thanks for this video!! I'm sort of the opposite of you- right out of college I tried to make it as an artist while doing a part-time job, but realized oh crap I need a lot more skill and experience for this to actually work. I've just been surviving, pretty depressed and very broke! I'm 24 now and the universe has presented me with an elementary school art teacher job (I've been a sub for this school and they're willing to help me get certified as I work because they know I'm passionate about art). I never thought I'd be a teacher but I'm about to accept the job because it sort of feels like fate, and I know it will help me grow as a person. I always loved making art with the kids. Pay and benefits are a huge plus! As a long-term sub I got a taste of how hard and EXHAUSTING it is to be a teacher- always on, lesson plans, materials, classroom management, behavior, grading, etc. and yet I look back on the experience positively. If I find it isn't for me after all, then at least I'll have money saved up and more experience to help guide me on the right path!
@@Mai-tai- it’s definitely a good experience, especially if you fit in well with the school. The consistent money and benefits are also great to have. You get to learn a lot of skills you may not have necessarily explored on your own. I’m going back and forth on if I maybe want to go back to teaching next year and just have this year off for making and selling art. I’ll see how it goes.
Good Luck! I know what you are going through-I too felt pulled to being the best art teacher OR artist. I chose to be an art teacher for 40 years. I plan to retire or do my art! I too found my art to consuming to do both! Keep posting!
Hi Alisha, thanks for sharing this. I am in a kind of similar boat and have been feeling very stressed/nervous lately about it all and seeing your video just now, well it was fate. I can so relate to everything you’ve said and have had a kind of similar journey myself. I have always loved making art and knew that art would be my calling. But as I got older and had to figure out what I was going to study, art suddenly became less of a promising career option and more of a hobby. But I stuck to my guns and eventually got into an animation school as well. I soon found out I wasn’t as passionate for animation as I thought so I left and went to a more illustration/design based school. I got into gaming after graduating and after four years I decided to take a leap of faith and try freelancing. I was able to get in with an agency and illustrated a few children’s book since I still love drawing cartoons and my background was animation and gaming. Kid lit was a good fit for me. Though it did not pay the bills well. I started looking for job opportunities in my city and stumble across an art teaching job at a Montessori school. Being that it was a private school I didn’t need a standard teacher’s college degree but just experience in art and with teaching art to kids which I had. Fast forward to almost two years teaching now and I’m so mentally exhausted. I never aimed to become a teacher, I think in order to teach you have to be passionate about child education and I just don’t feel like that’s where my passion lies. Don’t get me wrong, I love kids and making art with them, but what I find most challenging are the “behaviors” in my school and having to teach a specific way which I got little to no training for. I’m longing to go back to when I was able to set my own schedule and be my own boss so I am thinking of trying to do this again but am afraid of leaving a nice “cushy” job. I know my parents and friends will think I’m crazy for leaving such a “dream job” and it makes me feel so badly about it all. My friends and family also tell Me why don’t I just do both, teach art and make art /do illustration contracts on the side but they don’t know how mentally and creatively draining being an art teacher really is. I honestly just wanna get a part time job and make art to sell as well. I am sorry I wrote a novel, I just think your video really resonated with me and I will keep following your journey on here. Don’t hesitate if you ever have any questions on advertising or the business side of being a sole proprietor artist cuz I did do that for a few years (even though I kind of gave up) I might have some tips or would happily connect you with someone who could help. I think you got this and all the best on your artist journey!
That's so interesting, it is very similar! It's also ok to take a break from teaching and go back to it later, if you want. I took a year gap after burning out my first three years teaching, and then I went back to it for security and honestly, I needed money again. So many people will take on jobs for a few years to get financial stability for a while, and then it's ok to switch it up and try something new. Things will usually always work out.
I definitely thought I wasn't cut out for teaching when I taught high school, but switching to elementary was a life saver. It feels so great when you finally find what age range you're best suited for. I'm glad you like middle school! You're a rare teacher, middle school scares me.
Oh and I forgot to say what my dream job would be, well I would love to finally buy a house and would want a little studio to make art and give workshops! Just like you, I love clay work and pottery and would love to be able to have this studio space to make things and teach workshops!
This is incredibly heartbreaking to hear as an art teacher who lost their art room, spends my own money for my students and they may shut down the whole art department next year and I may be without a job!
@@teohproject oh no! That’s awful. I know, I always felt so lucky at my job and I was extremely sad to leave it. But that means there are good positions out there! I am also a bit heartbroken to know they hired a general Ed teacher not officially certified in art to replace me. There are so many good art teachers out there looking for jobs, but there are also good positions to claim as well.
What would be your awesome dream job?
