Who'd be a teacher? I was really inspired by those TDA, 'Can Teach' Ads, and now I'm in the job...

Question

... it's bloomin' rubbish!
I love the actual teaching bit but the rest of it is pretty awful. There are so many stats and bits of nonsense paperwork to do. The forms and educational reforms are endless, the meetings are pretty pointless and you have very little autonomy over what you actually teach.

The kids don't have any respect either because they know that teachers are powerless to help them. Often their parents don't care about their education either.

I really, REALLY wanted to make a difference by teaching but now I'm not sure I can stick it.

Would you be a teacher??

Answer 1

Dont get me started! Ive been teaching 20 years now and I lve the teaching but the politics/paperwork/confines have just become unacceptable to me.Also the stress levels in school systems have I believe resulted in teachers (often nice people in middle management) treating each other in unacceptable ways in the workplace. So what is the answer?
Well I ve tried a few within the workplace ie limiting personal homework,being positively assertive,specialising....and came to the conclusion that the workplace or school institution no longer works for me...Recently I specialised within the workplace.only to find the same difficulities arising...I persevered and now am unwell and needing surgery...my body firmly telling me to divert my skills elsewere....
So I believe if the workplace isnt for you but you love teaching then the answer must surely be to set up on your own or in a partnership..offering your specialist skills to support home tutored children or children who fail to learn at school(of which there are a significant number) Anyway thats my plan...so if you live in the southeast ..contact me...cos Im hoping to set up real soon.I have skills to offer and Im not letting them go to waste....
Also I have retrained ..offering parenting skills to support parents who struggle at home. So many children who present with challenging behaviour are often masking learning difficulties or worries..and need loads of positive feedback and a sense of input in their learning...so retraining using your insights in teaching could be the answer....dont feel youve failed..rather that the school system is far from ideal and not the right environment for you....good luck...dont forget ..your skills are valuable ..just think outside the box...

Answer 2

I work for an IT company and was considering the idea if becoming a teacher of IT/ICT. Several things put me off -

1. The salary (especially how little I would have got paid while training) as I have a wife and 4 kids to support!

2. Discipline. I don't think I'd have the necessary skills to deal with kids that don't want to be in the class and don't want to learn. When I was in school teachers were allowed to give kids a good slap (and used to do it!) when kids misbehaved and hence discipline was a lot better then than it is now. Now it seems there is no effective punishment so the disruptive kids run wild.

So the answer is No - I wouldn't be a teacher.

You might want to consider being a University lecturer though.

Answer 3

i would love to be a teacher but in Britain or some parts of u.s. maybe Africa. i don't really know where u come from but if you are a British born then i don't think u should complain. this is because u passed through the same system and i assume in some way u also made some teachers live miserable. and about the educational reform, to me that is a good thing for kids to keep up with the dynamism of society. but sometimes they come up with stuffs that doesn't help and rather makes matters worse. some people feel like the have cause a change the system to make the feel part of society. so they come up with stupid policies like, a teacher cant discipline a pupil. which leave only parents and police with the right to discipline. then another person also feels like some parents go to the extreme, so they cut the them out and leave it up to the police. but the forget that the police cant deciplin a minor. and this make kids feel like they are the authorities. i mean consider this how can a 14 year old kid shoot an 11 yr old for nothing. i think if the so called developed countries want to minimize crime, they should go back to Africa and copy how to raise children

Answer 4

Look I'm a teacher and I know what you are talking about 100%.

Most educational theroy is crap, period. What you need to do is get to know your students and keep in mind their personal strengths and needs while you teach them.

The vast majority of the paperwork you do is make work that adminastrators want you to do so that they can show off to their supperiors.

Students not showing respect is different; where, what, and to what age group are you teaching. Do you have a mentor teacher or another experienced teacher that you can talk too.

The first year of teaching is horrible, but it does get better. Each year you will get better at juggeling your responsibilities and planning ahead. You will get more comfortable with your students. Eventually it starts to get kind of fun. Teaching is rewarding because every day you are making a difference in the lives of your students.

That being said, teaching is an incredibly demanding job and the pay sucks, so don't do it if you don't really want to.

Answer 5

I left the teaching profession for precisely the same reason! I hated it as I went into it to make a difference and found out that it was a horribly stressful job.

It's like the parents don't respect you, the administration doesn't respect you, the students don't respect you, and the gov't doesn't respect you. The only respect you can gain is that of the students and that's the reason the to stay a teacher.

I used to fight with my principal over the endless forms that were in place to cover her @ss.

We're preached at like are children ourselves. It's a profession wherein they treat you like you are dumb, will always be dumb, and will never be good.

If you are unhappy. Leave! It was the best decision I ever made!

Answer 6

Try private school. (The one where parents pay directly, in the U.S. it's called private school but I believe it's called public school in England, not sure where you are).

The emphasis is more on education and less on paperwork and statistics. Also the children are more respectful because they come from better families. They take their studies more seriously because their parents are paying an arm and a leg for the school.

You could also try tutoring. Then you can help children one on one.

If you're free to travel and interested, apply to teach English in South Korea or China. The students are anxious to learn and very dedicated. Education is respected in those countries. Amazingly for some of the jobs you needn't have a shred of knowledge of the native language.

Answer 7

Unfortunately, you are experiencing why half of all teachers quit in 5 years. I'd try to focus on the positives. Celebrate your victories in ones. You might not be the Michelle Pfeiffer "Dangerous minds" or the many other hero-teacher movies, but you could make the difference for one kid.

It is sad that teacher prep classes are all rainbows and "Kids love to learn and parents help out" and completely ignore the realities.

Answer 8

I was for 32 years.I saw what was coming with the "new
curriculum" and when over 50's were offered freedom I took it.
I really feel for those who are teaching now.PC has gone mad,
and discipline ( what an evil word that has come )is non
existant in the home,in the self and in the school.
I wouldn't be a teacher now for anything.

Answer 9

I'm desperate to become a teacher but I've been speaking to dozens of practising teachers beforehand and tried to get some experience in house (so to speak) also.

All jobs have some paperwork and they are hard too - but surely the payoff is so great it doesn't matter. Keep at it - do your best.

Answer 10

im starting my primary education degree in september! so within the next 3-4 years il be teaching!

i kno it sounds hard with the paperwork and stuff, i want to do primary,like early years preferrably!

on the bright side of your dilemma of teaching..

what other jobs can you do where you have 3 months of paid holidays as opposed to 4 or 5 weeks??!?!

i think you are making a difference. even if its only to one child!