To all teachers......please answer the question?

Question

Whats it like teaching primary school or high school?

Do you enjoy your job?

I'm thinking about heading towards that career when i get older i just want to know what its like..

Answer 1

I love teaching, I hate the administration, and the ridiculous paperwork.

Answer 2

I used to love teaching and everything about it . I went into teaching in 1983 as a secondary English teacher . I loved my job , but in the last ten years , the kids have changed so much and the teachers have been watered down so much that now teachers are nothing more than babysitters . It is to the point now that the teachers have no say in anything , but they get all the blame if something goes wrong . The students and their parents run the school and know that if they raise a big enough stink , they will get their way . It has come to the point now that I have seen a case where a young girl was called into the office and asked if she had a gun in school. She laughed and told the principal yes she had a gun in her locker that he had nothing to worry about , she was only going to kill the people she did not like . We immediatly went to her locker and got the gun and put the young lady in detention for the rest of the day . The state told the principal that he could keep her out of the class for the rest of the day, but he must allow her back in her class the very next day . Students in Jr high and High today have no hesitation at telling you to go f### yourself or to F off , threaten to cap your A## . You send them to the office and they are back the next day grinning like a Cheshire cat . After 23 years of teaching and the students getting worse each year and the administration not backing the teachers , I called it quits . I was even told in my last few years that I could not fail a student if he/she could not speak English and I was an English teacher . No I would never go back to Public school . I might return to a private school but not again to public school .

I hope this helps you , Good luck anGod bless

Answer 3

I currently teach only one high school class.  AP English Language (11th grade).  I teach ESL at a local community college and I write professionally -- mostly copywriting and non-fiction stuff.

If I made enough money from the writing, I'd just do that.  I wouldn't teach a non-AP class in high school any more.

I used to teach full time at a high school.  I taught all different classes in the English department.  Some years were better than others.  After about 5 years, the money was pretty good.  I was single with no debt, though.  It's not enough to support a family.  My biggest problem with teaching at this school is that the administration are a bunch of cowards.  They are so afraid of lawsuits that they won't stand up to kids and parents.  As a result, the thugs run the school.  They wander the halls all day, cuss out teachers, throw trash on the ground, steal from the other students, and there are ZERO consequences.

I only see that getting worse.

If you teach in a wealthy area, the kids are entitled and they cheat more.  They also look down on you because their parents buy them BMWs and Mercedes Benzes.

However, the rewards are huge.  I feel like teaching has made me a better human being.  I feel lucky.

Answer 4

I teach middle school and I love it.  I have been teaching for 22 years.  I started off teaching elementary school and I thought it was wonderful.  My own two kids were younger then.  As they grew older I found that I enjoyed young teenagers more. I tend to have a really smart mouth and enjoy sarcasm as long as it is not hurtful; therefore, I am able to use my smart mouth and sarcasm to my advantage with middle school kids.  Elementary kids don't understand that type of talk so it doesn't work well for them.  

Although I did not get into education for the time off, I particularly like the time I had off with my own family in the summers and on holidays.  And, contrary to popular belief, the money is really not that bad considering the fact that I only work 190 days of the year and have off summers and all major holidays.  

As with any career teaching has its ups and downs; however, it is an awesome profession and we need dedicated young people to join the ranks.  Good luck!

Answer 5

ugh, although it's a rewarding experience, the pay sucks, you work long hours, you're unappreciated, there's way too much drama going on, kids don't respect you, cutbacks in health insurance and paycuts are always notorious. Seriously, I suggest you look for something else, I started teaching about 2 years ago after graduating from college, this summer I'm thinking of changing my career totally, although teaching is a noble and rewarding experience, it doesn't pay the bills nowadays. If things get better I'll go back to teaching.

Answer 6

It depends on a lot of different things.  I used to teach, and am not sure if I ever will.  I made more money working as a bellman and security guard at a hotel than I made as a teacher.

However, the main reason I left was because of the school I taught at recently.  My boss was awful.  Just before tenure the schoolboard pondered removing him.  I was the key to that process, but I stayed out of it (and should've pushed to have my boss removed.)  He harrassed me every day and didn't seem to know jack about teaching.  He destroyed the moral of our school and ran the place like a factory.

Also, my school district was a small town that was very racist.  I didn't know these towns still existed.  Our school was in decline and losing funding.  Our duties and paperwork increased constantly, but so did MY enrollment.  I had 75 students my first year.  If I had stayed, my last year I would've had 178 students.  This school only had about 200 students.  I taught Spanish.

I enjoyed helping children and watching them grow to become adults, but hated my job.  Teachers from other districts always told me that I should leave that district because it is known for destroying the morale of teachers.  I went to five interviews for jobs and was second fiddle every time.  I gave up after my fifth interview.

My advice to you?  If you are disciplined, patient, caring, and can handle stress and scrutiny... you'll have a good chance at doing well in the profession.  However, when you're interviewing for jobs automatically notice how many people are interviewing you.  If only one or two people are interviewing you, you very well may be dealing with a controlling boss.  Unless you're desperate for a job, you might want to decline on an offer for this job.  Maybe even ask why only a couple people are interviewing you.  If you get a negative response, use the rest of the interview for practice.  I didn't listen to my gut feeling and accepted a job at a school with a controlling boss handling all of the interviews.

Answer 7

I love teaching, but I teach private classes to well-behaved kids that choose to learn from me...you couldn't pay me enough to teach in a public school.  Between the governmental and bureaucratic restrictions, the pandering to parents and kids, and the watered-down curriculum, there'd really be no point.

I would have taught in the public schools of 20-30 years ago, but there's just no way I'd do it now.

Answer 8

Teaching is a challenge, every single day.  But it is also incredibly rewarding, on a personal level (because we all clearly teach for the money and the glory :-)  ).  I love interacting with the kids.  I find that the hardest part can be dealing with other teachers and the parents of the kids.  It's shocking, at times, exactly how childish so many adults are.

edit:  Kellz.  Don't be scared.  Well, do be scared, but don't let that stop you.  You have to know going into it that teaching is one of the most thankless professions out there.  People will love you one moment and hate you the next.  Just remember why you're there.  you're there for the kids, and the kids are what makes it all worth it.

Answer 9

I teach English at two primary schools in China. It's great and I love it.

Answer 10

It's been an adventure. You'll meet good kids, bad kids, mean kids, bullies, crazy kids, bad-mouthed kids, funny kids etc. But that's nothing compared to the rude, uncaring, competitive, paranoid and overprotective parents they have. You'll have to be very disciplined and you must always put a lot of thoughts in your actions because kids watch you all the time. It's tough being a teacher, you'll need iron clad strength to get through each day. I've been teaching for 6 years now, I always dream of an exciting job that involves traveling or even a boring desk job rather than face students and parents each day, but, at the end of each school year I am always excited and determined to make the next one even better.

Answer 11

I just wanted to say that I am currently going to school to be a teacher. After reading some of your answers, I'm getting a little scared.

Answer 12

Become a teacher, because studies show that by 2010 there will be 1 million unqualified teachers teaching our children. So help save our country by becoming one.