Future Decisions

[NudeDude92]

My wife and I have been teachers in our town at a small private school. It looks like this will be our last year teaching here. Please pray with us as we plan our next move, and as I search for new employment over the next 9 months so there won't be a crippling break in our income.

[Englishman]

Job changes are often a bit fraught; I will be praying for you both over the coming months.

[natman]

My wife and I have been teachers in our town at a small private school. It looks like this will be our last year teaching here. Please pray with us as we plan our next move, and as I search for new employment over the next 9 months so there won't be a crippling break in our income.

Is the school closing down? Are the teaching jobs going away? Are you looking to move to another area?

This will help with our prayers aside from praying for God's will to be done.

[NudeDude92]

My wife and I have been teachers in our town at a small private school. It looks like this will be our last year teaching here. Please pray with us as we plan our next move, and as I search for new employment over the next 9 months so there won't be a crippling break in our income.

Is the school closing down? Are the teaching jobs going away? Are you looking to move to another area?

This will help with our prayers aside from praying for God's will to be done.

Looking to move. Things are beginning to indicate to me that I'm not much of a good fit anymore. It's a complicated issue that doesn't have as much to do with the schools as it does the system to which it belongs. I'm planning to change trades. I have other skill sets. I need to pick one and make better money with it.

[Petros]

well - All to used to employment and housing issues and uncertainties , enough too comprehend yours.

Stay the course - there is a promised land.

[New_Adventurer]

Where are you located?
Where do you want to move to?
What profession do you want to change to?
Is your age a factor?
Is your naturism a factor?

[Maverick]

NudeDude, if I may make a suggestion... move to Texas. I'm not just saying that because I live here. We have a strong economy and are the fastest-growing when it comes to jobs right now, with really low unemployment. I know you and your wife visited the Austin area earlier this year, and don't know what you thought about it (hopefully you don't think the rest of the state is like that ), but you could move pretty much anywhere in this state and be really well off. Plus: no state tax!

If you were looking to stay close to Arkansas, there's the Texarkana area. Further south is the Longview/Marshall/Tyler area. To the south and west, DFW (where I live) is booming. I do not recommend living in the same county as any of the major cities, so if you decided to come to DFW, for example, don't live in Dallas County.

I have several friends who just graduated with their teaching degrees, and they're easily finding jobs. So if you're interested in teaching, there are plenty of opportunities, and the average salary is around $50,000. I know for a fact that teachers in Texas make more than teachers in Oklahoma; I would imagine that's the same case for Arkansas.

Even if you decide not to teach... consider Texas. Again, not sales-pitching, but offering a suggestion.

Regardless of what you decide, you and your wife are in my prayers.

[NudeDude92]

NudeDude, if I may make a suggestion... move to Texas. I'm not just saying that because I live here. We have a strong economy and are the fastest-growing when it comes to jobs right now, with really low unemployment. I know you and your wife visited the Austin area earlier this year, and don't know what you thought about it (hopefully you don't think the rest of the state is like that ), but you could move pretty much anywhere in this state and be really well off. Plus: no state tax!

If you were looking to stay close to Arkansas, there's the Texarkana area. Further south is the Longview/Marshall/Tyler area. To the south and west, DFW (where I live) is booming. I do not recommend living in the same county as any of the major cities, so if you decided to come to DFW, for example, don't live in Dallas County.

I have several friends who just graduated with their teaching degrees, and they're easily finding jobs. So if you're interested in teaching, there are plenty of opportunities, and the average salary is around $50,000. I know for a fact that teachers in Texas make more than teachers in Oklahoma; I would imagine that's the same case for Arkansas.

Even if you decide not to teach... consider Texas. Again, not sales-pitching, but offering a suggestion.

Regardless of what you decide, you and your wife are in my prayers.

I am indeed thinking of Texas. There are some things that need to happen before that. Namely, the truck needs nearly $1000 in repairs. And before that, a boat needs to be sold. Pray I can sell it quickly. Certain of the repairs are non-critical to truck function (windshield crack), but if I'm not mistaken, is needed to pass TX inspection. Logistics....

