Other jobs

What would you do if you couldn't be a teacher?

I don't know. Here are some things that I would enjoy doing:

1. Work with developmentally disabled adults. The problem with this as a career is that the pay is tragically low. There is definitely a lot of money invested by the government, parents, and others in the field, but very little of it trickles down to the people who actually work one-on-one with clients. Do you remember this past year when the minimum wage was increased, and they said that it would throw the industry into turmoil? It turns out that there are trained professionals who have been working in the field for decades who are not taking home $10 and hour!
2. Write and perform puppet shows. I would particularly be interested in creating puppet shows that could be enjoyed by teenagers and adults. The problem with this sort of job is that I don't work well with fluid deadlines. I like daily deadlines so that I don't get too worried about whether I am doing enough work.
3. Tech support. I have worked in this field before, and think that this is the sort of job I could actually get. The thing I liked least about working in this area is that I had to study every day to keep up with changes, and I felt that knowledge in this area is too ephemeral – you learn something only to have to replace that knowledge with something else. If I am going to study every day, I would rather study something timeless and meaningful.

The main requirements I have for a job are that I want to work with people I like on a personal level and admire on a professional level. That is why I am fortunate to work where I do.