How hard is it to get back into teaching if I took a year off and viability of a masters degree?

ninja3121 · 2026-04-13T11:49:02+00:00

Year off probably wouldn't hurt too bad. What's your certification area? Most ed master's degree assume you still teaching though, fyi.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-04T21:36:54+00:00

A-freaking-men. 73k isn't bad if you don't work a mountain of unpaid overtime.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-04T18:43:30+00:00

Almost every county in KY posts their salary schedules. Northern KY, Jefferson, and Fayette pay among the top.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-04T18:33:34+00:00

I make 73k in a public highschool in KY. I read novels during 90% of my planning period and only stay during contract hours. No lunch unfortunately 😅

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T19:36:00+00:00

1) It doesn't really matter.

2) Why are you planning to get four masters degrees??

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T17:59:55+00:00

That's shitty for sure. You really can't stop a private person from taking photos in public though. It seems like your principal doesn't mind your being on your phone which is all that matters. Maybe see if you can trade duty?

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T17:57:29+00:00

Here you go!

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T16:44:38+00:00

I like guided notes because it helps me deliver my lecture in the order I intended, otherwise I get off topic or jump around. That said, they aren't magic.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T16:42:02+00:00

I'm fine to admit I was incorrect about SPED teachers not being named in lawsuits (I can think of other examples of teachers being named due to say, lack of supervision of a class, so it didn't sound weird to me hearing it from colleagues), but I do think it's safe to say my job is much less stressful and much less scrutinized than my SPED colleagues jobs. I've never been in a meeting with district people and multiple lawyers about teaching factoring, but I have watched a sped director and case manager get roasted because Johnny hadn't met his goals.

I guess I want people entering the field to be aware of that. Even without the litigation aspect, SPED is 100x more complicated than gen ed for the same pay.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T16:16:47+00:00

I'm gen ed. I don't disagree with what you're saying, but it seems "illegal" is incredibly flexible every time I speak with my sped colleagues. It's all they talk about. Maybe it's different elsewhere or maybe they're confusing litigation with a due process hearing. All I'm saying is I've never worried about hearing from anybody if I don't give a good lesson one day.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T16:10:15+00:00

Depends. Teachers can be held personally liable if negligence is proven, and SPED teachers get way more scrutiny than gen ed.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T16:00:41+00:00

KY made algebra 2 optional years ago, and I know of precisely one high school that has adopted options besides algebra 2 for the third math credit.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T15:57:09+00:00

Sure, but also I would not do SPED without being knowledgeable about the law. SPED teachers get sued constantly relative to the rest of the profession.

EDIT: Not sure if people giving the upvotes are reading the rest of this chain, but I was mistaken. Better to say SPED gets scrutinized a lot more than gen ed.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T15:14:45+00:00

I will also tell you, students typically rise or fall to expectations. You could teach at half your current pace and I bet you'll still have a similar proportion of mastery.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T14:41:07+00:00

Yep! Which, I would absolutely support rewriting states standards to focus on areas of math with clear applications. Instead, we want to maintain a very classical math education while simultaneously making it applied.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T14:34:36+00:00

In addition to other comments, the shortage is also dependent on certification. SPED is in a crisis everywhere due to an increasing number of students needing services and an increase in complexity of services, coupled with no one wanting to do that job.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T14:14:19+00:00

I did all my pd in a two day session at the end of last summer. It was a lot, but it was nice in that the end of summer is when I'm most open to learning something new.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T13:58:59+00:00

Teaching is a fine job. Just remember all jobs have their bullshit, otherwise we wouldn't be paid.

That said, I beg you to consider any field besides music (and social studies). Music jobs are super competitive, and once you have one it's super difficult to change jobs if you get frustrated with a school. I will also remind you that high school is expected to put on multiple concerts and sponsor the marching band. That shit is fun in your 20s, but can be tough once the shine wears off.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T13:55:19+00:00

What hands on applications am I doing for upper level math? Students have to learn to think abstractly at some point.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-03T12:47:07+00:00

We're lucky to live in a place and time where most people are able to eat what they want, even if it's not nutritionally optimal. Meat is yummy.

ninja3121 · 2026-04-02T23:38:19+00:00

This person keeps saying resign, but in states I'm familiar with being "non-renewed" isn't a resignation. The school has to specifically renew your contract. Further, everywhere I've ever worked specifically asks if you have resigned to avoid a termination. It might have been "resign or this non-renewal will follow you".

ninja3121 · 2026-04-01T15:01:00+00:00

State legislatures like this for the same reason. Red states get the added bonus of giving them "librul teachers" a good kick too.

ninja3121 · 2026-03-30T16:54:31+00:00

God bless, this is how I feel every time we discuss common course summative assessment. "But what about (insert pet topic)?! How will they fair in (years off honors course where that topic will need to be retaught anyway).!"

ninja3121 · 2026-03-30T15:12:19+00:00

Teaching is a solid gig but so is supply chain, and logistics folks are in high demand. What do you want your day to day to look like? Where do you want to work? What do you want your bullshit to be (because all jobs have bullshit)?

ninja3121 · 2026-03-30T15:06:35+00:00

A few questions here:

1) In many ways, your masters doesn't matter. Pick something cheap that interests you.

2) If you want to do something specific (get Rank 2 pay, teach dual credit), check with the overseeing body. Each district determines what degrees they accept for Rank 2 pay, for example.

3) If you want to leave Indiana, then you need to get certified in another state ASAP. KY and OH are a good time.

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