Monday, March 29, 2010

Top 10 Reasons to Become a Teacher

...and it's not just because of having summers off!

According to about.com, these are the reasons why one should consider a career in education...and of course, my comments about them...

1. Student Potential-Very student may not succeed in your class, but I still believe if I prepare these preschoolers correctly they have the potential to become good students and be all they can be.
2. Student Successes-When you witness a child learn how to write his/her name for the first time, or finally understand the difference between a square and a triangle there really is nothing like it. Working in a school for special needs students and a school for underprivileged children, the word "unteachable" is used frequently and I make it appoint to prove those nay sayers wrong!
3. Teaching a Subject Helps you Learn a Subject-Completing my student teaching in the 3rd grade helped me learn how to correctly add and subtract fractions (apparently I was doing it ALL wrong during grammar school..and I was writing my capital cursive Q incorrectly all along!)
4. Daily Humor-I intend to write a post one of these days titled "Kids Say The Darndest Things" because they really do. Including "Mommy plays on the pooter all day because she's a liar" Translation: "Mommy works on the computer all day because she's a lawyer"
5. Affecting the Future-Simply put, I wrote my 3rd grade teacher a letter before she passed away explaining what an impact she had on my life and how she influenced me to become a teacher. I hope one day I will hear something similar.
6. Staying Younger-FALSE. I found my first gray hair while teaching and my back and body have never ached so badly. Sure being in a school keeps you up to date with the latest lingo and styles the kids are rocking, but it in no way makes my body feel younger!
7. Conducive to Family Life-It sure is. The schedule speaks for itself. (Although the school I am in now has a daycare so I am stuck there until at least 6pm every night!) My best friends mother was a teacher in our elementary school which made us the "coolest" kids on the playground. Not to mention I got rides to and from school from her and she even let us help decorate her classroom before the summer and make bulletin boards.
8. Autonomy of the Classroom-It is nice being the conductor of creativity in the classroom. It is my job to teach children about their creative freedom and help them to express themselves in the appropriate way. I think that is one thing that really makes my job unique.
9. Job Security-Not so sure anymore. With this economy and rates of college students graduating increasing it is making it so difficult to get and keep a job anywhere really.
10. Summer's Off-Don't. Go. There. My school has a summer program and guess what...if I don't work it I won't have a job for September! Also, I always say, if teacher's didn't have some sort of break from the children, we'd all wind up in the same loony bins. But seriously, is there one young teacher you know that doesn't work in the summer? Whether its at a camp, babysitting, tutoring, or waitressing? Please, I'd love to meet her and be her.

I must put this disclaimer because I know what some of you must be thinking. I in NO WAY think that teaching is the best/only occupation that is important in this world. My whole family is full of business, sales, marketing, etc professionals who have important jobs and who help people in many ways. I'm just passionate about what I do and I hope all of you are too because after all it's not about what you do or how much you make or how glorified your occupation is, it's doing what makes you happy and waking up knowing you're doing what you want, isn't it?

13 comments:

Melanie's Randomness said...

I'm still debating becoming a teacher. I have a bachelor's degree in Math & people keep asking me what I'm going to do with it. Teaching Math might be very rewarding.

Anonymous said...

While most of these are true, it should also say something about rewarding yourself each and every day. Not only do I love what I do, but it feels good to do it. And there's no amount of money that is compensation enough for that :)

P.S. - Been teaching 7 years and still no sign of gray hair....haha!

Corporate Chickee said...

I'm no teacher - but my Mom has been one for years. She's retiring this year! I've seen first hand how hard teachers work! My Mom loves to tell a story about how she took me to work with her as a kid for "take your daughter to work day". Apparently in the middle of dinner that night I told my Dad he should be REALLY nice to Mom, because she works so hard all day long. :)

Aly @ Analyze This said...

Hey! Found you over on SB! Your blog is too cute!! New follower, here!

Joelle said...

I kind of have to disagree with number 7. This is my second year being a teacher and I don't know how people with families do it. It feels like I'm never home, I always stay later than contract hours, and I can't imagine having kids and teaching at the same time.

As far as number 10 goes...last summer I only worked for 5 hours a week tutoring. Unfortunately, this year I signed myself up for summer school.

Hopefully teaching 2nd grade over the summer will be a nice break from 4th graders.

Ellen said...

Totally agree with #3. I watch "Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader" on TV all the time just to go back to the basics. It's kind of scary when I get a question wrong, which is more times than I'd like to admit!

http://www.firednfabulous.blogspot.com/

Michelle said...

Ugh #6 - I disagree just like you do. My headaches & backaches do not jive with 'staying younger' at all. I've taught for 7 years and feel I've aged 14. Perhaps it's all due to teaching in a high needs area but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Melissa said...

Wow - I just registered for the first 2 classes I need to take to get my certificate to teach Secondary English. I was SO worried I've done the wrong thing, but this makes me feel better. I am an "older" student (in my 40's) and this will be a HUGE career change for me...but it feels right. Thanks for posting!

Jessica said...

When I was a kid I absolutely knew I wanted to be a teacher until one day I came to the conclusion I wouldn't make any money.

I wish I would have ignored that annoying little voice because now I regret not doing it. I work in marketing now which I love but teaching is my passion...

R said...

The comment made about kids say the darnedest things is what lead to me start my blog. People wouldn't believe the things I hear out of students mouths!

Aphrodite said...

i like this... inspires me more to pursue what I really ended up taking in college... a degree in education

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