I am a Pre-K teacher and I do love it, but a dream job I guess would be a STEM teacher for an elementary school.
thanks for this video!! I'm sort of the opposite of you- right out of college I tried to make it as an artist while doing a part-time job, but realized oh crap I need a lot more skill and experience for this to actually work. I've just been surviving, pretty depressed and very broke! I'm 24 now and the universe has presented me with an elementary school art teacher job (I've been a sub for this school and they're willing to help me get certified as I work because they know I'm passionate about art). I never thought I'd be a teacher but I'm about to accept the job because it sort of feels like fate, and I know it will help me grow as a person. I always loved making art with the kids. Pay and benefits are a huge plus! As a long-term sub I got a taste of how hard and EXHAUSTING it is to be a teacher- always on, lesson plans, materials, classroom management, behavior, grading, etc. and yet I look back on the experience positively. If I find it isn't for me after all, then at least I'll have money saved up and more experience to help guide me on the right path!
@@Mai-tai- it’s definitely a good experience, especially if you fit in well with the school. The consistent money and benefits are also great to have. You get to learn a lot of skills you may not have necessarily explored on your own. I’m going back and forth on if I maybe want to go back to teaching next year and just have this year off for making and selling art. I’ll see how it goes.
Good Luck! I know what you are going through-I too felt pulled to being the best art teacher OR artist. I chose to be an art teacher for 40 years. I plan to retire or do my art! I too found my art to consuming to do both! Keep posting!
40 years! That's amazing. I think, after a while, the urge to be a teacher will lure me back in again in some way or another.
Hi Alisha, thanks for sharing this. I am in a kind of similar boat and have been feeling very stressed/nervous lately about it all and seeing your video just now, well it was fate. I can so relate to everything you’ve said and have had a kind of similar journey myself. I have always loved making art and knew that art would be my calling. But as I got older and had to figure out what I was going to study, art suddenly became less of a promising career option and more of a hobby. But I stuck to my guns and eventually got into an animation school as well. I soon found out I wasn’t as passionate for animation as I thought so I left and went to a more illustration/design based school. I got into gaming after graduating and after four years I decided to take a leap of faith and try freelancing. I was able to get in with an agency and illustrated a few children’s book since I still love drawing cartoons and my background was animation and gaming. Kid lit was a good fit for me. Though it did not pay the bills well. I started looking for job opportunities in my city and stumble across an art teaching job at a Montessori school. Being that it was a private school I didn’t need a standard teacher’s college degree but just experience in art and with teaching art to kids which I had. Fast forward to almost two years teaching now and I’m so mentally exhausted. I never aimed to become a teacher, I think in order to teach you have to be passionate about child education and I just don’t feel like that’s where my passion lies. Don’t get me wrong, I love kids and making art with them, but what I find most challenging are the “behaviors” in my school and having to teach a specific way which I got little to no training for. I’m longing to go back to when I was able to set my own schedule and be my own boss so I am thinking of trying to do this again but am afraid of leaving a nice “cushy” job. I know my parents and friends will think I’m crazy for leaving such a “dream job” and it makes me feel so badly about it all. My friends and family also tell
Me why don’t I just do both, teach art and make art /do illustration contracts on the side but they don’t know how mentally and creatively draining being an art teacher really is. I honestly just wanna get a part time job and make art to sell as well. I am sorry I wrote a novel, I just think your video really resonated with me and I will keep following your journey on here. Don’t hesitate if you ever have any questions on advertising or the business side of being a sole proprietor artist cuz I did do that for a few years (even though I kind of gave up) I might have some tips or would happily connect you with someone who could help. I think you got this and all the best on your artist journey!
That's so interesting, it is very similar! It's also ok to take a break from teaching and go back to it later, if you want. I took a year gap after burning out my first three years teaching, and then I went back to it for security and honestly, I needed money again. So many people will take on jobs for a few years to get financial stability for a while, and then it's ok to switch it up and try something new. Things will usually always work out.
I taught math for 10 years in my 20s, and now I’m a middle school art teacher. I absolutely love it!!!
I definitely thought I wasn't cut out for teaching when I taught high school, but switching to elementary was a life saver. It feels so great when you finally find what age range you're best suited for. I'm glad you like middle school! You're a rare teacher, middle school scares me.
Oh and I forgot to say what my dream job would be, well I would love to finally buy a house and would want a little studio to make art and give workshops! Just like you, I love clay work and pottery and would love to be able to have this studio space to make things and teach workshops!
riiiiight?! Wouldn't that be the dream life. I'm glad you get it, you understand the dream.
This is incredibly heartbreaking to hear as an art teacher who lost their art room, spends my own money for my students and they may shut down the whole art department next year and I may be without a job!
@@teohproject oh no! That’s awful. I know, I always felt so lucky at my job and I was extremely sad to leave it. But that means there are good positions out there! I am also a bit heartbroken to know they hired a general Ed teacher not officially certified in art to replace me. There are so many good art teachers out there looking for jobs, but there are also good positions to claim as well.
@@alishahagenart That is so sad that they did not hire a certified art teacher to replace you, perhaps they will the following year. All the best !
yes!
I want to make and sell ceramics
@@blueblousedesigns ah yes, the dream life!
Hi mam