Recent grad looking for some direction
Hi everyone!
I'm fresh out of college with a BS in math and physics, and I’d like education to be a big part of my future. I'm still deciding whether grad school is worth my time and/or money—in the meantime, I'll be teaching for a year or two at a SoCal science camp where living expenses are minimal, so there I'll pay down my loans and save some for whatever comes next.
Let's say I decide to aim for high school (again, undecided). It's important to me that I stay in the Greater LA area for now. In no particular order, my single subject areas of interest are math, physics, and geoscience, though I haven't ruled out teaching at a private school.
Full disclosure based on what I've seen here: the job search is a bit rough right now, working conditions vary dramatically across districts, and enrollment is beginning to fall across the board. But that seems to be the case for all of the education-y careers I'm considering right now, and K-12 education seemingly comes out on top with the highest expected payoff? (Most college faculty have their own struggles until later in their careers.) So while I take seriously all the issues teachers face right now, I've sort of just accepted that education/academia is systemically bad and exploitative and all that.
With all that said. I understand that this is a pretty big question, but what steps could I take over the next few years to position myself as best as I can for the job market?
- Should I take the CSET in geoscience when I get the chance, so that I end up with credentials in 2-3 subjects (AB 130 (2021) in mind)?
- What kind of job should I aim to have while getting credentialed? Something like subbing or private school teaching?
- Should I reach out to some of my (CJUHSD) high school teachers for advice/encouragement?
- Anything else you think I should know before committing to this path for the foreseeable future?
(Not as important, but I'd also appreciate any advice on how to decide between high school or STEM grad school! Education grad school is on my radar, too, but I'd need to read more on that anyway.)
Sorry for the lengthy post. Many thanks in advance!
Edit: Thanks for all the great advice, learned some things I wouldn't have thought of on my own :) will save this post for later down the line.