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 Our future as teachers 
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I know everyone is a aware of the tough times that our country is going through economically right now. I was just wondering how you all felt about our job security as teachers. I know teachers will always be needed, but as more jobs are lost do you think there will be any cut backs in the education field? Graduation is right around the corner for most of us, and then it's out into the world we go, and as of right now the world looks like a pretty scary place for a first time job seeker.

Do you all have any thoughts about this?

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Cory L. Rycroft


Wed Oct 01, 2008 1:52 pm
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This is a great question and it really does make me think. I agree with you that it is a real scary place in the economic world for a first time job seeker. I do however think that there will always be a great need for teachers, because as teachers we are the ones who are teaching the tomorrow's future leaders. Without teachers, I feel as if the economy would falter even more. It does make me a little nervous though because my major is Family and Consumer Sciences, which as most of you know as Home Economics. Some people feel as if this is not needed in our schools and I couldn't disagree with that more. But, if the right person with the right amount of power decided to cut this program out then there would go my job which is a very scary thought. I will just have to believe in the American education system and always know that I will have a job there for my future.

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Casey Davis


Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:40 pm
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I also agree that this is a great question to ask and a great topic of discussion. The state of our economy is scary right now as to the question of jobs. I personally don't think that the majority of teacher jobs will be cut out, but I do think that we might suffer a bit as far as resources, maybe pay (as if we don't make anything already!). But I really don't think it will be touched too much. As said before, teachers are always needed and you can find a teaching job relatively any place. Also, with both of the political candidates and the two houses of congress, education is such an important topic of discussion that I don't think a lot of funding is going to come out of that pot. Although if things get really bad, it might. It's a scary concept!

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Anna F. Gay


Thu Oct 02, 2008 5:17 am
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This post does make you start to think. Our economy is a scary situation right now. Although, the question I ask myself is not about job security instead surviving in todays society on a teachers salary. With high gas prices, food prices, and cost of living how am I going to make my yearly salary stretch? We all want to hurry and get out of college, so we can stop worrying about being constantly broke. But are we going to be able to stop worrying as teachers? I think I am going to be more broke then ever!!

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katielewis


Thu Oct 02, 2008 11:45 am
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I have also thought about my future and how the economy could play an important role in my future. Like many of you have said I not only worry about job security but also about being able to live on a teacher’s salary. It seems that every time I turn around another job is being sent overseas and the cost of living keeps going up. I hope and pray that the government can’t find away to provide education to millions of children in a cheaper way, because we all know that not enough money is being spent on education now. Hopefully, one day the government will realize that education should be a top priority and not only guarantee us future teachers job security but also a little more pay would be nice.

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Tracy Gardo


Fri Oct 03, 2008 9:49 am
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I never actually really thought about the fact jobs are going to become more scarce because of the economy right now. This thought is a bit scary as graduation is literally just around the corner for me, especially since I am a Music Education Major. Whenever schools cut back on teaching positions, the first positions that are usually cut back or completely eliminated are the fine arts positions. This does raise the thought that even when our economy was in a more stable place, teachers still worried about cut backs. I remember one school in particular let go half of their math faculty, and that was before all of the sudden decay of stock market value.

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Jennifer Nicole Redmond


Fri Oct 03, 2008 5:36 pm
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I have to agree it is a scary thought that schools can cut back on teachers and let them go because of budgeting. Also it makes me worry about the two candidates running for president right now. Both want to keep No Child Left Behind and reward high-achieving teachers/schools. While McCain wants to build virtual schools and Obama wants to make science and math "educational priorities". Where is there plan for social studies, english, and fine art classes?! I thought our schools systems and our place as teachers were to help students become well rounded citizens


Sat Oct 04, 2008 9:05 am
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I think teachers face the same fears and worries as other professionals. No one is immune from cutbacks. Areas that have lost jobs, population and property values stand great chances of having to reduce teacher positions. However thinking about the number of people who leave teaching before they finish five years I think if you are willing to work in any school system especially economically challenged districts everyone will find a job. If you aren't successful in finding a job right away there's always substituting. That is a great way to get familiar with up coming vacancies.

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Thomas Lloyd Walker


Sun Oct 05, 2008 11:43 am
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I definitely think that we are going to be affected by the economic struggle that we are currently going through. I would like to believe most of the time, that I am going to go out into the world and get a job and live comfortably. However, realistically I know that that is not how it is going to be for me, and I think that everyone including myself needs to take a step back like we are doing right now to assess the economic situation in our lives. It seems to me that it is more likely that someone with tenure is going to have the upper hand in the world that we are living in, and that it will not only be harder for new teachers to keep their jobs, but also to find them.

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Brynne Pulver, Music Education/Vocal Performance


Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:21 pm
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I never even thought that technology might put teachers out of jobs. However, that could be in our future. While there is a greater demand for teachers than other professions, I can't always be insured I'll have a job once I'm out of school. I plan on teaching high school art, and typically when funding is low, those are the first programs to be cut. Even if I were to have a job, how could I manage to do many studio activities if a majority of the funding has to come out of my own pocket or be earned through fund raising? I'll be a a teacher just exiting college! I won't have any money as it is.

