Teaching no longer a stable career

Four years ago, Peter Robertson thought he was leaving the uncertainty of a freelance writing career for the stability of a teaching career in Illinois. He'd always wanted his own classroom, and the 52-year-old was pretty sure he'd get hired — schools were eager for male teachers with life experience. But that was in 2006, when he was completing his teacher training. A lot has happened to the profession since then.

Illinois' budget woes threw schools into a firing frenzy last spring, and many educators remain in layoff limbo. Other teachers have a job but are dreading a year of larger class sizes — followed by what is expected to be years more of budget cutting. "The days of teaching as a safe haven are gone," said Tom Carroll, president of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future, a nonprofit group. "It's over. The new model is about turnover and churn … and that undermines student achievement.

Even with all the turmoil, education remains a popular career choice. It's still the No. 1 major at Illinois State University, Northern Illinois University and other state schools. Read more in The Chicago Tribune online.