Hello Tommy, I have to run for now, I will get back to you with some thoughts to ponder. I have been on both sides of the fence regarding work in the trades and teaching as a full-time endeavor. You can actually do both, at least where I am teaching, in fact that's where I am headed now. Best regards, Allan

Hey Tommy,
As an 'ol timer, I'll just offer some "food for thought" from my experience, and I'm sure you will get many personal opinions and suggestions from the really superb group who linger here.

The family is the ultimate unit. You have to make all decisions based on the situation and your expectations to have both a home and work life so they both can co-exist in harmony. A family "sit-down" to discuss your options, financial needs, home life/responsibilities, and emotional stability all have to congeal to maintain happiness, strength, & love within the family unit. Communications.....OPEN...HONEST....communications. Allow everyone to express their needs and hopes for each tomorrow. It will work.....If you allow it.

The job is the primary focus as it is the basis for your lifestyle. If you have to take a job that you know you are not going to look forward to doing, you are wasting precious time. You have to know the career you choose is what you WANT to do and LOVE to do. There are many families that accept and understand the careers that require mobility, or extremely long hours, and the absence from family life and the sacrifices are acceptable. They choose to live that style. Those who don't must be able to compromise to the satisfaction of all family members.

Teaching can be a rewarding career and allow you to pass on all your experiences and knowledge to give another the opportunity to become a productive member of the workforce. To instill the values, honor, and work ethics you maintain to be successful to the youngsters entering the work arena can be quite satisfying.

As far as an "abrasive" mannerism/personality, there is nothing wrong with it if you know how to control it and not allow it to be detrimental to your focus. Patience is an acquired virtue....some get it....some don't. You will find patience will always work out to benefit all involved. I, too, have the same "abrasiveness" in my character, but have tempered it thru wisdom, understanding, and patience.....TO A POINT!!! I don't and won't tolerate those who show no interest, lack of motivation, or negative outlook on everything presented to them. I live and work by honor....ethics....and a positive mindset.....has never failed me.

Anyway, I hope my words will allow you to look within and with the value of your family's input, will help you determine your best choice and succeed in you endeavor.....Good Luck...Denny

Hey Tommy,

I'm very happy with the teaching gig.... Others make more money... We make enough.

A Month off at Christmas

June  July and August... Off to fish, take consulting jobs, write, and travel.

Having a direct impact on our regional economy by sending students out into the workforce who can make decisions and produce.... By advising in industry...

A big ol shop of your own to work and practice and improve on any process you wish...

Thre are a few drawbacks but the don't come close to outweighing the good stuff.

As far as being gruff... Students will often confuse high expectations and a demand for excellence for an instructor being a jerk anyhow...  If you can manage to avoid being gruff to your grandma you can also find a way to be winsome with the students. (this said by a man who struggles with gruffness himself)

Go interview for the job Tommy.... 

You can decide what to do when they offer it to you :)

.

Go for it Tommy!!!

Even as incapacitated as I am these days, Nobody could stop me from teaching these days!!!
Look, If you love it - Go for it!!! If you're doing it because of the perks, you wo'nt last that long if you miss the "BIG MONEY" so, make sure that you're really commited to teaching... With that said, GO For IT!!!

