Why do a lot of teachers seem to dislike their job?

Question

It seems like the majority of my high-school teachers don't really care.They make put no effort in making the class interesting and everything is pretty much bookwork. Also, they get frustrated if we don't pick up on what they are teaching right away. It makes me wonder why they became teachers in the first place...?

Answer 1

Most high school teachers went into it through some combination of loving their subject (the one they focused on in college, not necessarily what they're teaching now), and a desire to teach, and inspire similar love in their students.

Unfortunately, teachers' lot in life is really dreadful.

They get little pay, and have to use a lot of their own money each year on supplies that the schools should provide.

They have less control over what they do and how they do it than any other profession.

They've got everyone, from students and parents, the school board, the state, and the federal government telling them what and how to teach.

With the "No Child ..." act of Bush's, the schools have been re-purposed to getting students able to pass machine-gradable tests, rather than actually becoming educated.

Classroom materials are chosen, not by teachers themselves, but by others, they have little if any input.

Classes are assigned to them -- sometimes when they don't have a solid education in the subject.

And their own education wasn't very strong in many ways, especially in how to teach well.

They did well in their chosen area, and so don't understand well why most students don't automatically "get it" the way they (and some of their students) did.

Also keep in mind that what you're saying ("majority") varies from school to school.

There are schools where most teachers do love teaching.

But in a lot of schools, morale is low, teachers are dissed by everyone, and not supported by the principals.

The training of future teachers has been improving, but the effects will take a while to be seen.

More is being learned every day about how students learn, and how to effectively teach this or that sort of thing.

Unfortunately, while much is being learned, there are political forces at work to prevent that knowledge from being used to determine curriculum and methods.

As for interesting. Actually, if taught well, school stuff would be inherently interesting.

But, instead of getting students engaged in thinking about interesting things, and using the knowledge acquired in various fields to understand things more clearly and accurately, the curriculum, the goals teachers are supposed to reach, tend to be mounds of details, rather than the powerful ideas.

Teachers themselves were not (on the whole) taught in the way I'm describing, though, and so don't know how to really teach that way.

And their lives are so filled with non-teaching stuff -- dealing with kids who make trouble, red tape, test-taking skills, and all the rest of the sludge, it's hard for them to spend time really thinking about the stuff of teaching itself.

I've heard many teachers say that they use the summer to "re-charge" so they come back in the fall ready to teach. But all the sludge really takes it out of them during the year (which you're nearing the end of).

And when you're handed a book, and told your job is to get students through it, you really don't have much choice.

If you don't get them through the book, you've got half the planet on your back.

With the current emphasis on the Big Deal Tests, more and more of the teachers who love actually teaching are leaving.

Since they're prevented from really teaching, they can't bear to remain in the classroom.

Try to keep all this in mind, and, as an adult, do what you can to push for genuine education in schools.

That way, your kids (if you have any) might have a better experience of high school teaching than you have had.

Answer 2

debbie_7....great answer!


Personally, I never had a single teacher in my entire school career that didn't seem to love their job and it really made my education experience great! I am sorry to hear you haven't been so lucky.

As far as not making class "interesting"...I think this has a lot to do with your personal perspective. Why isn't learning something new about literature or science exciting enough on it's own?? Why is the teacher expected to put on a performance just to hold the class' attention?? In my opinion, it's a result of too much tv watching. Students are so used to being entertained by rapid, flashy images on tv and in video games...they no longer have a functional attention span!

Answer 3

Teachers are over worked, underpaid, overstressed, and they also don't get much respect from their students who happen to be a bunch of teenagers many of which have smart mouths and attitudes to match. In addition to all that, they are under pressure to prepare their students by the school district to prepare them for all of the standardized tests that they have to take, so it is not like they have a whole lot of room to make the lesson plan very interesting. They have to follow a guideline and cover certain materials that their students will be tested on. I agree that when a teacher is fed up with the job and not enjoying it anymore it is time to leave, but it can be difficult, especially if it means going back to school for another degree or if you have a family to support and just can't leave your job.

Answer 4

Of all professions, teaching is the most stressful.With all the different lessons each day, different attitude of the students,more hours to spend with to cope up with what they are suppose to teach for the day, then that would be some of the reasons why some teachers seem to dislike their occupation.

But there are those who are dedicated teachers who mold their students to become good citizens of the country. These are teachers who are paid low but sacrifice their time and energy to help students learn the values in life.

Answer 5

When we (teachers) go into the profession, we have very idealistic views of how it's going to work. And then reality sets in. Especially with high schools, there are so many politics, butt-kissing, and bureaucratic CRAP that it's not very difficult for really great teachers to become greatly bad. This is certainly not an excuse- the system will never change unless we demand for it to change. But there you have it.

Answer 6

Because the students/parents beat the life, love and compassion out of the teachers and then turn around and ask why they are so cranky all the time. Dont look at the teachers, look at what they deal with and what they are asked to do.

Answer 7

Teachers don't get as much respect as they did before. In the past, teachers were held with the upmost respect. They could of spanked you if they wanted to. Today we are so enthralled by the glamour and children get away with so much that teachers dont get respect. They don't get paid good, ppl curse at them, children disrespect them. They deserve more because they shape and mold the minds of the world

Answer 8

Teachers are pretty disrespected in the working world and it grates on you after a while. You don't make a lot of money, the work is stressful, and people think you have it easy. I do think teachers should leave when they have had enough (I did), but many get sucked into the mundane work and just can't leave.

Answer 9

they r overworked and underpaid , and imagine a classroom full of kids that don't pay attention and disrupt the class and act a fool, it screws it up for the ones that want to learn , so blame the kids not the teacher

Answer 10

because there students are talking wean there not supose to.All so the kids not doing there work. and teachers not getting paid alot so they dont put alot of effort into becausse sometimes teachers just want the money.