Best and Worst Jobs

Trying to get back in the habit of blogging.

My best job

The one I have now. I love teaching. I am certified to teach computer science, mathematics, and technology applications. By far, I like computer science the most, but it is hard to get enough students to teach it all day, thus the other certifications.

That can be a curse, or a blessing. This year it started out as a curse as I was teaching math only all day. Next year I’ll teach 4 sections of CS and Webmaster the other classes periods.

Frankly, Webmastering doesn’t turn me on. First, the kids don’t know what it is about when they take it. They think it is going to be a class where they can sit and play on the internet. Nope, we need to write webpages. I also don’t like teaching it because I am not good at drawing. So between fighting with students who don’t want to do anything and trying to get people to draw who don’t like it, it’s not fun. Besides, I don’t think I am accomplishing as much.

When I teach computer science, I have two groups of students — a small subset that are really good at computer programming and usually had no idea they were when they started. And then a group of students who will just learn how it all works and will be able to better cope with it in the future.

When I teach math, I get the struggling kids since I’m guaranteed not to have taught them before. I can really make a difference to them, as I can reach them a bit differently with the computers.

My worst job

Programming for Zales. In fact, that was my last full time programming gig. I wanted a job that was low stress, come in and do it 8 hours a day, and be done with it. It started out that way, but within a short time it wasn’t that way. I left after 3 months, and haven’t gone back to professional programming.

By the way, teaching isn’t exactly a low stress job either — but the stress doesn’t last very long.