Life Decisions Thread

:popcorn:

He’s such a JFG.

Sure, why not. I mostly just didn’t want the details to bias the results of the poll… :wink:

I dropped the whole Actuary thing several years ago. I’ve done some Data Science since then, but decided I just don’t like working behind a desk. So - I am now teaching. Jr. High science this year, which isn’t my dream position, but it’s a place to start.

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If I knew what your decision was, I would have told you yes do it. I know a few people who left the actuarial profession to go into teaching and at least one who left teaching to become an actuary and then went right back into teaching a little while later. Don’t think they regretted it. Good for you.

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good for you indeed. jr high is not an easy age for a teacher

IFYP . . .
:grimacing:

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I thought teachers were paid crap in the us? Like I’ve heard stories of 40k?

Hey! It’s my entry level actuarial salary! (Not joking, and not too distant past as I’m a millennial)

It varies a lot from place to place. My town budge isn’t as transparent as it used to be, but teaching wages aren’t too bad here.

Well in Ontario, teachers average about 90k. Plus the best benefits money can buy. Plus July and august off. Plus a gold plated pension.
Sounds like I’m complaining, I’m not.

This is not an easy time to start teaching.

However, it’s probably an easier time to find a teaching job.

If I were to teach I’d only teach college students.
But I don’t want to get a PhD.

And I don’t know how to become an adjunct professor.

Also I don’t think I really want to teach that much.

I’ve never taught, only done some tutoring. Had a lot of fun tutoring primary school kids, they’re enthusiastic. Done a bit of HS level tutoring, less fun. Kids seem either adversarial or completely disinterested. In fairness, some of the HS tutoring is “my kid needs tutoring” so maybe the kids are there against their will.
If I ever did anything close to teaching, it’d be focused on tutoring for the Euclid math exam which is a factor in getting admitted into Uwaterloo. Pretty sure that exam is the only reason I ever got accepted there (had a sub 80 average in HS, thought that might be misleading, but I rocked the Euclid).
No way would I become a primary/HS teacher. $90k/year is not enough money to deal with the beauracracy and parents.

I know IRL someone on this board that does or did teach at a community college. If you want information on how he got into it, I can ask if he would be willing to let you know.

Nah it’s okay. Back in the day I thought writing exam questions and watching students agonize over them was fun.

Then I wrote exam questions for the CAS for many years, and it wasn’t that fun (especially for free).

If I could make what I make now and get months-long summer and winter breaks, then maybe.

'round these parts, people who teach at CC teach at several CCs. Dubbed “Freeway Flyers.”

Definitely a pay cut. Willing to take it at this time in my life.

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Step 1: Accustom your palate to the taste of Top Ramen because it is all you will be eating.

Hey! You got your details.

Congrats!

I did adjuncting as a hobby job for a few years:
https://stump.marypat.org/article/200/national-adjunct-walkout-day-time-to-rethink-careers

I don’t recommend it as a sole source of income (as noted above, you’d have to get multiple adjunct jobs to cobble together a minimum wage full-time income), but it’s fun as a hobby, especially if you get to teach the “fun” classes.

Most “career” adjuncts do not get to teach the fun classes. They teach the required classes, where the students hate your guts.

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