Teachers have a demanding, but highly rewarding job.
Every year, many people graduate from college with the intention of becoming teachers and helping to not only educate, but also shape the minds and attitudes of children and young adults. This is a grand goal – but it's one that comes with sacrifice.
Working as a teacher is one of the most demanding jobs out there, due to the day-to-day interactions with children, their parents and the school administration, in addition to the number of hours required outside the classroom to plan lessons and grade assignments.
The Job Duties of a Teacher
Planning out your curriculum is an important part of being a teacher. In order to teach effectively, many educators use props, instructional videos, and even games to help their students understand the lessons. As a teacher, you'll need to identify these creative means of helping students learn, while mapping out all your activities into an administration-approved lesson plan so that they know what your intentions are. You'll need to find a way to balance your style of education with the school’s objectives, the student’s needs, and the parent’s capabilities – which can be quite a time consuming task.
Many teachers will also face the challenge of having more than one assignment or classroom to oversee. When working in elementary schools, teachers will often share in recess and lunch duties, while in junior high and high schools, teachers may be called on to assist in monitoring study hall, going on field trips, and teaching extra courses like driver’s education. The span of what you'll do as a teacher will depend greatly on the school you're working for and what their needs. However, in every case, your overall goal will be that of a leader and guide through the formative years of your students.
Most teachers will work in classrooms of approximately fifteen to twenty children at a time. Depending on what age levels and subjects you teach, these numbers could increase or decrease. For example, if you're teaching required classes like high school English that the students need to pass in order to graduate; your classroom size is likely to be larger than someone who's teaching an elective course. This fluctuation in the size of a classroom can be difficult to deal with, especially if you have an overflowing room and little space.
One of the downsides to teaching is the need to balance educating and motivating students with their individual needs. You're bound to encounter students who just don't seem to care about their grades or their futures, which can be difficult to handle. Occasionally, as a result of this, teachers find that they have to spend as much time trying to tame those who are disrespectful and unruly as they do with those who want to learn.
Teachers may face as much frustration dealing with parents and members of the administration as they due with troublesome students. Especially if you teach in a private school setting, you'll encounter parents who insist on micromanaging both their students' performance and your own. These parents may insist on frequent meetings, question your methods or even show up in the middle of your classes. Learning to manage the different personalities and characters you'll work with is an important part of a successful career as a teacher.
Despite these challenges, don't let yourself be turned off from the profession of teaching. Lifelong educators agree that all the struggles are worth it in exchange for the joy of watching students learn and grow throughout the educational process.
