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Will I still love my job in 20 years?

I know that I want to work in the early childhood field. I work in it now and am pursuing a degree. Will my passion still be there after 20 Years? What should I do if it changes? #education #teaching-adults

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Thank you comment icon Hi Jordan, I taught adults for 21 years before deciding to make a change. I have to be honest, I loved what I was doing until the very end. There were many challenges along the way but for me, there was nothing like being in the classroom. After receiving my MBA - Project Management I felt that it was time to do more, so I changed careers. In my opinion, you control whether you will be passionate in 20 years. It's it is truly what you love and it fuels you in the morning when you rise, you'll still love it. But if by chance that flame begins to flicker, you can always start a new career, I did. Andrea Andrea Scarbrooks
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Emilia J.’s Answer

Hi Jordan!

I really appreciate your question as I recently went through a career change, which really reflects the advice given by Alyssa, Kara and Delia!

I worked in the fashion industry for 7 years, and during that time I noticed a lot was changing within the industry in terms of what is expected of employees and students in the field - and this goes in line with Alyssa's and Delia's answers - how to be self-aware, flexible and knowing your good qualities! I loved working with people (designers, seamstresses and factories), but I realized that I really enjoyed working with students who interned with us! I co-ordinated jobs and tasks to these students, and I took it upon myself to explain to the students why certain jobs (which may appear "menial" or "boring") was incredibly crucial to the whole company. I found something that I felt I can be good at and offer to the ever-changing fashion industry - and this goes back to Kara's advice - be aware of what you are good at!

I may have changed my career from working in the studio to the classroom, but the industry I specialize in remains the same! I just shifted my focus to what I can really offer as the industry developed and changed.
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Delia’s Answer

Hello Jordan:


I have been in education for over 20 years. Remembering the answers to these questions may help you remain excited and hopeful in this work.


1) What is your "why" for going into this field?

2) What do you value most about doing this work?


Also, being flexible and just as Alyssa said, reinventing yourself. I was able to stay in an ever changing landscape through newly implemented school reform, and other initiatives by knowing initially that change is inevitable, generalizing the common information from my knowledge base, and and learning the new processes, jargon, or procedures and staying focused on the students. Stay gumby!!


All the best as you serve children!!


Delia Davis

Delia recommends the following next steps:

Write down your "why" for working in this field. Get a picture of it in your head and refer to it frequently as you continue in this work. Depending on your learning style, create something that meets that to which you can refer: a song, a picture, a saying, a recording, a person, a memory, etc.
Find someone or a group of folk in your school who shares your values around the work so you can keep one another encouraged through the hard times. This person can also work at another school, just build your "tribe."
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Yasemin’s Answer

Hi Jordan! There goes a saying "If you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life"; I definitely think if you truly love your job even years down the line it won't feel like a hassle or you won't lost passion about it! I think it's important to make sure that you keep your free time open and find time for the other things you also love, so that you may find balance. Every job has its negative or drawbacks but in the end if you feel that it's the best for you, your true feelings will not change.

I hope this helps!
Best of luck!
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Kara’s Answer

Hi Jordan, This is a great question! I highly encourage you to read the book "So Good They Can't Ignore You" by Cal Newport. This book debunks the cliche "follow your passion". In the book, Cal Newport describes his method-: learning and understanding what you're good at, and your passion will follow. If you are doing what you are genuinely good at; your passion will remain!
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Sonya’s Answer

This is a very relevant question that many college students are debating. I have been a public elementary teacher for 25 years. I spent 16 of those years teaching fifth-grade reading. Four years ago, I decided that I wanted to change grades and subjects. Why? I realized that I was losing my passion for the subject I was teaching. I was doing the same thing year after year. When I noticed this, I decided I needed to change. Even though I have past students tell me about how I helped them get hooked on reading again, I did not feel like I was making an impact. Moving to my current grade and subject has renewed my passion for teaching. I actually feel that I am a better teacher now than I was five years ago.

I keep the reason why I chose to become a teacher in my mind every day. This helps me to remain passionate about what I do. Now, I am doing things that I would not have imagined doing five years ago. I believe you will know when it is time for a change.
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Michael’s Answer

Hi to all readers,

I was in the field of “Special Education “ for over 39 years. My goal was to reach as many lives as I could through teaching of Life’s skills. To have each person reach and sometimes exceed their performance potential. My students were written-off as people who could do nothing with their lives. I set out to prove that concept was wrong. Everyday was a new day for me as I awoke excited to go to school. My challenges were always there.

How can I get Julia to look at me?
How can I get Peter to eat more and more independently?
How can I make Andrew walk around the school hallways by himself?

It took many trials and practice and more trials but in the end it was worth it.
Julia started to look at me and others when I played the keyboard.

Peter started to open his mouth for pudding. Next he wanted more pudding so I handed him a spoon with pudding on it and guess what he did?
Next he loaded up his own spoon and it had pudding and real food on it. It ended up in his mouth too.

Andrew stood up using a gate trainer. A device that helps people of all ages walk by themselves. He would then sit down right away because he was scared. Practice( doing it the right way) made perfect. When the end of the school year came he was walking with confidence as independently as he could around school and around
WALMART aisles!!!!

In short no two days were the same in my field. No time to get board.
Sure routines were necessary and it could get boring but I placed myself in my students’ positions and that never happened.
The biggest thrill I ever got was when a parent said to me “aren’t you the teacher of Paul?
You had him when he was 5 years old.” She was a cashier at Walmart that was checking our class’ groceries out with my student Johnny handing her a dollar bill.

I said yes Mrs Smith. What is Paul doing now. She said working here.

Hang in there. It is worth it.
Just find your calling!!
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Mia’s Answer

Hello Jordan,
Thats a very important question as you have chosen one of the most important professions there is. My advice to you is to find and take advantage of every opportunity to learn and grow so that as the years go by, you also grow with time and your profession. If you have a chance to take classes to expand your skills or go to a seminar that develops interests that are related to what you do, go for it because these are all ways to figuratively and literally open different doors for you.
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Kim’s Answer

In 20 years, the job will be different. You will also be different. Your priorities and goals will probably change. You'll still love your job, but it will be from a different perspective. There are several ways to branch out from what you do. You could become a principal or director, you could counsel kids that age, or you may invent something really cool that kids that age can use and benefit from. I still teach, but I do jobs on the side to make extra money and to continue learning. It helps me meet people I wouldn't normally have contact with and I get to hear their stories.
Good luck and enjoy!
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Alyssa’s Answer

Hi Jordan.


I have been in the same field for over 20 years and still love it. That being said, it is completely different now than when it started. I think the key is to keep reinventing the position. Learn more, do more, stay engaged. You can always change careers down the road if that is the right answer at that time. You control your own future.


Alyssa
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Cynthia’s Answer

I think that if early childhood is your passion now, then it always will be. I had a passion 20 years ago that I chose not to follow, thinking I could learn to be content doing something else. Now I realize I don’t want to use up the rest of my working years not doing what I love and what I know can make a difference. So if you love education and want your work there to be how you make your contribution to the world, then embrace it and nurture it. We need more people like you.
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