Any Helpful Suggestions Why I Should Become a Teacher?

three good reasons to teach

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A person should become a teacher if:

They love children.

They are outgoing and enthusiastic, and are able to energize children.

They love to share what they know with the younger generation.

They want to develop a competent group of young people, who will be the ones who are running the world years from now.

Yes, there are practical benefits, such as long vacations. But that is NOT a reason to become a teacher. It is merely a perk of the job. If you hate to teach, and don't like kids, teaching will be torture.

Yeah. And the thing is, teachers tend to put in a whole lot more than a standard work week during the regular school year -- and often have all kinds of things to do in the summer, too, preparing lesson plans, attending trainings, etc., etc.

It is NOT an easy job.

I have a degree in education and did it for a while but it was really hard for me for a lot of reasons. The main thing was adhering to all of the bureaucratic rules. You can only get a really good job if you have experience, so unless you're super lucky there will always be a slog at the beginning until you get enough experience.

I ended up doing administration instead -- creating my own curricula, etc. -- and like that a lot better.

I think the education system is much like the healthcare system. If you can get to the actual teachers and caregivers after wading through the ridculous beauracratic pricks in the front office you can usually get to some caring and giving people, at least until the system vampirically sucks out their lifes blood and souls.

Pretty much.

and it didn't mean you sozobe let me make that clear before I get in trouble . I meant the white castle beauracrats to whom students and patients are merely statistics and whose main agenda is to stay in the office above the fray.

gabbyme, welcome to A2K. Having been a teacher, I can say that it is one of the most rewarding and challenging jobs that a person could ever undertake, but it also has its frustrations.

I have always said that a person who is going into this profession should: love young people (as Phoenix mentioned)

Thoroughly know the subject that they will be teaching.

And be able to deal with the politics that control every job, teaching or no.

Oh, I was genuinely agreeing, bvt. I've talked about it here a lot, how frustrating it was for me and people who graduated with me.

Much respect to Letty and others who stick it out and fight the good fight. I think it's about one of the most important jobs there are.

It's a cliche but we'd have a much better world if teachers and our educational system were given every resource possible but we had to have a bake sale and carnival to raise money for a war.

So Letty, What are some good classroom management techniques, or good ways to motivate kids?

gabby, the best way to motivate kids is to be motivated yourself. It's contagious, and as for classroom management, just don't let the students manage you, my dear.

Remember this. Every young mind has a talent, and it is up to you to discover it. As Annie Sullivan once observed, "cleanliness is next to nothing." and a quiet classroom is the same. Just make certain that the noise is the sound of awakening minds, and to hell with the rest.

lol thanks. I like your way of thinking, I am a teacher aide this semester and I constantly see my coperating teacher saying the noise level is too loud, when I personally didn't see a problem. They were "usually" talking about homework, or some other fasinating thing that one student knew and was sharing his knowledge.

I teach as adjunct faculty in a U.
I can remember a few really good students whove gone on and done some really great work

I can remember a few really bad students that I tried to talk out of the science major

I dont remember a large number of them except for an occasional idea or thought that I can attach to their college careers

Department faculties are pretty much dysfunctional

If youre in a secondary schoolYou wont have to worry about Being a "rainmaker" for research grants.

Dont think that teaching leads to administration, the two are disparate talentsMy wife taught crafts in a private school and was , by any definition , a big success. She quit because they loaded her with admin duties. The logic of that move escaped her. Because she was a great teacher of crafts and had her classes get state recognition, why the hell was administration considered a "step up"? most school administrators cant start their own cars without a meeting.

I teach so that I can learn, selfish? sure, but science moves so quickly that keeping up is like treading water with combat boots.

Teach if youve gotta. I hope that youre "pro-corp" in your subject so that when you get burnt out, you can apply your training to a real world situation. I know plenty of high school industrial arts instructors who are making big dollars and having a ball as contractors and company owners

I believe that once you are tired of teaching you, to be fair to the kids you should leave the profession. I am in elementary education and animal science. Anybody out there familar with unions for teachers? What is exactly a union, are they helpful or not?

I taught when I was 24 and turned 25 that year. I hated it then. My prinicipal was a right wing boob. However, the worst part of the whole issue was I couldn't stand staying in one room all day long. I left and became a happy journalist for awhile.

I am troubled that you are majoring in education. Do you want to teach elementary school? If you want to teach secondary school, you should major in a subject that you want to teach.

Remember that teachers can not go to the bathroom just because they need to. They have no access to telephones. Their hours are long.

I can give you one good reason on why you should not be a teacher: You have to ask what the good reasons are to be a teacher! If you WANT to be a teacher you will do whatever it takes and deal with everything involved ie long hours, mediocre pay, PIA parents, PIA students, old text books, additional education, school funtions, missed time from your family, bad attitudes, hostile workk environment, sub standard schools. if you can deal with all this and walk out of the school at the end of the day because you had one good class or one good student that day, then you want to be a teacher.

Phoenix said it all!
Phoenix said it all - the "right reasons" to teach:

[quote]They love children.

They are outgoing and enthusiastic, and are able to energize children.

They love to share what they know with the younger generation.[/quote]

Unfortunately, there are probably "a few folks" who are teaching that don't fit this description.

After, two years at a private university (Mexico), two years at a public university (USA), and seven years in a private school - K thru 12 - in the US, I'd rather teach than do any of the many other jobs I've had. Presently, it's only physical "constraints" that keep me elsewhere. Teaching takes tremendous energy. All jobs have their "tough days" - teaching, too.

One note: All of my teaching positions were either in a private school or on a university level - American Studies, Sociology, ESL. From this vantage point, I don't believe that public school would be - or ever would have been - an option for me. Truly "a difficult situation" for the most part.

Also, given the education and experience, you'll always have a job . . . somewhere.

Set your goals and go for it (them)! Good luck!!! [/color]