Career Path of a Teacher in California at Highlands Community Charter School
Jamie's career path began with a psychology degree from UC Riverside, leading to a career counselor role in a middle school, before shifting to a Spanish degree from Sac State; this sparked an interest in teaching, which initially led to substitute teaching in adult education. After a long career in state service, "mentoring and coaching" reignited the "teaching bug" and prompted a return to Sac State for a master's in English TESOL, ultimately leading to a full-time teaching position after retirement from the state.
Teaching, Career Change, State Government, ESL, Higher Education
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Jamie Carroll
Teacher
State of California and Highlands Community Charter School
UCR and CSUS
CSUS, MA: English TESOL
Spanish & Other Languages, Psychology
Education
Education
Scholarship Recipient, Pell Grant Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School
Video Highlights
1. Early experience as a career counselor in a middle school, guiding students on high school course selection for college preparation.
2. Transition from a psychology degree to a second bachelor's degree in Spanish, leading to initial interest in teaching and substitute teaching experience.
3. Long career in state service with roles from office assistant to second-level management, incorporating mentoring, coaching, and teaching aspects, eventually leading to a master's degree in English TESOL and current role as a full-time teacher after retirement.
Transcript
Could you walk me through your career path? I'm interested in your experiences in college, any internships or jobs you had before your current role.
I started at UC Riverside, working as a career counselor in a middle school. I helped students plan their high school classes to prepare for a four-year college. My first degree was in psychology, which is what I initially wanted to pursue.
I graduated with my psychology degree in 1994. Afterward, I switched gears and pursued a second bachelor's degree in Spanish at Sac State. This experience sparked my interest in teaching.
I began substitute teaching for adult education, specifically teaching ESL. While I enjoyed it, I didn't see a long-term future in that role at the time. So, I entered state service.
I worked for various state agencies for almost 25 years, progressing from an office assistant to an analyst and eventually into management. When I retired last year, I was in second-level management. During my time in management, I also found myself mentoring, coaching, and teaching, which rekindled my desire to teach.
I returned to Sac State and earned my master's degree in English TESOL, allowing me to officially teach ESL to second language learners. However, at the time of my graduation, accepting a teaching position would have meant a significant pay cut.
I decided to continue my state career and pursue teaching after retirement. I retired in May of last year and subsequently became a teacher. I've been a full-time teacher for nearly a year now and am enjoying this new journey.
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