Go for it

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Home : 2001 : October : 7

Go for it
By diane

I went back to school to finish a post grad teaching certificate at 40, took my time, subbed while in school, student taught the year I turned 43 and was hired that following fall. DO IT!!!! I am not the only person I know
that has successfully done this, a friend my age student taught last year and now has a full time position as well. My experience with parents was great my first year, I have teens so I'd been there as a parent and could fall back on that when talking about students. Often parents didn't realize it was my first year! I think many parents feel more comfortable with a first year teacher

who has real life experience with kids and schools. I feel just as excited about teaching as any new teacher, age just gives me some wisdom and common sense that I think tempers some unrealistic expectations I might have had. My subbing experience and parenting really made me much more able to deal with being a first year teacher. I think once women reach their 40s a certain sense of self kicks in for most of us (you, too I hope)and things that would have thrown me for a loop as a first year teacher in my 20s were easy to take in stride. I say you should go for it, you'll be glad you did!