Deciding to become a full time teacher is a big step. you will have in every class some students who don't care about academics and would rather disrupt the class than allow you to teach those who do want to learn. During a classroom day, If you have never done it, But if you keep your focus on the kids and on those moments that do come in each school year when you really connect with students and you see them get excited about what you are sharing, dont be too concerned if you are terrified the first time you look out at that sea of little faces. look for an opportunity to volunteer to be a teacher's aid from time to time.
But there is more to teaching than just talking in front of a class. that one moment makes dealing with all of the other frustrations entirely worth it. Either way, anyone who makes it in the field of teaching must have that idealism that is a deep part of your motivation system because it will be those values that will help you get past the hard times that teaching, This does not mean that the ideals and values of teaching the next generation of youth and the great thrill of seeing a young mind come alive with knowledge are not wonderful and worthy of respect and praise. Many times in public school it almost seems like education is of a lesser value than paying attention to rules and regulations and maintaining order and discipline in the school. A few moments talking about the brass tacks of a teaching career can help you prepare for the negatives so they are less potent and less able to stop you from being a success in your teaching career. That is the contrast between the publics lack of substantial support for education and your deep commitment to it. This lack of funding is evident in your pay and in how well the classes you need to teach are funded. You may be able to remember teachers from your youth that seemed to make it look easy and fun to be a teacher. It takes some real experience and some coaching from experienced teachers in how to handle this kind of student but at least be aware that they will be in your classroom day one and all year long. might be prone to shout things out without notice and can misbehave right in the middle of your presentation which is not something you see that often when doing a presentation to adults. it can be a terrifying moment.
But if you get through the session and have an exhilaration and that feeling that even though it was scary, That is so common it would be surprising if you didnt. If you can sit in on a class for a day and help out every so often, To really understand how a day of a teacher goes,Like any job, you will know for sure if you have the "stuff" for the job of teaching. particularly in a public school situation often brings with a job of teacher. In truth,
When you come to that teaching position with priority placed on teaching students the subject matter at hand and see them begin to excel academically and you find academics taking a back seat to the schools administrative issues,
Probably one of the areas of teaching that often causes high teacher stress and burn out is the level of government regulation and the extent that the administration of a school gets in the way of the teaching process. But the funding issue can also result in overcrowding of classrooms because the school cannot afford more classrooms or sufficient number of teachers to handle a high student population. You may not have the supplies you need and many teachers actually find themselves buying supplies from their own money just to make sure their teaching is successful. So if you think you might have the temperament for teaching and that it would be a rewarding career,
It takes some innovative thinking and almost stubborn insistence on staying positive to be a successful teacher under circumstances like this.
There are lots of volunteer situations where you can test drive speaking to groups of youngsters to see if it is something you want to do every day. It is similar to public speaking with the added twist that young people can be fidgety, you want to get in front of them again, Lots of full time teachers with years of experience still get that terror when they open their class each morning. you can see how a day in the life of a real teacher works. we need to mix that inner drive with a strong dose of reality so that when you show up for your first day and work through your first year of teaching, teaching children is often idealized and romanticized by young people preparing for a career in education. that can cause frustration about the job you have taken in that school.
But along with the values and ideals, Especially in a public school setting, to discipline issues and to what seems to be a nonstop flood of forms and requirements for every governmental program imaginable,
The first thing you want to get exposure to is how it will feel to stand in front of a room full of children or young people to present a lesson to them.
The third problem that often broadsides new teachers is that many students are not the angels we wish they would be. Now, the best way to find out more about it is to test drive being a teacher in various limited settings to get an idea for how it feels to be a teacher before you launch into the career full time. And you can get a long term assignment in a volunteer role to "scratch that itch" to teach young people until you finally make the jump to a full time career in teaching. You can volunteer to read to children at the local library or teach Sunday School at your church and have that responsibility for an hour and then it is over.
Being in an actual working classroom is the best possible situation for either getting hooked on becoming a teacher yourself or find yourself running in terror for the door. you may have the stuff of a teacher inside you trying to get out. it can come as a rude shock. You can witness how the lesson plan is put together and how the preparation of the teacher makes it possible for her to move from lesson to lesson smoothly without losing the attention of the students. you are not broadsided by some of the challenges and frustrations that lie ahead. Then once the reality of what life is like as a teacher hits.
Under funding of education probably ranks second greatest frustration with the working world of teaching.
