When asked why a person becomes a teacher, among the most oft-cited reasons are loving children and wanting to make a difference in the lives of students. While these are good and noble reasons, there are aspects to teaching that many people do not consider in advance and that might not necessarily show up on personality profiles and testing.
Here are six frank questions prospective teachers should ask themselves before committing to a career in education.
One Building All Day
Is it enjoyable being in one place all day? Many jobs offer a great deal of freedom in terms of being able to come and go to meetings with clients, set your own work schedule, etc. Teaching is not one of them. Teachers are in one building and one classroom all day with very little adult interaction. A teaching job definitely brings with it a significant lack of personal freedom.
Is Loving Children the Right Motivation?
What is the motivation for working with children? Is it a desire to have children someday and teaching will suffice until then? Or does this love of children transcend even putting up with and loving poorly parented ones with many issues? Many women love children and look forward to having their own family. They see teaching as a way to enjoy children in the meantime. This is fine when working with nice, well-behaved children. But will the teacher feel the same way when the children are demanding, poorly behaved children whose parents won’t do anything about it and she has to deal with them all day, every day for nine months?
Unrelenting and Unrealistic Demands
Is the potential teacher able to function in a situation where he can never meet the demands before him and yet will be judged by whether or not he does? Teachers are expected to do everything and be everything to every one of their students. The educational demands placed on teachers today are simply not attainable. Can the potential teacher cope with the relentless expectations, knowing he/she can never meet them? For a perfectionist, this may be especially challenging and overwhelming.
Introvert or Extrovert
Is the potential teacher an introvert or an extrovert? For someone who isn't sure the answer to this question, ask this: From where does the potential teacher draw renewed energy? From being alone or from being with people? Introverts need time alone every day in order to function well. Extroverts thrive on being with people and draw energy from others. Introverts may find teaching very challenging when it means very little time alone to recharge.
Love Teaching or School
Does the potential teacher love teaching and school? Many people enjoy the teaching and learning aspect of being a teacher. But it also invovles school School is all of the other “stuff” with which a teacher must contend each day such as management issues, student behavior modification plans, helicopter parents, etc. A love of learning and subject matter isn’t enough. Teaching is only a small portion of the job.
Giving Up Personal Freedom
Is the potential teacher willing to give up a great deal of freedom? Teachers do very little of their own scheduling. Schedules are generally dictated by school-wide specials schedules (art, music, physical education, languages) as well as the school recess and lunch schedule. Teachers literally cannot use the bathroom unless they have an open time in their schedule when the students are elsewhere.
While it is true that teachers get a few longer vacations, the reality is that teachers have very little freedom when it comes to their schedule. They get their vacations when the school says they do. Teachers get personal days and sick days, but planning for a substitute teacher is almost as bad as just going to school sick so teachers often do not take days off even when necessary.
Teachers have almost no freedom in planning any kind of vacation outside of the normal school schedule. This especially includes vacations or getaways in the fall when it is especially critical the teacher is in the classroom every day in order to lay the groundwork for the year’s procedures and educational practices. Personal time away from school is almost non-existent during the school year.
Teaching can be a rewarding career for the right person. But honestly examining the negative aspects of teaching will help future teachers be better prepared for them professionally.
Sallie Schaaf Borrink - Sallie Borrink is a professional writer with extensive experience with business clients, the consumer market, and online destinations.
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