barbierox
Junior Member
Posts: 88
Jul 6, 2014 2:47:12 GMT
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Post by barbierox on Jul 21, 2014 1:32:20 GMT
I am 44 yrs old and a degreed chemist. I worked for over 16 years in industry but was let go about 4 years ago. I haven't really found anything in my field and to be honest, I really don't have the passion for lab work like I did in the past. I do love helping out at my DD elementary school, however. I wonder financially, is it better to be a Paraprofessional or a sub. teacher. I live in IL and I believe sub teachers can make anywhere from $85-100 a day with no benefits. I have a friend that is a para and she makes $11.50 an hour but has retirement benefits but no health benefits. Now , I have never worked full time in a school setting ... either as a para or sub ... so I am reaching out to the Peas for any advice, pros/cons of each, which did you enjoy the most, did you receive benefits, pay,... ? Thanks for you help!!!
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Post by Native New Yorker on Jul 21, 2014 1:55:30 GMT
Holy cow! No health benefits and 11.50 an hour? I'd sub first. (I'm a teaching assistant in NY.)
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Post by SockMonkey on Jul 21, 2014 1:57:01 GMT
Subs in our district (in IL) earn no benefits, but the pay rate is decent. Parapros earn very little, but I think they DO have health benefits. And, of course, a more consistent guaranteed income.
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SabrinaP
Pearl Clutcher
Busy Teacher Pea
Posts: 4,407
Location: Dallas Texas
Jun 26, 2014 12:16:22 GMT
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Post by SabrinaP on Jul 21, 2014 2:02:00 GMT
Our paras do get health benefits and retirement. They make less than $20,000 per year though.
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Post by grammy2emmasophia on Jul 21, 2014 2:05:01 GMT
I am a para in a public elementary school. I love my job. We do not get paid well, but I do have amazing benefits. I have health with a $10 copay, dental and optical. I pay very little for our benefits. When we were on my husbands plan we paid $750 per month, so just the savings alone boosts my salary several thousand a year. We also do have a retirement plan. The only drawback is not being paid over the summer. I work 5 weeks at a rec program to bring in some money during that time. Again the pay is not great, but it is an awesome rewarding job.
I guess to answer your question, the reliable income and benefits (if available) are more appealing than subbing. I do know some subs that have moved onto other districts that seem to have more available sub jobs than our district.
Kathy
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Post by gypsymama on Jul 21, 2014 2:11:51 GMT
the paras i know make little more than minimum wage, but do have health insurance and depending on district, teacher retirement. they do have requirements on education but with a bachelors, that probably would be fine. they said i made more as a sub than they made but of course i had no benefits so it just depends on what you're needing. i'm currently working in transportation as a bus monitor and while the steady income is much improved over what i made subbing, i do miss the flexibility! and the kids
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 21, 2014 2:13:17 GMT
I've been a para, a sub, and a classroom teacher
Para: I made about $10 or so an hour, I believe they now start higher than that. My para that had been in the district for 20 years made close to 20 or just over. In my district, paras who work more than 20 hours have benefits. All state employees have PERA. As a para you know you will be working 180 days or so and you do get PTO of about 10 days a year. You get to work with the same kids and staff all year long
Sub: Subs currently get between $75 and $90 per day in my area. There are no benefits, but you do get PERA. You get to choose what days you do, and don't work. No pay for time off, but if you need a day, you just don't take a job. You get to work with different kids in different buildings and different classes/age groups.
Teacher: If you have a degree in chemistry and have any desire to teach, it might be beneficial to look into certification in your area. In many ares, science teachers are in demand. You may be able to go an alternate route to licensure or you may be able to sub or be a para while getting your license to transition into the classroom.
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Post by ktdoesntscrap on Jul 21, 2014 2:13:43 GMT
Have you considered Lateral Entry into becoming a teacher?
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Post by 950nancy on Jul 21, 2014 2:24:26 GMT
It pays better to sub in Colorado. Our educational assistants don't get paid well and they don't get enough hours to make much. They work really hard. They do get health benefits though and that is a good benefit. Freecharlie, do you live in Denver? Wondering if there is a big discrepancy between hourly pay for EA's here and there.
