Scared about career in teaching? Please help me out!?

[junie]

I just graduated with degree in education and love teaching but I am afraid of the way it is going. Budget cuts, teachers being layed off....I don't want to take a job and then find myself jobless the next day. I'll be living on my own and will practically be homeless! I hear that principals can not renew your contract within the first two years for ANY reason. As a first year teacher, of course I'll be struggling more than veteran teachers and I'll be so worried if my students aren't always behaving, etc.

Any advice? I don't want to end up on the streets from either a budget cut or non-renewed contract. Please help.

...and I LOVE teaching.

[Pioneer]

Everyone probably feels a little nervous about a new job. Your concern indicates to me you will do fine. Keep your enthusiasm, drop the worry -- worry won't change one thing either way -- you can't control the budget cuts so focus on what you can impact: the students.
I remember asking my college professor, "What is the FIRST thing I do when I get to my new job?" (I had been trained to teach but still felt scared.) She thought for a second and replied, "Well, the first thing I do is open the summer mail." Not the answer I expected but it was profound: take it one step at a time, the rest will fall into place. Maybe this will help you, life is a journey. Enjoy the trip.

[Sheng]

Well, if you're a GOOD teacher, and you follow the rules, you have nothing to worry about. And you know, with every job there is a risk of being fired, so you always need a backup place to stay.