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Heather Lynn Rulifson


Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:27 am
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Money money money. It seems as though that is the concern with education majors right now. With the cost of living being sky high and the prices of things going up daily, its hard not to be thinking about money when we're about to graduate. We'll be living totally on our own trying to make it in this "great" economy. When I first began my path towards becoming a teacher I thought about having the summers off and what I could possibly do with all that spare time. Now, however, I am realizing that if I don't get a summer job then there is no way I am going to be able to even live not to mention take any vacations. Learning to deal and cope with stress is something I believe we as education majors will have to excel at in the near future.


Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:40 am
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I worry about my job security as a MUSIC teacher. It seems like when an area falls on hard times, music is the first thing to go! I also agree with those of you who have mentioned something about our salary as teachers. I worry about this too. The cost of living has gone up a lot over the last year or two. The price of gasoline alone is a big concern! Not that I was brought up "wealthy"....I am middle class, but I have never gone without anything that I need. I know the value of working and money, and don't get everything that I want, but I don't go without things either. I don't think a lot of jobs in education will be cut, I just feel like as a music educator, I'm in more danger of being told that they don't have the funds for me.

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Maria Parker


Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:17 pm
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Maria, you bring up a good point I had not though about until now. I do think we as specialist teachers, like music and PE, do have an increased concern with job security. I do agree that these will be the first areas to go if funds get to low. I don't think we are to the point yet where we really need to worry, but it is on the radar as a definite possibility! I have never been considered extremely wealthy myself, but then again have never had to really worry about money. It scares me to think that even after all my hard work I may not be completely financially stable!

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katielewis


Tue Oct 07, 2008 12:36 pm
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That's a great question. I was actually thinking about this the other day. I feel that as teachers, we will always be needed. Yes, there may be a cut-back in some school systems, but there will always be a need for qualified teachers. This is especially for elementary school teachers. This makes me feel even better because I am an elementary major. I also feel that middle school and high school teachers, teaching the basic curriculum (math, English, science, history, special education), will be needed equally as much. However, if economic times do get worse, we may see more of a cut-back in art, physical education, music, agriculture, and home economics teachers. This is sad, considering we need these teachers just as much as any of the others. It has happened in the past, and I feel that it may happen again. Someone mentioned that technology make take over teaching jobs in the future. This is a scary proposition, and I hope it does not happen in my lifetime, or ever. How sad would it be if a computer were teaching someone all the time for every subject? No real interaction between the teacher and classmates would be present, and I feel as if the whole theory of education, learning from others, would be ruined. However, education will always be in place and teachers will always be needed, so I feel anyone with an education degree has a bright future ahead of them.

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Heather Holland Crow


Tue Oct 07, 2008 11:25 pm
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I think that this is a really scary possibility. I do feel that as a Math Ed. major I will find a job, but with economic cut backs I could be forced to go to an area that I wouldn't have normally chosen. The main thing is that we will be needed, but I feel that looking for jobs in smaller school systems will be less successful than in larger ones that are always going to need more teachers.

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Mandi McGaha


Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:47 am
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This question actually really made me think. I have always thought that being a teaching major practically would secure me a job when I get out of college. Lately, though, who knows if that is the case. Being an Elementary Education major also makes it harder for me to find a job. I think about all of the Elementary majors just here at Appalachian (and every other school in the state for that matter), and it really makes me realize how many people will be in the same position as me in a year and a half. Katie, you also brought up a good point about teaching salaries. With consumers having to pay more and more for food, gas, and every day essentials- who knows what we will be able to afford! I am definitely for a pay raise for teachers, especially in these scary economic times.

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Paige Kathleen Colbath


Wed Oct 08, 2008 4:09 pm
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If I remember correctly, the constitution of the state of North Carolina, as most other states, requires general education. Therefore, teaching jobs could only be lost, but not cut out completely. However, I do not believe that this will happen because of the resent focus on education. I think it would be one of the last programs that would be cut.

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Zach Yokley


Fri Nov 07, 2008 4:58 pm
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I'm not so much worried about finding a job but keeping one. The arts are being cut out constantly and therefore I worried for both getting and keeping, but more so the keeping. As for getting, I don't know many music teachers that leave because of dissatisfaction in the school but rather the music program dying out. Now a really excellent teacher, I believe, wouldn't let that happen.

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~Natalie Wolfe


Mon Nov 10, 2008 11:48 pm
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Personally, I agree with everyone when they say that a teacher's salary (with a 4 year degree) sucks, for lack of a better word. But, I have to point out that we all probably knew that before we got into our degrees. I feel that my security in a job as a teacher would be harder now if I had been teaching for many years rather than being a newly educated teacher (like we are). I think that in many places, principals and governments are looking for fresh, young, and most recently educated individuals to teach their children. I like to be optimistic in my views in saying that "everything will turn out okay", in that I will find a job. But so many people from my home town have a four year degree in teaching but are working in a corporate office. Many "upper level" paying jobs, simply look for a 4 year degree when hiring. While that's wonderful for those who just want a job, I want to teach and exercise what I've learned over those four years.
Overall though, I'm not too scared about finding a job. We as teachers are going to struggle either way with the pay they have going now!

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Kristen Bumgarner


Tue Nov 11, 2008 11:30 am
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This is something I had never really thought about until now. As the news continues to talk of the economy and what bad shape we are in. However, I agree that we just have to have faith in our American Education System. I truly believe though as long as there are students who need to be taught, there will always be a need for teachers! I also thinks that the shortage of teachers will also help us in the long run.

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Jessica Mundy


Wed Nov 12, 2008 11:38 am
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