So You Want To Become A Teacher: The Bare Facts
People planning to become a teacher often have an idealized notion of what the job of teaching children is like. Certainly these ideals, of guiding young minds on the road to the acquisition of knowledge, and taking great pleasure in seeing them grow, is a valuable quality for the aspiring teacher to have. In fact this kind of idealism is a necessary survival mechanism, which will get you through the tough times, which are virtually inevitable, especially in the public school system.
You should combine these ideals and core values with some realism, however, otherwise you will not be able to handle the tough times ahead. Consider some of the following basic truths with regard to teaching, so that you can prepare yourself for some of the less pleasant occurrences that could face you when you become a teacher, and therefore learn to deal with them.
Some cases of teacher stress and burn out are the result of the obstacles to teaching that are put in your way by school administration and government regulations. Often the actual business of education can seem to be taking a back seat compared to the rules and regulations, and form filling, and the process of maintaining discipline.
When you become a teacher, your main aim is to impart knowledge in your particular subject area to your students, and to watch their academic success, and it is frustrating to have this come second to administrative and disciplinary matters.
The second biggest frustration that teachers report is the lack of funding, which means a low rate of pay for teachers as well as lack of classroom supplies. Many teachers, in fact, end up buying some of their supplies themselves, in order to be able to teach successfully. Another result of this lack of funding is overcrowded classrooms, since there is no money to supply extra teachers or more classrooms.
The third issue which you will find difficult to manage at times when you become a teacher is the behaviour of the students, who are not always the angels you would wish them to be. In public schools especially, you will find students who do not care about learning, or about allowing you to teach those who are keen to learn, and therefore become disruptive. Handling these students is something you can learn from more experienced teachers, and this skill will come in time, and it is a challenge that you will need to be prepared for from the start.
Stay positive, and focus on those rewarding moments that will occur during the year, when you really connect with a student or see them succeed in something, because these moments will make it all worth while, and make you remember why you decided to become a teacher.
