Is anyone advising their girls to be teachers?

amother

Amethyst

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 5:07 am

My oldest girl is only 14 so we’re not quite up to there yet, but I can totally see myself recommending her to go into teaching for a number of reasons:
1. She’s suited to it. I don’t see her going into any of these high tech or professional careers, she’s very much a people person and a bit of an actress, and I think that that’s a good career path for her.
2. We’re in Israel and it’s kind of a government job here (even in BY schools) so it pays decently.
3. I think AI is kind of taking over the world and teaching is one of those few jobs that might not be affected by the revolution.

amother

Poppy

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 9:37 am

I went into teaching because I loved it and it was my passion. Even though my parents were not so supportive. And if my daughter it was her true passion I would tell her to go for it but otherwise I would never recommend it. And I would still make her get a degree in special ed or something so she has options for the future.

The problem with all those young girls teaching is precisely that, they're young girls. Most of them are not career teachers, they're just there for the meanwhile.

It's sad for our education system in general. But not my daughter's job to solve that problem.

amother

Oatmeal

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 9:40 am

I'd be happy and proud to see any of my sons or daughters choose teaching as a career, as long as they take it seriously and are prepared to work hard. I wouldn't advise any of them specifically to be teachers, or any career, if they weren't already moving in that direction themselves.

amother

Lilac ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 9:45 am

New York City public school teachers are paid a decent salary - and the benefits including health insurance are excellent. It is also relatively family friendly since there are summers off.

But I can't imagine recommending that anyone teach in one of the frum schools where the staff is underpaid; the benefit package is bad and sometimes they are paid late or not at all. Maybe at an MO school where the pay school is commensurate with public schools but like public schools the teachers are credentialed and the best paid ones have the equivalent of a Masters Degree.

I would also not recommend that a bright girl go into any of the ghetto fields which don't pay well and are glutted in many locations.

amother

Slategray

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 9:46 am

amother Poppy wrote:

If education was my daughters passion, I would advise her to make career choices that will help her support her family with that in mind. So teacher +_____. I would encourage her to develop a skill that will actually support her in tandem.

My sister in law is passionate about teaching, and also realized that she needs an actual paranassa.
She started a flower business from home when she was still single, and now basically has a flower store out of her house in addition to teaching. She says that maybe a day will come where she will have to leave teaching completely and focus on the buisness, but her hope is that she can stay in teaching as long as possible.

There are also fields that are more related to teaching that can be done in tandem ( most teachers work half days), but I personally think that a business side hustle may make more money when the person is younger.

amother

↑ Lilac ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 9:52 am

icedcoffee wrote:

I can't speak for frum schools but working in the NYC DOE is great- between the salary, benefits, and work schedule I would recommend that.

That is what I just posted Smile

Huge difference between teaching a good public school system versus being an underpaid teacher at a frum school with no benefits.

My mother was a NYC teacher and between the benefits and her retirement package my parents had a very comfortable retirement. My father was also a Civil Servant with pensions and benefits and so their combined income gave them a comfortable standard of living especially when benefits were factored in.

Benefits are a very significant part of a compensation package because they aren't taxed so their actual benefit is higher than even a taxable wage equivalent.

amother

Steel

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 10:08 am

I would not
Unless she is really passionate, doesn't mind earning a low salary and plans on marrying a man with a solid plan for how he will support the family
speaking as someone who is passionate and loves teaching (and was good at it!) but left because 1- I can't work so hard at a job and feel unappreciated with such a low salary and only 6 weeks off for a baby and 2- I wanted my husband to go into klei kodesh

amother

Blueberry

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 10:35 am

interesting thread considering so many threads in this site are about how morahs and rebbis are really getting so much bec of all the “added benefits” they have and how there is so much time off etc…

and yet, we are still hesitant to have or kids go into chinuch because there simply isn’t enough money in it…

amother

Eggshell ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 10:53 am

No, no, no, no. Did I say no??

But joke's on me. She wants to teach, and she got it into her head not to get a degree b'shitta, so I'm not really getting much of a say. And she's amazing in the classroom, I will admit.

I started out teaching in the frum schools and couldn't make ends meet with a husband in kollel. I eventually got 3 college degrees and am making an excellent salary teaching non-Jewish kids in p.s. a subject I excel in teaching. But it still wasn't enough, so as my kids got older I started tutoring in the evenings as well, and now, to marry them off decently, I'm actually preparing to begin a 3rd job next school year (in the frum teaching field, but not as a teacher).

I want her to use her strengths but at this rate with all her shittos about only teaching in the frum schools and not going out in the "world," and wanting to marry a kollel guy it's a disaster waiting to happen.

amother

Impatiens ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 10:59 am

Why not? Where I live the frum schools give benefits-chasdei lev, pay towards seminary or college if you’re going for a degree and working in the school, match pension after a certain number of years, tuition break, etc so it’s not bad. If my girls wanted to teach I’d encourage them, if they switch careers so be it. There are many dead end jobs out there, I don’t think teaching or working in a school is one of them.

amother

↑ Impatiens ↓

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 11:05 am

amother Eggshell wrote:

Define marrying off decently.
Doing a takana wedding or top of the line? Part of parenting is saying no, not killing yourself and working like a dog. If you can’t afford it, don’t do it.
If a couple wants to be in kollel, they’ll find a way to make it work. Even without support. And there are many jobs that pay worse than teaching. Teaching especially in a public school you really can’t complain. You have off every month, youre paid a six figure income to work on average six hours a day for ten months a year. Hate to break it to you there are some jobs that are 40 hours a week 52 weeks a year that pay half as much. Teaching isn’t a bad field to go into.

amother

Chartreuse

Sun, Jan 05 2025, 11:08 am

amother Steel wrote:

I'm counting on this. Kollel lifestyle isn't even on the radar. I was a SAHM and that is something my girls hope to be too. Working as a teacher, if they desire it (and I can see one of my daughters is particularly cut out for it) for supplemental income or the simple enjoyment of it, is great because you end up with the same schedule as your children.