Career Paths Not Traveled

I had a long successful career as a research scientist, lasting over 40 years. But before I got started, I had some short-term job experiences where I learned what I did not want to do. For example, when I was in graduate school, going for my Master’s Degree, I got part-time work so I would have more time to study.

My first job while I was in graduate school was as a substitute elementary school teacher. Hey, I figured- you’re done with work at three, you can have summers free- and how could it be hard to work with cute little kids?

I was wrong.

I took some education courses over the summer so I could get a substitute teacher’s license. I was then assigned to a class on the lower east side of Manhattan, and voila- I was a 2^nd grade teacher.

First I had to study the curriculum- OK, there was not much work in understanding the basic reading and math skills that my students were to be taught. Understanding the science concepts and general social skills required of 2^nd graders were also not brain busters.

But the curriculum was not the challenge.

I remember being eager to get started that September morning, and most of the kids were excited to be back in school, although some were reluctant to leave the freedom that the summer break had allowed them.

It was an immigrant community, and some of the children spoke only Spanish or only Chinese. This probably accounted for about half of my approximately 30 students. Although one of the things I love about NYC is its diversity, I didn’t know how to handle the language barriers in the classroom. Also, some of the children, I suppose those who were unhappy giving up their summer freedom, obviously needed more physical activity than provided for in a classroom with only one break for running around during a 6-hour day. So they took their own breaks in the classroom. “Sit down” and “sientese” were among my most frequent pleas, I don’t think I had to admonish the generally more compliant Chinese students as often.

I decided that visual aids, like those attractive displays that other teachers had hanging in their rooms, would help me to get the attention of the students, and would overcome language challenges as well as high energy levels.

So most days after school I reviewed the materials to be covered the next day, and then spent hours creating big oaktag posters with things like: the children’s names (so I could place stars for good behaviors or other accomplishments), information about weather, student assignments for the day, and basic concepts related to numbers and words.

Those visual aids didn’t accomplish the goals. The classroom remained somewhat chaotic. And I didn’t have as much time for studying as I had hoped.

And parents created another challenge.

A few of them asked to meet with me to complain that their children were not learning as much as their peers in other classrooms (for the most part, these were parents of the children who had the difficulties staying in their seats during class).

The Principal visited my classroom on a couple of occasions, and to my surprise commended me for my work as a new teacher. But I didn’t enjoy the experience, and I felt I was failing my students. I lasted through the end of the semester, mainly because I felt I had a responsibility to do so. I was so relieved when I announced that I would not be coming back after the Xmas/New Year break. I gave as the reason that being a teacher took more work than I anticipated (part of the truth) and I needed to have more time for my graduate school studies. The Principal seemed generally disappointed and said that I showed a lot of promise as a new teacher and that it would get easier, with less work over time.

I wondered after I left- would it have gotten easier? Would I have made a great 2^nd grade teacher- one who students would come back to thank for awakening them to the joys of learning?

I will never know.

So then I decided I would get a really easy job. One where I could work whenever I wanted to and I wouldn’t have any homework- I would be finished when I left the job.

Being a cab driver sounded good to me. I enjoyed driving, and I could choose the days I wanted to work. Also, I had never worked in a job where I could get tips… and I thought that could be a nice way to enhance my income, with some earnings directly related to the quality of my work.

As part of getting a taxi driver’s license, I had to take a test to show I knew the major NYC attractions and how to get people between locations, for example, from LaGuardia Airport to Grand Central Station. I don’t know if they still require this, as GPS systems can tell you how to get anywhere.

I passed the test and got my license. And I easily found a taxi company in Manhattan looking for drivers. Only yellow cabs were available then, as this was before the Uber era.  But some friends and family raised concerns about my safety – then, as now, there were not too many female cabdrivers. I combed my hair back so that the curls were flattened, and with my glasses and no makeup, I felt I would lessen the chances of being harassed.

As it turned out, that wasn’t the problem. Other issues emerged.

To be a successful cabdriver in Manhattan – the borough I wanted to work in – you have to hustle. If you are cruising down the middle of a street, you need to scan both sides of the street to see if anyone is trying to hail a cab. And if you see someone, you need to get there quick, as another cab driver might be cruising nearby. If he or she spotted the fare before you did- they would rush over, often cutting you off- and you might lose the ride. I learned to do this too, but never enjoyed the chase, and was angry when someone else got to a fare faster than I did, even though I saw the fare first.  

The other challenge I faced was that although I passed my test to demonstrate knowledge of NYC locations, I would periodically get fares who wanted to go somewhere I didn’t know how to go, especially in what are called the “outer boroughs.”  And sometimes they didn’t know how to get there either! I would drive up to another cab driver and ask for directions – but never felt comfortable doing this, and I am sure it impacted my tips.

And I didn’t like finding out that the size of the tip had little to do with service- that is, with how quickly and skillfully I got folks to their destination, nor with how friendly I was. I also found that my income, based on a percentage of what the meter showed and on my tips, was not really dependent on me. I didn’t control how many fares I could get or how much (or if) I was tipped. I never knew how much I would make each day.

I think that with GPS, I could now readily find almost any place where people wanted to go, and so the work would be easier. But unlike my 2^nd grade teacher experience, I never wondered if I would have made a great cab driver and earned lots of money or even owned my own fleet. I found that sitting and driving for hours, sometimes just looking for a fare, and sometimes in heavy traffic, was not something I enjoyed. I also found that studying psychology and conducting research studies was of much greater interest to me.

Several months after finishing my Master’s degree I got my first job as a research scientist. That was the beginning of a career that spanned the rest of my work life. I think it was the right path for me.

And based on my experiences I developed a greater appreciation and admiration for teachers (I support efforts to improve their working conditions) and for cabdrivers (I’m a good tipper).