October 8, 2003
A: FROM MENTOR JUDY LONG IN CO
When I was in college studying Math I considered being a teacher
and took classes in teaching. However, it was well
known that teachers didn't get paid very well compared
to engineers so I stopped taking the teaching classes
and kept taking Math classes. I don't think it's
right that teachers don't get paid very well because
their jobs are really important and can be difficult
at times. I love my job as an engineer but feel like
I have it easy compared to a teacher. I work at my
computer all day, can work any hours I want to, and I
get paid well. Teachers have to be in the classroom
before, during and sometimes after school hours, have
to know how to deal with many different student
personalities, have to continually take classes
themselves and they don't get paid very well. I
admire teachers tremendously for being dedicated to
their careers despite the challenges. If you have a
difficult time learning from your math teacher maybe
you can ask to be placed in a different teacher's
classroom. I did that in college and it made a lot of
difference in my ability to learn. If you still need
help look for a tutor. I also went to a tutor a lot
in college when I was trying to learn Physics. He
helped me get through some tough courses. Good luck!