You could try to teach at a local continuing education program or educational programs for adults. One issue there is that they more than likely want to learn compared to possibly bachelor and high school students. Nonetheless, it could probably give you a clue as to whether you have the patience for teaching, especially if you end up teaching a more remedial thing like "basic computer skills" or something.
As for grad school, I think it's a mixed bag. If you're doing it for job advancement and it's proven that such a grad degree can provide better job opportunities, go for it. Certificates might be a more affordable option, though, if there is any available that can help. Grad school is good if you want to go into that academic direction, which you don't seem to want to do, except for maybe teaching.
In the end, though, I would say it really comes down to what YOU want and why YOU want it. I've had the usual argument with people who just graduate from undergrad who go into grad school that they should get real life experience first (and that I think they're using grad school as a cop out, unless they want to become a physicist or something that DOES require an advanced degree), and that one just gets tired. But you do have real life experience, so it sounds like an interesting prospect for you, if anything, as something that will provide a fuller life for you.
--The_Lex Tue Jun 17 10:14:42 2008
Lex,
thanks for the feedback.
I'm such a drifter, I'm always a little startled that for some people going to grad school was a bit of "avoid the real world" tactic... it makes sense, but still it always seems like a deliberate act to me.
--Kirk Tue Jun 17 12:23:53 2008
From my experience, people lack confidence in their trade and feel that it's great way to network. In my opinion, I think the majority of people who I talk to have issues if they don't see that they're good at their trade (friends of mine that have intentionally developed skills in a trade are generally quite good at that trade). As for the networking issue, for some reason, I think some people think that professional networking occurs automatically at grad school or something.
In other words, the whole thing is an act of magical thinking that people sometimes do, and a good amount of people do it on a level hidden from themselves because they have developed the introspective abilities to observe their automatic thought processes.
--The_Lex Tue Jun 17 13:13:50 2008
I meant, they have NOT developed the introspective abilities.
--The_Lex Tue Jun 17 13:14:18 2008
Ha! Northweaster's digital media program is actually what I'm looking at for a masters degree. I have to get one eventually to continue teaching and that one really appeals. Though I'm probably still a year away from starting it.
--Rhys Sun Jun 22 01:28:01 2008
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