Respectfully,
Henry

Hello again Tommy, I started a post to send to you earlier today and our power failed so all was lost. You've already gotten some great input from a number of the "old timers" of the forum, just kidding guys. I started out by saying that if you can answer some basic questions about how you feel about yourself you will know if teaching is for you. One of those questions in my mind goes something like this: when one of your co-workers or a new person comes into the shop and is having difficulties does it make you feel good when you are able to give them a hand? If you answer yes then it's likely that teaching might be in your blood. When someone else is having some issues of some sort do they seek you out because they know that you care about finding a solution? If the answer is yes then ditto. Do you feel good inside when you are able to help with a solution to a problem or show someone a little something different or new to take care of something that they are fighting to solve or do? Once again if the answer is yes then ditto. You made mention of a gruffness or something along those lines, as long as you are able to make individuals understand the reason for your gruffness and sometimes that is what it takes for certain personalities to realize that you care and it is in their better interest to follow your direction or listen to you then that's OK. Teaching in many instances means having to deal with individuals or situations that you might not otherwise choose to deal with. I know that when I first started teaching I ran into situations that I wouldn't have normally chosen to deal with, but with the help of others around me and that of my family and friends I was able to broaden my views and understanding and I believe it has made me a better person as a result.
     When individuals go down the teaching path I believe there is a slightly different reward system than that of industry in general. When you are working and things turn out positively you may receive a monetary reward or a pat on the back from the boss or praise from your co-workers or some other form of immediate gratification. Most of the time in the teaching profession you may not see those types of rewards, your boss will not generally shower you with praise, most of the time your co-workers wouldn't realize if you had done a good job or not, and most likely you definitely won't see a bonus or a raise based upon a job well done or even your personal merits. Instead what you will see are the rewards that your students will have earned from taking an interest in what you have to offer to them and knowing that the time that they have invested into learning what you have offered them has made a difference in their lives and possibly the lives of their families. You will possibly witness individuals that may still be in high school making the transition from adolescence to adulthood once they have come to the realization that they have found a vocation that will take them through life and provide for them and all of their dreams. You will be more than just a welding instructor, you may very well be a friend, surrogate dad, inspiration, shoulder to cry on and many different things than the job description that covers your job responsibilities. You will possibly meet individuals who have wandered through the first 10 years or so of their post high school lives not having any direction and maybe even bottoming out physically and emotionally but then through the interaction that you have invested in them and given to them they will have gained some confidence and come to the realization that their lives have meaning and they have something to give to society and themselves and their families. You may meet others who have been on the wrong side of the law, coming back from drug addictions, or other types of scenarios and because of you, your attitude and confidence in their hidden abilities that you have possibly helped them unlock they now get out of their ruts and become contributors to their own futures and that of others around them. These are truly some of the rewards of being a teacher. I feel fortunate to have been a part of the turn around for some individuals who have been a part of the items that I have described.      
     Depending on the particular teaching job that you land you will likely have plenty of family time available to give to your kids, as Lawrence said, you possibly get a month off at Christmas, a week or two during spring break, and possibly 3 months off during the summer if you aren't teaching summer classes. As well, the schedule that you have, which can vary a bunch from school to school, but in my case includes a split shift scenario for me two days a week, allows me to have morning and afternoon time to spend with the kids if I need to.
     From your interactions on the forum I know that you have interests in many different areas, educational systems allow you to pursue many of these interests and gives you access to resources that not everyone else might have. A lot of the time I do work in industry outside of teaching, my school promotes this as it allows me to stay current with industry practices and also helps to maintain industry contact for the benefit of our students in many instances. If the people out in the industry know me I act as an ambassador for our program and am able to connect many students with employers because of this interaction. You will also likely get to know many of the different teachers at the area schools along with the counselors, this can be a plus for both your teaching position and to better know and understand the school system that your own children are a part of.
     When you look at the salary scales for teaching, take time to really take a close look at what is really there. The yearly wage may not be impressive compared to what you have made in private industry. Consider the actual hours that are required to earn the salary that you are looking at. Look at the insurance options that are available with the position, in my state these are some of the best that are available anywhere in any type of industry. Consider the retirement plans carefully, here again in the state where I work they are some of the best ones available out there, private sector or otherwise. Consider the types of educational options that might be available for family members. If you happen to be at the right school you may be able to send your wife or children to school for free or with minimal out of pocket expense. Not the case for me, but other schools do have some of these things as an option. I believe one of the other posters probably had the best suggestion, sit the family down and discuss your thoughts and plans, see how all of these different things work out for the family then make your decision and go for it. All of the skills that you have attained in your life so far will always be there so if the teaching gig isn't for you there's no shame in getting back into industry. Best regards, Allan