school full time with her blessing but i can't decide what path is best.

 

On one hand I'd really like to pursue a degree in education and become a high school teacher and coach football. I have a passion for helping young people and really want to try and help steer young people on the right path as well as try and prevent kids from making the same mistakes i did as a 19-20 year old. I drank and partied away a free education. I love history and literature as well and think I would really enjoy educating youth.

 

On the other hand I've thought about pursuing a degree in journalism. I have a contact/personal friend in the Charlotte sporting news, who has been loddying me to take this route and would be a solid reference for me starting out of college. They say try and turn what you love into a paycheck and I love talking/writing about sports. There are so many outlets available now but competition is also extreme. I also would love to somehow get involved in the radio talk show side of journalism. This seems like the bigger risk but I feel I'm prepared for that.

 

So any current/former teachers or just anyone who wants to throw their 2 cents in, any and all advice is welcome and would be well received and appreciated.

 

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[pstall]

Being a teacher will be more rewarding and the down time will allow you to pursue other passions. 

Journalists are a dime a dozen and its too easy for amateurs and such to crank out material for very little.

Go teach and coach for the next 20 yrs, retire before 50 and get a pension and from things you learned while on summer vacation, do those things the following 20 yrs.

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

Being a teacher will be more rewarding and the down time will allow you to pursue other passions. 
Journalists are a dime a dozen and its too easy for amateurs and such to crank out material for very little.
Go teach and coach for the next 20 yrs, retire before 50 and get a pension and from things you learned while on summer vacation, do those things the following 20 yrs.

That's where I'm leaning. It would also allow me to stay where I'm at and not relocate to a bigger city like Charlotte or Raleigh, which I love but don't want to call home.

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[thefuzz]

Too much "free" journalism out there right now to try to take a swing at it....IMO.

 

Standing one more minute in a high school isn't something that interests me at all, but to each their own.  If money didn't matter, I would probably be a fire fighter in your shoes, and enjoy the enormous amount of time off they have to coach, fish, and enjoy your family.

But I guess teaching could be looked at the same way.

[imminent rogaine]

If having children is something you plan on at some point...

I'm 30 with a toddler and a regular 40 hr a week, year-round, type job. Growing up both of my parents were public school teachers; my dad was also a coach. Since our entire family had the same schedule: summers off and fall/winter/spring breaks, there were plenty of vacations and plenty of leisurely down-time; everyone was able to slow down together.  Additionally, my dad was able to retire when he was 51; this meant he was able to be super present and supportive to me during my teen years.

As an adult with a child, I find myself both looking back at the experiences that my parents' schedules afforded us and looking forward to the prospect of not being able to share those same experiences with my child. Even with no background in education, what-so-ever, I find myself considering what a teaching career path might mean for my family in terms of quality-of-life.

 

 

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

If having children is something you plan on at some point...
I'm 30 with a toddler and a regular 40 hr a week, year-round, type job. Growing up both of my parents were public school teachers; my dad was also a coach. Since our entire family had the same schedule: summers off and fall/winter/spring breaks, there were plenty of vacations and plenty of leisurely down-time; everyone was able to slow down together.  Additionally, my dad was able to retire when he was 51; this meant he was able to be super present and supportive to me during my teen years.
As an adult with a child, I find myself both looking back at the experiences that my parents' schedules afforded us and looking forward to the prospect of not being able to share those same experiences with my child. Even with no background in education, what-so-ever, I find myself considering what a teaching career path might mean for my family in terms of quality-of-life.
 
 

Having kids is big for us. I never looked at it from that perspective. My wife travels a lot for work so that would prbly make life easier on her.

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[pstall]

26 minutes ago, imminent rogaine said:

If having children is something you plan on at some point...

I'm 30 with a toddler and a regular 40 hr a week, year-round, type job. Growing up both of my parents were public school teachers; my dad was also a coach. Since our entire family had the same schedule: summers off and fall/winter/spring breaks, there were plenty of vacations and plenty of leisurely down-time; everyone was able to slow down together.  Additionally, my dad was able to retire when he was 51; this meant he was able to be super present and supportive to me during my teen years.

As an adult with a child, I find myself both looking back at the experiences that my parents' schedules afforded us and looking forward to the prospect of not being able to share those same experiences with my child. Even with no background in education, what-so-ever, I find myself considering what a teaching career path might mean for my family in terms of quality-of-life.

 

 

My wife teaches and it kills me in the summer the free time her and my girls have to do whatever.  I sorta want to teach just so if i want one summer, go somewhere for 2-3 wks and chill/explore.

[Ja Rhule]

Neither.  Go for science/engineering or accounting/finance.  You can always be a teacher with those degrees or journalist.  But big difference if you ever want to move up, those degrees will play a big role.  If you have a family and need more money, get degree that pays.

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

Do either of you think a masters degree is a must in the teaching field?

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[Ja Rhule]

1 minute ago, Your GFs favorite huddler said:

Do either of you think a masters degree is a must in the teaching field?

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Only if u want to be a professor one day and go for your PhD.

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

Neither.  Go for science/engineering or accounting/finance.  You can always be a teacher with those degrees or journalist.  But big difference if you ever want to move up, those degrees will play a big role.  If you have a family and need more money, get degree that pays.

Don't really need a big paying degree....like I said my wife has a great job that she loves and I currently work in research and development with engineers who are just as miserable as I am...plus I hate math

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[Ja Rhule]

6 minutes ago, Your GFs favorite huddler said:

Don't really need a big paying degree....like I said my wife has a great job that she loves and I currently work in research and development with engineers who are just as miserable as I am...plus I hate math

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Yea, I was swimming in money too until we had 3 kids under 3 and paid $50k a year for daycare.  I'm horrible in math and used to be corporate accounting manager for Fortune 500.  Machines do math for us.  We just need analytics.  Just don't corner yourself.  With degrees like education you are limiting yourself to only handful of options.  If you get tired of your job or industry takes a hit, you are screwed.

[Your GFs favorite huddler]

Yea, I was swimming in money too until we had 3 kids under 3 and paid $50k a year for daycare.  I'm horrible in math and used to be corporate accounting manager for Fortune 500.  Machines do math for us.  We just need analytics.  Just don't corner yourself.  With degrees like education you are limiting yourself to only handful of options.  If you get tired of your job or industry takes a hit, you are screwed.

Good point I see what you are saying now. I guess I need to do more research on what degrees you can use to become a high school level teacher

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[Ja Rhule]

Just now, Your GFs favorite huddler said:

Good point I see what you are saying now. I guess I need to do more research on what degrees you can use to become a high school level teacher

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Almost any degree.  It's like people who study Criminal and Justice to join FBI.  Problem?  FBI prefers hiring accountants and usually completely skips Criminal and Justice graduates.