Should You Become A Teacher?
Thursday, February 21st, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed
Teaching is one of the most fascinating and rewarding career is out there. Nevertheless, the decision to become a teacher should not be taken lightly. Think back to high school for a moment. Of course there were those teachers who inspired you and really whetted your appetite for learning, but there were also those other ones – the burnouts. The burnout rate in teaching is very high, because a lot of people choose to become a teacher for the wrong reasons. They want the short years, the summer breaks, and the benefits that come with working in the public schools. They don’t realize that teaching is hard work!
The only way to not burn out is to teach because you want to teach. If you are considering becoming a teacher, ask yourself if you have the necessary attributes. Do have a passion for education? Do you like working with kids? Do you have something that you feel you could teach the next generation? Are you good at explaining things? How about controlling a classroom? Your answers to these questions will reveal if you have what it takes to teach.
Nowadays, there are more ways to become a teacher than ever before. You see, many parts of the country are under constant teaching shortages. That means that, even if you haven’t yet gone through a four year course at a school of education, you still have a chance of becoming a professional teacher. You can get certified as a substitute, for example, and give it a try. There are permanent subs in many parts of the country, so just because you don’t have the teaching credentials doesn’t mean you can’t become a teacher. If you like it, many schools will help pay for your training so that you can get the actual education degree while at work! This well give you the tools you need to be a real professional, and will allow you to make more money as well.
Of course, many people try teach for America as a way to explore teaching and see if it is right for them. This can be a really inspiring experience, but it will definitely be a lot of work. Teachers in this program get sent into some of the most difficult and poor schools in the country, so it is by no means an easy job. Nonetheless, it will look great on your resume and it will help you to decide whether or not to become a teacher.