[jjsledge]

My truck has had a crack in it for years and it has never been mentioned after inspections. Get the inspection first then fix what is wrong. If it fails inspection you have (I think) two weeks to make repairs then get it re-inspected for no additional charge.

Jerry Sledge
Rockwall, TX

[Ramblinman]

I think there is wisdom in moving before you run out of funds.
Take any days off that you must and meet with principals in areas you find desirable.
And be sure to stay in touch with them. There is always a turnover among teachers and a principal will remember a good candidate, but a little friendly reminder phone call might put your name back on the top of the stack.

Perhaps you and your wife could even teach at the same school.

When you get a firm offer, you can turn in your notice, put out the fire in the fireplace, call the dog, start up the truck, head west and don't look back.
Great days are ahead for you!

[NudeDude92]

My teaching will end after this year.

I should give you more info about why I'm choosing this. My degree is a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. This degree is soaking in mathematics, which over-qualifies me in terms of competence in the discipline. Because I didn't come from the cookie-cutter education background, the accrediting body has been very sticky about keeping me certified. That and there are odd technicalities about lower grade level classes.

My wife could still teach, but even she isn't all that jazzed about that. This is possibly a career change for both of us.

[Ramblinman]

My teaching will end after this year.

I should give you more info about why I'm choosing this. My degree is a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering. This degree is soaking in mathematics, which over-qualifies me in terms of competence in the discipline. Because I didn't come from the cookie-cutter education background, the accrediting body has been very sticky about keeping me certified. That and there are odd technicalities about lower grade level classes.

My wife could still teach, but even she isn't all that jazzed about that. This is possibly a career change for both of us.

Well your degree was problematic for the people who were scratching their heads and asking one another, "Mechanical engineerin' ? Did this feller study how to fix cars?"
And the other bureaucrat probably replied, "No, when they's an 'engineer' next to his degree it mean he shovels coal into a freight train's belly!"

I'm not quite sure myself what a mechanical engineer does, but I reckon it qualifies you for all sorts of things that I can scarcely comprehend.

[Maverick]

I am indeed thinking of Texas. There are some things that need to happen before that. Namely, the truck needs nearly $1000 in repairs. And before that, a boat needs to be sold. Pray I can sell it quickly. Certain of the repairs are non-critical to truck function (windshield crack), but if I'm not mistaken, is needed to pass TX inspection. Logistics....

I agree with Jerry; you don't need to fix a windshield crack for your truck to pass inspection in Texas. The main issue would be emissions, and that really depends on which county you have the inspection performed in (i.e., which county you live in).

My dad and I got my grandmother's old Honda up and running after it had sat unused for a long time. It coughed, sputtered, and wouldn't idle unless we kept the engine revved to 2500rpm (standard transmission). Drove it around for a half-hour, thought we'd give the inspection a try, and sure enough, it started to idle and passed inspection.

[NudeDude92]

Well your degree was problematic for the people who were scratching their heads and asking one another, "Mechanical engineerin' ? Did this feller study how to fix cars?"
And the other bureaucrat probably replied, "No, when they's an 'engineer' next to his degree it mean he shovels coal into a freight train's belly!"

I'm not quite sure myself what a mechanical engineer does, but I reckon it qualifies you for all sorts of things that I can scarcely comprehend.

Mechanical Engineering is a wide discipline. One with the degree could go into aerospace and design aircraft parts. Another could do the same in automotive. Still others can get into law or medical schools(some 40% of med school students accepted are BSME holders). Still others can go into manufacturing process design i.e. design the systems that make stuff.That being said, if one has such a degree, and has demonstrated competence in his craft, then by that merit, he should be able to be certified. But then again, there are reasons why the education system in America is in poor shape. But that's a topic for another strip.

[Petros]

Tell me about it. Then stand back as my experience with said system spews forth!
It is not - or 99.44% is not - an educatuional system now, but a socialization system.