I'm glad the video was helpful! Let us know if you have any more questions!

knightandninja wow I'm here for the same reason and I'm the same age

We are sorry you feel stressed out about your degree. If you don't mind me asking, is there a particular direction or path you have in mind of what you want your future career to look like?

In the same boat. Except I'm 34 🤣

@@j.knutson3486 in a similar boat at 30, although I am nowehre nesr finishing my bacherlor's.

Great question! I think the most important thing would be to decide what you might like to teach, such as approximate grade level or potential subject. Then, you can look into what programs are available and what type of certification you could get. That is probably the biggest decision to make first! Each state and college do it a little differently. By the way, I think it is great you were able to take a break after high school, and don't let the pressure of people telling you it is not worth it sway your opinion!

Thanks so much for your comment, Mamie! I am happy to hear the video was helpful and I wish you the best as decide your future career path! Please let us know if you ever have any specific questions!

Do know that you'll experience an overwhelming amount of setbacks at the beginning. Also the number of meetings can be tiring. It took me a few years to realize that you need to be very firm when it comes to following the rules. Being clear and consistent helps so much; It takes a while to know what your personal boundaries are. My big tip would be to write them down and live by them the first weeks/months. Other than that, the job is just fantastic!!!!!!!! It's so satisfying when you leave the building after you have taught successful lesson ;-).

Of course this is highly subjective ;-); But I want you to prepare this for the first meager years before the awesome years start! Each year you'll find it comes easier!

I'm happy that the video was helpful!

You are very welcome!

It is wonderful to hear that you want to be a teacher!! I would encourage you to see if it is possible for you to help out with a local elementary school or volunteer at any events, since that kind of experience would be the most helpful! In terms of subjects, many elementary teachers have one subject they focus on a bit more, such as specializing in math or reading, so those could be some possible directions for you! Good luck! :)

Yea I think English is in the elementary because if they don’t know how to read by the third grade they are most likely to drop out of school you got this 😇😊❤️

Thanks for your comment, Ally! It's so cool to hear that you have been homeschooling and are considering teaching! When we were deciding what grade to teach, we did some volunteering, tutoring, and observations at the different levels to see what we thought about those age groups. While I didn't originally plan to work at the middle school level, after spending some time in middle schools I realized it was the perfect age for me! I hope that helps! :)

I love that shirt too! :)

Thank you so much! We are glad to hear that this was helpful!

@@MrandMrsSocialStudies Hello I am currently a Social Sciences major and i planning on getting my single subject credential in social sciences to teach high school. I think what I'm concerned about it us the amount of information and I do not know it all. So I was wondering if I had to teach WW1 or 2 , great depression, etc will I have to review the material before teaching? I guess I am worried because I do not know everything and specific dates.

@@DemonicEmbrace We recommend reviewing the material prior to planning out each unit! We usually did that before teaching our units the first time.

You're welcome! :)

Congratulations! That is very exciting! My best tip would be to start volunteering in local schools if possible. That will help you see what it's like and see if it is a good fit for you!

Thank you so much for your comment, Jachin! Congrats on choosing to be a teacher! With the certifications, in would depend by state. In Illinois, elementary teachers can get an endorsement to teach middle school, which means that while you are still certified to teach elementary school, you also have the option to teach through 8th grade. The endorsements are often in a particular subject but are not limited to that subject, from what I know about them. If you are interested in teaching middle school, I would encourage you to see if you can observe or volunteer in a middle school to get to work with the age group before you commit to a new program if needed! Let us know if you have further questions!

You are welcome, Jocelyn!

Hi Brianna! It is great to hear from you! It really does sound like you would enjoy being a teacher! Just so I know the full story, you mentioned that you have gone back and forth about going to college to study education or not...I am curious if you have an alternative plan in mind or what is holding you back most. Then I can give more helpful feedback!

P

That is so cool! You would be surprised how common it is for social studies teachers to later go into administration! I think it sounds like a good plan, you just might want to start teaching at least one year first before getting the masters so you have some experiences to connect too! Please let us know if you ever need help with anything or any advice! :)

This is a great question! There are definitely many teachers who have different undergraduate degrees, and they get their masters in Education. I bet a school would see your undergrad in finance as a benefit, especially if you were interested in teaching an economics class!

You are very welcome!

That is so cool, Eli! These are great questions! With tests, we both typically make our own with some influence from pre-made tests. Some school districts, especially larger ones, are likely more strict about the test that is given, but we have made our own for the most part. Also, there is currently more of a trend of project-based learning, so sometimes instead of tests there are larger projects, which can be cool too! In terms of paying off loans, it varies a lot. By best two pieces of advice that are very general would be first, try to go to a college that is more affordable, if it is something that matters to you. We both went to public universities instead of private universities, and that honestly cuts costs by half. Also, a lot of people get caught up in more luxurious apartments, cars, etc. We moved out to a really cheap area and lived in a not-ideal apartment that was super cheap for the first three years, which helped us out a LOT financially! Feel free to let us know if you have any other questions! :)

Eli Luna try to steer clear of student loans. Community college is a great start

Thanks for your question! What you study depends on what you would like to teach and what the requirements are in your state or at your college. For the secondary level, such as with English or Geography, that would likely be your major, along with education. If you want to do middle school or high school, I would recommend going the English route with a teaching endorsement of social studies or geography! Let me know if you have further questions!

Mr and Mrs Social Studies I’ve been to an Elementary school but that’s it since I’m British. We don’t have a middle school but I understand what you mean. Thank you!

I see! In the US, middle school is grades 6-8, and it is for students who are 11-14 usually. I think it is usually linked with secondary teaching degrees.

Mr and Mrs Social Studies ooh okay. High school over here is 11-16 and elementary is whatever age you start school to age 10 or something :/

Hi Roy! This is a great question! May I ask what your concerns with self-fulfillment are? That will help me provide better feedback!

Mr and Mrs Social Studies Hi! I fear I don’t know what job I’m destined to be in. I’ve always loved acting, but teaching holds a large place in my heart! Also salary is a big part of my trouble deciding....

Thanks for clarifying! Based upon the information I know, I would say if you love teaching and it matters a lot to you, go that route at a larger high school with a strong theater program. You could specifically look at salary schedules of schools when you apply (typically they are on the website or in some of the last pages of teacher contracts) and make sure the district pays its teachers well. There is a big range depending on where you live, but there definitely are schools here in Illinois where teachers start out in the $50,000s and can get to over $100,000 by year 15 or so. Obviously, these schools can be tougher to get into, however, using my limited knowledge of who you are by the way you word things in your comments, it appears that you are a very passionate, assertive, and enthusiastic person, which are all characteristics that administration would love to see when choosing a candidate. That being said, use this time, as well as college, to really deep dive into as many jobs or activities that are interesting to you, just so you can get a taste for things and not think about those what ifs in the future. I hope this helps! Have a wonderful day!

Mr and Mrs Social Studies Thank you SO MUCH!!!! That’s so helpful!! I would love to go to a college with a huge theater program and have that as an extracurricular.

Yay! I am so happy to hear that! Don't hesitate to reach out in the future with any other questions! :)

That is a great question, but I am afraid I don't know the answer, as it would probably depend on the exact place and the needs there. Sorry about that!