Why is teaching looked down upon?

Question

I have met many people that don't believe that teaching is "worth it", I on the other hand want to teach English Language Arts to elementary age kids (preferably 1st grade). I've always loved to read & write & find nothing more fulfilling that instilling this love in children.

Teaching is a noble profession, so what if the rewards aren't "beneficial financially", I believe reaping the reward of seeing your classroom learn & grow is priceless. Thanks for the thoughts.

Future English elementary school teacher/Chanteuse

Answer 1

I lasted a few years.  Teaching used to be respected, but that is most often not the case today in western countries.

Your average teacher gets paid poorly for the 60-70 hours they realistically do every week, plus all the weekend work, and additional work done on school holidays.

Despite most people's perceptions, we don't get three months or more off work per year: if we don't spend much of the tome out of the class-room planning, correcting, doing Professional development courses and so on, we are not able to do our jobs . Also:

1.  There is a fairly modern tendency to expect teachers to instill things in young people that really the parents should do, such as manners and respect.



2. We have to spend three times as long out of the actual teaching time fulfilling various bureaucratic activities demanded off us.  

3.  The money is nowhere near commensurate with the responsibility.  I know there are many who say "it is a vocation, you should not be in it for the money".  Sorry, whatever job you do, almost all of us rate money as an important consideration.

4.  We are the whipping boys for every social ill these days too.

5.  Teaching is far too politicised with left-wing ideologies, Political Correctness, and it avidly favours the teaching of girls rather than boys.

Loved it in the classroom, but everything else, including the attemots to socially engineer what I taught, wore me down.

Answer 2

I think people look down on us because we have no control over our own profession.  We have no means of disciplining the kids (due to fear of lawsuits); we have no say-so in pay raises (we can work our butts off and never have the opportunity to ask for a raise); there are teachers who have tenure and really SUCK at teaching, but they're not "allowed" to be fired (that has GOT to change); we are forced to use teaching methods that we KNOW will not work (but the government says we have to do it that way - even though most of those mandates are UNFUNDED).  

Those of us who work and work and work and still get little to no respect from the students, parents, and public in general do it because we have faith in ourselves that we CAN make a difference in spite of all the c**p.  We surely don't do it for the money!  Here in WV, we are paid 49th lowest in the nation, so I know what I'm talking about.

Answer 3

Because all people want is money, money, money. Thats a very good thing that you are doing and i really respect that. Theres not very many people who are like that.

Answer 4

We need more teachers like you.  So many of them are in it for the easy (ha!) hours and summers off, it's nice to see someone who actually cares about it.  You'll be a good teacher - I've found that the teachers who have a passion for the subject they are teaching are the best teachers out there.

Answer 5

Thank you for wanting to join the profession.

I, too, teach first grade. I absolutely love it! It is one of the best feelings to take non-readers and non-writers and turn them into readers and writers. It is a challenge, but a rewarding one at that!

Answer 6

You hit the nail on the head with the money part.  Many people are aiming for a high salary, and teachers certainly don't get that.

Other reasons:

- Classroom management (keeping students in line) can be difficult until you figure it out, and continue to be difficult if you teach anything but gifted or college students.  Even then, you have to appear confident and firm, while still appearing fun and engaging, to get people to listen to you, especially if you're young.

- Teaching means long hours.  Administration can take it for granted that you'll work late grading, meet with failing students' families, and likely teach at summer school or sponsor clubs.

- New school requirements mean you have to spend tons of time teaching students how to pass standardized tests-- that means more boring going over questions, rather than hands-on or engaging activities, the kind of stuff that actually inspires students to *want to* learn.

Don't get me wrong-- I love teaching.  It's just not a perfect profession.

Answer 7

I answered a question recently and told about my desire to become a teacher since I was about 5 years old.

The money in teaching is lower than what very bright people could make in the private sector however, many good hearted and caring people teach and can be comfortable in their life.  You can not expect to live like a "rock star" and have brand new clothes and a brand new car and live in a mansion but the benefits are there for those with children because you are off of school when your kids are so you do not have to worry about getting a sitter.  You will have reasonable health insurance and will learn to get things for free for your classroom.  Somedays you will love your job and sometimes you will go home crying and the next day a child will say I love you Miss Chanteuse.  

And despite what some say about "bad" teachers, everyone you meet will say " I could not do that job for all the money in the world - you deserve alot of credit."

Stick with it your dream and you will be a very happy person.  Money and fancy things do not buy happiness.

Gail