Blogs / Live to work
Teacher
| 10/5/09
Teaching is a popular career choice for students. For those who’ve already completed an undergraduate degree and aren’t sure what to do next, the university’s after-degree program only requires two additional years of study, which include lots of opportunity to student-teach. When you’re finished, you have a career that is relatively well-paying, allows you to work with a variety of people and gives the summers off. Sounds pretty sweet.
Many students think they have a pretty good idea of what’s involved in teaching, having spent the better part of their lives in school. However the reality can be quite different. One misconception that seems to abound the profession of teaching is that it’s easy. In reality, although you receive the summers off, the time spent creating lesson plans, grading, meeting with parents, and upgrading your skills makes the job far more than forty hours a week, especially in the first few years of teaching.
Students can also be quite challenging for new teachers. Just because you did all your homework when you were in school doesn’t mean all of your students will. Teachers will also have to learn how to personalize their teaching methods for different students. Many teachers find that it takes time to adjust and adapt to the variety of needs their students have.
The profession of teaching also has a lot of benefits. For individuals who value interpersonal relationships and are passionate about helping their students succeed, this can be an incredibly rewarding career.
Here is some advice from Brandis Jonasson, a first-year teacher:
“Teaching can be incredibly trying, there will always be those days where you go home and are glad that the day is done, but these days are important to have because they make you realize how fantastic most days are.”