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Post by ntsf on Jul 21, 2014 2:26:04 GMT
I have been a sub in a high school for 7 yrs. it is hard. I get $135 day with no benefits. I am debating whether to go back...some days it can be very very hard. I also work as a nanny and make more money per hour and it is very easy in comparison. but subbing at an elementary school would be easier.
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Post by christine58 on Jul 21, 2014 2:27:16 GMT
Our teacher aides and teaching assistants where I teach get health benefits plus pay into the retirement system. I am in NYS...you now have to take a certification test to be an assistant.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 21, 2014 2:30:14 GMT
It pays better to sub in Colorado. Our educational assistants don't get paid well and they don't get enough hours to make much. They work really hard. They do get health benefits though and that is a good benefit. Freecharlie, do you live in Denver? Wondering if there is a big discrepancy between hourly pay for EA's here and there. No, the Loveland, Greeley, Fort Collins area. I am also talking sped paras as the districts up here do not have a lot of gen ed instructional assistants.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,091
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jul 21, 2014 2:51:30 GMT
You could get certified to teach. In illinois, science majors are in demand. Illinois also has good options under ACA, so insurance is solvable. Subbing vs assistant pay varies a lot by district. The jobs are very different. Is teaching something you are called to do? It is NOT easy. You may want to sub to see if you even want to be in a school with kids.
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barbierox
Junior Member
Posts: 88
Jul 6, 2014 2:47:12 GMT
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Post by barbierox on Jul 21, 2014 14:38:09 GMT
Freecharlie... what is PERA?? I did send in all the documents needed to be both a para and a sub. I guess it can take up to 2 months to get approved. I should look into becoming a science teacher... but I would think that I would need more education.... since I have never taken any teaching classes. Not sure what lateral entry is.... ?? ugh!
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Post by iteach3rdgrade on Jul 21, 2014 15:18:12 GMT
I would sub because there is a huge difference in pay. If you need insurance then you'll work for a lower pay to cover the insurance and that's about it.
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,091
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jul 21, 2014 15:19:19 GMT
Call your Regional Office of Education and look on the state website for paths to certification. Then make an appt at a nearby four year school with someone who does secondary education. Also ask about endorsements in physics, bio, math. You may be able to do some coursework at a community college, too.
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Post by donna on Jul 21, 2014 15:27:47 GMT
barbierox, many states have programs for people going into teaching from other career fields. It is alternative certification. If you were here in SC you would be hired so quickly because of your Chem degree. Chemistry teachers are so hard to find.
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perumbula
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,439
Location: Idaho
Jun 26, 2014 18:51:17 GMT
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Post by perumbula on Jul 21, 2014 15:34:58 GMT
I've been a sub and in our district both paras and subs make minimum wage. Only as a sub I couldn't count on work coming my way. I'm currently looking for a full time job that is not in the school district. I need more than minimum wage and para work doesn't really interest me that much. I've subbed as a para and it was fun for a day, but I'm already burned out as a sub, I think I'd burn out even faster as a para. It's a very emotionally draining job.
One thing about subbing is the lack of consistency in the pay. My pay checks could be hundreds of dollars different every month. One month I'd get three days, next month I'd be working nearly every day. You never know what you're going to get and it can be hard to establish yourself as a favorite. I have a friend with a teaching licence who is signed up with three different districts to sub so she can get near full time work.
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Post by Kelpea on Jul 21, 2014 15:41:58 GMT
Sounds like you have a great advantage due to your chemistry background. Math and Science teacher hires are at a premium now (our country is finally understanding how far behind we are in those areas and are offering some sweet ops for those teachers). Substitute teaching is a breeze, but you have to find which age groups you are best suited for. I sub most days at a middle school (I just finished my sixth year). Because of subbing, I'm back in school to teach either Language Arts of History for middle school. They're easy to handle; they just need humor and tough love.
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moodyblue
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,253
Location: Western Illinois
Site Supporter
Jun 26, 2014 21:07:23 GMT
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Post by moodyblue on Jul 21, 2014 16:11:27 GMT
I'm a teacher in Illinois and I think that the situations vary widely from district to district regarding benefits for paras and pay. In my area, my district provides benefits to full-time personnel, including paras. In another, much larger, district nearby, non-certified staff don't get benefits for a long, long time, possibly years. You need to really see what would be best for you.
