The teaching industry is one of the most rewarding professions. You’ll have the opportunity to see your kiddos grow as the year progresses and witness firsthand the difference you are making in their lives. Although the job is rewarding in many aspects, it is still incredibly challenging.
My Favorite Part of Being a Teacher
One aspect of the job that I found extremely rewarding was building close relationships with my students as the year progressed. It is amazing getting to know your student’s unique personality. Some children will be highly outgoing, funny, and silly, while others may be quiet and extremely sweet to talk to. It’s fascinating witnessing their personalities develop and seeing how unique and different they are. After spending some time with your class, you’ll soon understand the kind of games they like, what they want to do in their free time, what they like to eat, and their academic strengths and weaknesses. It’s also amazing to see previous classes you’ve had and see how much they have grown over the summer.
Never a Dull Moment
Another aspect of teaching that I enjoy is that there is never a dull moment. Teaching at a school means there is a schedule you most likely have to follow. You may have to take your class to lunch, gym, or special activities such as art or dance throughout the day. Furthermore, you may have to transition from different subjects like math and ELA depending on how your school manages these subjects. This means that you are constantly switching things up throughout the day and engaging in different activities which ultimately prevents you from getting bored and makes the day fly by. Your school may also plan fun events for the children and staff whether they are holiday-related or seasonal to spread some joy and excitement.
Learning Goes Both Ways
One of my primary roles as a teacher was teaching my students both academic content as well developing their social-emotional learning. One thing I quickly noticed was how much I was learning from my students. I got the opportunity to learn about their heritage and background and how different families function. I also got to learn a lot about myself and my capabilities.
Holidays and Summer Breaks
As you know, schools tend to have a lot of breaks during the school year. For example, they may be closed during winter break, Thanksgiving, and other calendar holidays. Teachers may also have a paid summer break when the kids are out of school. These breaks allow you to take a breather and finally enjoy some time for yourself.
Challenges
Work Load
Being a teacher comes with many challenges. Although I’ve always heard that being a teacher was hard work, I never imagined it was going to be like this. I quickly realized that I did not have time to do the things that I enjoyed. Not only was I spending about 9 hours at school, I found myself doing more work once I got home. This consisted of lesson plans that had to be submitted for the next week as well as grading my students’ classwork and homework. In addition, I always took time to quickly review what I was going to be teaching the following day. Thus, I worked both at the workplace and at home, leaving me with little to no time for myself.
Classroom Management
Another challenge I experienced as a first-year teacher is that of classroom management. Classroom management is heavily emphasized during training to become a teacher and boy is it important. Struggling with classroom management will make your teaching career 10 times harder. Nothing is worse than already struggling with a heavy workload and also not being able to effectively teach and go through the day smoothly because you are having to deal with challenging behaviors or an unorganized or poorly managed classroom.
Challenging Families
As a teacher, you will closely interact with your student’s families. Close relationships with your student’s families will allow you to meet some of the school’s goals regarding classroom culture. Families can back you up to ensure that the student is completing their homework assignments on time and attending class on a consistent and timely basis. However, you will soon realize that some families are not that easy to work with. They may not be supportive of you as a teacher and may not be as involved in their child’s progress at school.
One of my most challenging experiences with a caregiver would have to be not receiving their support to enroll a child who’s struggling severely academically in services that will benefit the child. One key thing to remember when entering this field is that you will be working with both the children and their families.
Although I quickly realized that teaching was not the proper field for me, my experience as a teacher has been one of the most rewarding and impactful times of my life. It has also made me realize that teachers often don’t receive the proper recognition for all of their hard work!
If you’re embarking on a journey as a teacher, prepare yourself for the rewards and challenges that lie ahead.
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