Can be the best job in the world and the worst job in the world! (Secondary School Teacher)

Member Name: flostp

Product:	Secondary School Teacher
Date:	18/01/09 (99 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: making a difference, the chance to be creative, teaching my subject

Disadvantages: poor behaviour, demands and work load

I have been a secondary English teacher for over 5 years now and it really has been a rollercoaster of emotions- I always say that it can be the best job in the world and the worst job in the world all in one day!

I will start with the positives. Firstly coming from a call centre job, which really wasn't for me, I really love the fact that I am never bored. Each day brings a new challenge and my students look at the same novels/poems/plays etc in new and different ways. I love teaching my subject and feel it is so important as I get to have some really fantastic discussions with young people about issues that really matter to me and to them. I love the opportunities outside the classroom too like running clubs and school trips.

For me though the best part of the job is those moments when you realise that you have had an impact on someone's life. When you have helped a student acheive the grade they need for college or when a student tells you they enjoyed the lesson or says thank you ( it doesn't happen all the time to me but those little moments really make it worth while). For example one such moment was when one of my really hardworking students, who struggled with English, achieved a C grade when his target grade was an E. I had taught him for four years and I was so proud of him knowing how hard he worked to get it and it was great to know I helped him get his place in college.

I also enjoy the fact that in many respects you organise your own time as a teacher and the hours can be flexible in terms of leaving after 3.30pm if you have an appointment or something. Of course the long holidays help too and the pay is ok. There are also a lot of opportunites for progression- I now have two extra responsibilites.

On to the negatives. Firstly I work very long hours- I am often at school until half six/seven o clock completing work ( some of this is from my extra responsibilites though). As an English teacher I have an incredible amount of marking to do and around mock exam time it is really really stressful. I also often work at the weekends and always work through some of my holdiays planning etc. Moreover there are so many demands on teachers from senior management and the government- we are always being expected to do something new and yet not given the time to do it.

Secondly and this is the worst thing for me I find that the rudeness and bad attitudes of some (and unfortunatley its quite a considerable number) students really gets me down. Even after five years I find it hard to just pass this of as part of the job and it still really gets to me. You really have to work on your behaviour management skills in order to succeed in the classroom. The worst part of this aspect is not wanting to let the good kids down and so to do that I have to try to be really strict and consistent which is an ongoing battle.

If you are thinking of becomng a teacher I would advise anyone to do some work experience in a school to really see what the reality is like. I started teaching at quite a young age and yet I still thought things had really changed since my own school days.

Overall though, although I complain about some aspects, I do love my job and the precious little moments make it worth it for me. Don't know if I'll still being saying the same in ten years time though!

Summary: A great profession but see the reality before you join it!