AboutCynthia Wolfe Expertise Let me help you with questions about adult education and continuing education programs. If you are looking for a program or have questions about adult education in general, I can guide you. If you are a teacher looking for new ideas or methods, I can help. I have resources and ideas to share. I am a member of the National Business Education Association (NBEA), a professional organization devoted to the recognition that business education competencies are essential for all individuals in today's fast-changing society.
Experience I am an instructor at the University of Phoenix, working in online and classroom modalities. I am also a student at Northcentral University, where I am working on a PhD in Business Administration, with a specialty in Management. My MBA is from Troy University, 2001, and I have a BS, Environmental Science, from Troy University, 1980. Read about my experiences as an online student at my blog thinkPhD.
Question I am graduating in less than six months with a BS in Bus. Admin, minor in Org. Leadership. I have two young children and have come to the realization that the corporate lifestyle, as profitable as it may be, is not right for me. I have always felt a strong pull to work in an area that made a difference somehow. I also can't stand the idea of leaving my children alone for hours after school and all summer while I work. The obvious career path, then, seems to be teaching in a Jr. High or Senior High setting. I would enjoy teaching Economics, as well as general business (the nitty-gritty of it all is a bit more drab than I believe I could endure teaching sleeping teenagers.# I would love more than anything else to teach language arts and/or reading, however I am perfectly willing to begin one place and add a notch in my belt every few years as I go along. I have considered a licensure program #I am also in Ohio, by the way#, but it seems if I take that route I may as well earn a Master's in Education, although I do not know what that would truly entail as far as time is concerned. I am also considering substitute teaching for a period of time to determine if this is truly a good direction for me, although I do not know exactly what requirements I meet and do not meet. Last bit of information is that I have been a stay-at-home mother of my children since birth #working on the degrees while they went to school#, and have been out of the working world since early 1998. I did work in a preschool for one year prior to my first child, however, have experience in #assistant) management prior to that, as well as odd jobs here and there as the young adult/teen years are typical of. I am at a loss and fearful of my lack of recent experience. Any advice for what the best method of success would be here?
Answer Hi Kathy,
Thanks for asking a question. I understand your concerns about being a mom to your children. I chose to take off several years and be a full-time mom, and found that it is very hard to get back into a career when you are competing with younger individuals with more experience than you. Teaching is a great choice, but keep in mind that even though you may be working fewer hours per day, you will be spending a lot of time grading papers and doing lesson plans, i.e. working at home.
My recommendation is that if you want to pursue teaching, give it a try before jumping into your masters. I don't think you should run from one career-type (corporate) into another without at least working in the field to see if it is right for you or not. You may find that teaching is not to your liking either.
Any masters program worth its salt takes a lot of time for studying and assignment preparation. Some programs involve classroom work as well as submitting a thesis. Here's another thing - the school districts usually have to pay you more, the more education you have. If I were hiring, I would choose the individual with experience, not simply education.
I recommend getting experience under your belt before you proceed to a masters in education.