I will tell you that we had a middle-age guy working as a para this past year. He changed careers and wanted to be working with kids. Well, he ended up in a Special Ed room (where many para jobs will be) and I don't think it was what he thought he'd be doing. It can be a lot more challenging to work with special needs kids than one thinks. Late in the year he got to spend some time working with upper elementary kids on math skills. I think he liked that a lot better, but there aren't that many para jobs that involve working with the general elementary population; most will be with struggling students with various needs, some quite severe and challenging.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 21, 2014 16:11:35 GMT
Freecharlie... what is PERA?? I did send in all the documents needed to be both a para and a sub. I guess it can take up to 2 months to get approved. I should look into becoming a science teacher... but I would think that I would need more education.... since I have never taken any teaching classes. Not sure what lateral entry is.... ?? ugh! Public Employee Retirement A... basically we don't pay into social security and instead pay into a state account. Our last three years of service are averaged to get the payouts. You will need more education for a license, but in some areas, in some fields, the demand is so high they will put you into the classroom, assign you a mentor and you'll start taking teaching classes at night. Some get a license by teaching in the classroom and taking PDs. If you are just trying to cover yourself, our district is pretty reasonable. If you are trying to cover a whole family it is 3/4 of your paycheck
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ddly
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,019
Jul 10, 2014 19:36:28 GMT
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Post by ddly on Jul 21, 2014 17:16:26 GMT
I would look into getting licensed to teach secondary science. There is a demand for this area.
Lisa D.
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barbierox
Junior Member
Posts: 88
Jul 6, 2014 2:47:12 GMT
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Post by barbierox on Jul 21, 2014 18:10:50 GMT
would I look into my county education site or IL board of ed. site for transitioning into teaching info?? Thanks for all your help!!!
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 21, 2014 18:21:56 GMT
I would start here alternate licensure as well as just search around department of education website and maybe call them up
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,091
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jul 21, 2014 18:25:38 GMT
The state certifies you. Their site is not great. That is why I suggested looking at it but calling your ROE. You will likely speak to a very helpful and nice person. All of my ROE contacts have been that way. They will not be able to evaluate your transcript but can give general info about paths. That is why you need a college advisor appt. Someone needs to look at your transcript and see what you might already have. No one will make promises but they can give you some idea of what you need to do. If you are in the Chicago burbs, it is very unlikely you would have an emergency cert option. No real shortage for most fields , except maybe physics. Pay is good, so many people apply.
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Post by SockMonkey on Jul 21, 2014 18:41:50 GMT
The ISBE site is a HOT MESS. Seriously. Here's the licensure page: ISBE Education LicensureI second the recommendation to speak with someone at your ROE.
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Post by BuckeyeSandy on Jul 21, 2014 18:45:03 GMT
Lateral into teaching certificate/License, depends on your state and what the local job market status. In Maryland, there is a glut of professionals, with 4-year and advance degrees, and it is a 'byzantine system' to get full accreditation.
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Post by freecharlie on Jul 21, 2014 18:52:31 GMT
That website is pretty bad. The CDE (colorado) website is pretty good for finding different information and the license page is easy
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gsquaredmom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,091
Jun 26, 2014 17:43:22 GMT
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Post by gsquaredmom on Jul 21, 2014 19:18:27 GMT
Colorado may have a better website, but it will not tell you much about Illinois. Every state is different. I think there is reciprocation with Illinois and Colorado, but you really need to look at Illinois info since you would be getting cert in Illinois.
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barbierox
Junior Member
Posts: 88
Jul 6, 2014 2:47:12 GMT
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Post by barbierox on Jul 21, 2014 19:21:23 GMT
I am not even sure what licence I would be going for if I transitioned into teaching full time (career to teaching)?? I completely agree that the isbe site is horrible. I had such a hard time figuring out stuff for the para/sub licenses. ugh I am in Kane county so western burbs.... is it the same here where there is no emergency cert option? I wonder what tests I will have to take and pass to become a teacher or even a sub for that matter... yikes!!!
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