Teachers - What would you consider the biggest challenge of your profession?

Question

I will be graduating this December with a Secondary Education degree and I was just curious to what current teachers feel their biggest challenges are.

Answer 1

I have been teaching for 5 years and my biggest challenge every year is the parents.  Some don't want to hear their precious child needs additional support.  Some think their child is brilliant and needs to be challenged in every area. Others will question every little decision you make.  And still some will think that you need to solve every problem their child has, basically be the parent.  My best advice is to be in constant communication with them and be very open about what is going on in your classroom and why.  It really does help and every year, I got feedback from parents about how wonderful it was knowing whay was going on and why.

Answer 2

discipline- bottom line

parents do not discipline their children and  they expect the teachers to place structure in their life. I'm speaking from an elementary point of view. Of course, lack of discipline falls in areas of studying, respect to others, etc.

Answer 3

I agree with what the person before me said...and....

I also find trouble in peoples' reactions to me being a teacher. I was always expected by family and friends to follow a "great" career path and profession - like being a doctor, and still, years after my descision to be a teacher, I find resistance and dissapointment from those around me. Really, its said that I have chosen something I love and others around me look down on the profession. I sometimes feel like I am constantly defending myself when people as what I do in conversation.

Because I am just starting out in this field (I'm a recent grad too!), I have to reassure myself that this will be a more rewarding job than almost anything else I can think of. Ten years down the road, when someone else is unhappy with their pressuring coroprate "working for the man" job, I will sit easy on my decision to be a teacher!

Answer 4

I must teach at a pretty decent school, because I don't have too many troubles with my students' parents.  My biggest challenge is keeping up with the paperwork that my district and the state puts on us.  We have to fill out this form to show proof that we are meeting such-and-such goal, and that form as proof that....blah, blah, blah.

Also, I've had only two principals.  The first one I had was WONDERFUL!!!!  The second promises students that I'll change their grades, and that I'll let them retest since they didn't get the grade they wanted, etc.  So, having a decent administration who backs YOU up is critical.  This principal really makes my life hard---stress up the wazoo!!     :(

Answer 5

trying to convince parents that they need to be a part of their child's education. that everything can not be accomplished at school and they need to be pro-active on their kid's part.  you'll be surprised how many parents think all education should happen at school and they shouldn't be bothered with it or that soccer, ballet, softball, hair twirling should take a priority over homework.  good luck.