[AWess]

Since I was a kid, I wanted to become a teacher and if there are some teachers on this forum, I would like to hear from you. :) Your general opinion/thoughts about your job as a teacher.
Thank you!

[macgould10]

If I had to do it again I wouldn't be a classroom teacher. To be honest its too much work. You just seemed to be pulled in 50 million different directions all the time. And with NCLB (no child left behind), and high stakes testing, the pressure is really on classroom teachers. Now don't get me wrong, I love working in the school and with children however, if I had to do it all over again, I would have pursued a speciality field in teaching. You can be a guidance counselor, a educational diagnostician, a school psychologist, a speech pathologist, a gym teacher, art teacher, music teacher, a librarian. With all of those jobs you are in the school, and working with children however its not as extreme. You don't have that pressure on you from parents, and the administration like a classroom teacher does. Many of those positions give you a lot more autonomy in your scheduling and daily activities. In other words, they have it easy. The only down side of those jobs is the people that have those jobs usually hold onto them until retirement. So finding a jobs in those fields may be difficult. So my advice to you would be to get your undergrad in education, but get your masters in a speciality field. That way you can spend a couple years fulfilling your desire to teach, but once you get burned out (and chances are you will) you have other options available to you.

[kp2171]

I taught at a university for 8 years. It was a lot of work. Evening, weekend grading. Tons of time...

My advice... some people are born for it. I enjoyed it at first, when my personal life was less complex... over time with a marriage and a kid, I became frustrated with the time spent versus the pay. Eventually I left teaching because I could make a much better living in industry, which is common in the sciences.

So... I'm not going to discourage you at all. Some people have the gift and we need good teachers. At the college level, if you want to teach you need at least a masters degree, and a PhD is better. Lots of time needed to get these.

But on the other hand... while industry paid more, academic life was less stressful daily... I didn't have to worry about losing a multimillion dollar account when teaching.

So... my experience is that it was rewarding personally, but a time crunch. I loved working with the students, and I hated the hours and hours outside of normal work hours that I spent on the job.

Some of my best friends are still teachers. Most of them continue education beyond the bachelor degree. And some of them are just born to teach.

If its something you think you are interested in, by all means try it out. Just understand the more education you have, the more options you have.

Any area or age you are most interested in?

[Wondergirl]

I taught/subbed/tutored off and on for years. For the past 23-some years I have been a teacher/trainer of staff with changes in our database, and volunteers and court-ordered community service workers for various jobs at the library where I work. I loved teaching children, but the paperwork, record-keeping, and grading were stress-producing. All I wanted to do was teach, but of course there was a lot more than that required. My library job is very satisfying and requires some of what I learned in the education program I was in so long ago.

[tadita83]

Last year was my first year teaching, and I almost quite because it was just too stressful, but this year I really found my groove and have decided that I love it. I love making a difference in students lives even if it is only one the whole school year. I'll admit, that schools throw a lot of extra (and usually unncecessary) duties onto the shoulders of the teacher, but it comes down to weighing what is important to you. Having less work or having a job that your "clients" will remember you 20 years down the road.

[DoulaLC]

It is often said it can take a few years for a new teacher to find their niche... my first year was horrible too! No wonder so many decide it isn't for them... close to half quit in the first five years!
Many people think of it as an easy job... after all, how hard is it to tell the kids to read the chapter and answer the questions, and they all sit there quietly doing their work for the next 45 minutes... just doesn't happen that way! What surprises many new teachers (and what most people outside of the profession can't relate to) are the behaviors that are dealt with on a daily basis... not to mention the amount of paperwork and documentation involved. A teacher has direct and constant involvement with 20-30 individuals (in some cases much more) on a daily basis.
I always wanted to be a teacher since I was a child too. It is the most frustrating and stressful "job" I have ever had. You certainly don't go into it for the money, and there have been times I thought of doing something else... but when you see the light bulb come on for a struggling student that you have been working with, when you have a parent thank you for helping their child enjoy school, and when you have a former student come back and thank you for taking the time to believe in them, even though you were tough on them, it makes the frustrations worth it! You know, that in some small way, you can have a hand in changing the future. It is both a tremendous responsibility and a rewarding privilege.

[Luv2Dance]

Well... I have to give you some positive feedback. I absolutely LOVE teaching. I taught 2nd grade for 1 year and Kindergarten for 4 years and every year I love it more. I was born to teach little ones. But I must say... the younger they are... the more work it is... and patience you must have. But I am also extremely luck to have landed a job in a middle to upper class area where fund are there and the community is always holding functions and willing to give and help the school. So we are never lacking in anything we need. I have friends who teach in other areas where they pay for many things out of pocket... I have never had to do that... besides my first year to get my classes up and going a little.
Being a teacher can be stressful at times... it seems like you have 1000000 things to do at ones... I always have post-its with lists all over my desk... but it keeps me focused.. and I work well like that. I don't like to not have things to do... I get bored like that. I'm good with lists... so maybe that's why I love it. I also teach the Inclusion class (which mean I have special education students in a general ed room and a special ed teacher pushes into my room for a certain amount of time)... so I do extra planning and extra meetings for those students. It really is A lot of work... and for those students A lot OF PAPERWORK... but in the end... when those kids say.. "I got it." or you see their smile when they achieve something that was so hard for them... it was all worth it... especially when you know YOU worked just as hard as they did for it. No job is going to be easy... that's why it's called work. If you love kids... and you love helping them... I say go for it. I'm not going to lie... there's a lot of "behind the scenes" BS to deal with... but you "keep you nose clean"... go in... do a kick- job... don't get involved in all the drama that goes on... and go home... I HONESTLY LOVE waking up in the AM to go to work... and at the end of the year I even cry as I say goodbye to my kids because they actually become MY KIDS... I love they that much! GOOD LUCK TO YOU!! Let us know what you decide!!