A guy who wants to matter

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Tennessee Teachers Chatboard

A guy who wants to matter

by Tim King

May 25, 2012

Can I teach Science to young minds…please? I am a man who feels he has a desperate need to matter to the world. Unfortunately, I am fifty years old, and worry it may be too late to change my career direction. I have a burning desire to spark a love of science in young minds, especially cocky kids who thing a class about science is lame. Could I spark interest in kids, both those interested and those lost in misdirected efforts? Science can be so interesting and fun, and I am just now realizing (at 50?) that I could perhaps stop doing the uninteresting and unimportant things I do to make “just enough” money. I am quite certain I could engage eager and smart minds, that’s almost seems to easy. I want to engage the minds who are perhaps capable, but bored by the stodgy curriculums of old. I live in Tennessee, and would very much appreciate any hints, ideas, or (more importantly perhaps) info on where to go next. I have an Associates degree in Business Management, with extra credit...See More

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Ur gonna b the next Jaime Escalante of science? On 5/25/12, Tim King wrote: > Can I teach Science to young minds…please? I am a man who > feels he has a desperate need to matter to the world.

Oh, my. You think teachers matter? That is concerning. I am afraid you are going to be severely let down in the world of education.

> Unfortunately, I am fifty years old, and w...See MoreOn 5/25/12, Tim King wrote: > Can I teach Science to young minds…please? I am a man who > feels he has a desperate need to matter to the world.

Oh, my. You think teachers matter? That is concerning. I am afraid you are going to be severely let down in the world of education.

> Unfortunately, I am fifty years old, and worry it may be > too late to change my career direction.

Uh, oh. Principal do prefer young and passive teachers who will do what they are told. Much like the military, they don't much like to take people past their twenties because older people are far to hard to control, mold, intimidate, bend to your will, and break down.

I have a burning > desire to spark a love of science in young minds, > especially cocky kids who thing a class about science is > lame.

You think it will be a delight to teach kids with a bad attitude who don't want to learn? I don't suppose you are thinking you are going to make them love science and think it is cool?

Could I spark interest in kids, both those interested > and those lost in misdirected efforts?

Oh, dear, you are thinking you will make them love science and think it is cool. Oh, dear. Oh, dear, oh, dear, oh, dear.

Science can be so > interesting and fun, and I am just now realizing (at 50?) > that I could perhaps stop doing the uninteresting and > unimportant things I do to make “just enough” money. I am > quite certain I could engage eager and smart minds, that’s > almost seems to easy. I want to engage the minds who are > perhaps capable, but bored by the stodgy curriculums of > old.

The stodgy curriculums of old? Have you invented some amazing new curriculum that is going to revolutionize science education? I suppose not or you would have mentioned it. What you think is that there are new curriculums that are brilliant and innovative that you will use. I have bad news for you. The new curriculums are all hoaxes. They are the old curriculum corrupted to the point of being useless with a bunch of new-fangled garbage thrown in that dumbs down the students and does a poor job of presenting the material. Don't plan on having any free time if you want to be a good teacher because you will spend all your evenings and weekends as a curriculum developer to try to make something decent out of the garbage curriculum that you will be forced to use. You'll be willing to sell one of your kidney's to be allowed to use old, "stodgy" textbooks from the 60's or 70's.

I live in Tennessee, and would very much appreciate > any hints, ideas, or (more importantly perhaps) info on > where to go next. I have an Associates degree in Business > Management, with extra credits unused. But these credits > where earned many years ago! I am so confident that I could > learn (or already know) a lot of the basic science > principals

This will be very helpful to you because in education, you usually get hired by who you know not what you know. If you would have said that you knew a lot of principles of science I would have been concerned for you because k-12 education is truly a terrible place for an academically strong person. But, if you don't know too much science but do know lots of principals who would hire you then you are in very good shape. You'll fit in just fine. Academically deficient teachers who are in good with their principals and willing to inflate grades do very well in education.

necessary to teach (and more > importantly…”engage”)…young minds. What’s next ?

May 26, 2012

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One for you On 5/25/12, Timothy King wrote:

> a candle won't stay lit in zero gravity...with full > atmosphere!! Do you know why

Most teachers quit teaching altogether within three years. The figures are even worse for math and science teachers. Do you know why

May 26, 2012

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put a backup plan in place where earned many years ago! I am so confident that I could > learn (or already know) a lot of the basic science > principals necessary to teach (and more > importantly…”engage”)…young minds. What’s next ?

----> Make sure you have a clear doable backup plan in place. It's quite likely you'll need to implement it. ...See More

May 26, 2012

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Lady Truth If teaching science is your passion, you should prepare yourself to do it. I have several ideas. In the summer, get hired in one of many, many science camps where you can teach science to inner city children. Another idea is to march down to your local elementary school and find a science teacher who needs a volunteer. This is easy. We are all over...See More

May 26, 2012

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Yeah ok On 5/25/12, Timothy King wrote: > On 5/25/12, Tim King wrote: >> Can I teach Science to young minds…please? I am a man who >> feels he has a desperate need to matter to the world. >> Unfortunately, I am fifty years old, and worry it may be >> too late to change my career direction. I have a burning >> desire to sp...See MoreOn 5/25/12, Timothy King wrote: > On 5/25/12, Tim King wrote: >> Can I teach Science to young minds…please? I am a man who >> feels he has a desperate need to matter to the world. >> Unfortunately, I am fifty years old, and worry it may be >> too late to change my career direction. I have a burning >> desire to spark a love of science in young minds, >> especially cocky kids who thing a class about science is >> lame. Could I spark interest in kids, both those interested >> and those lost in misdirected efforts? Science can be so >> interesting and fun, and I am just now realizing (at 50?) >> that I could perhaps stop doing the uninteresting and >> unimportant things I do to make “just enough” money. I am >> quite certain I could engage eager and smart minds, that’s >> almost seems to easy. I want to engage the minds who are >> perhaps capable, but bored by the stodgy curriculums of >> old. I live in Tennessee, and would very much appreciate >> any hints, ideas, or (more importantly perhaps) info on >> where to go next. I have an Associates degree in Business >> Management, with extra credits unused. But these credits >> where earned many years ago! I am so confident that I could >> learn (or already know) a lot of the basic science >> principals necessary to teach (and more >> importantly…”engage”)…young minds. What’s next ? > > > a candle won't stay lit in zero gravity...with full > atmosphere!! Do you know why

Well hey! You got the job! Seriously? Do you think all it takes is a "burning desire" and a little content knowledge to teach? I guess since I know that it is illegal to steal I should just hop in my car, run down to the courthouse and practice law. The pay and hours are better after all. Do you see the ridiculousness in that statement? Now think about it. There are hundreds of thousands of displaced teachers who earned degrees in teaching and you want to stomp on them because it would be neat?

Now, no matter what you do you will still matter. The world needs more than teachers. We also need business managers. Stick with what you know and leave this profession to those that know education. Take your scientific knowledge and as another poster said, work with kids in camps or volunteer.

Jul 12, 2012

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