Shelby Kurtz began teaching at the University of Michigan’s North Campus Children’s Center three years ago. She works in the outdoor classroom, where daily activities are dependent on the weather — teachers and children may start a sunny day by biking near campus or spend a snowy morning sledding, encouraging development through experiential learning.
Kurtz told The Michigan Daily in an interview that during her time working for the University she has developed close relationships with her coworkers and has found satisfaction in teaching children. However, she often finds herself debating if her job is sustainable, pointing to low wages and financial stress.
“It feels like there’s no end to the financial game of this job,” Kurz said. “I constantly wonder if I need to switch careers to be able to afford my housing because it’s not sustainable for me to keep moving as much as I am. I use a lot of my vacation time for that stuff. I’ve used several vacation days because I haven’t had transportation to work.”…