Why I *didn't* become a teacher (Secondary School Teacher)

Member Name: duchy

Product:	Secondary School Teacher
Date:	19/01/09 (155 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: The Kids

Disadvantages: The System

I enjoyed the previous reviews on this topic so decided to add my own.
I have really enjoyed working with teengers in previous roles and after seeing friends return to university and qualify as teachers was seriously considering doing the same. I had no illusions about the hours involved as I had seen from my friends how much outside of school hours work is required.
I decided that before I applied to uni I need to test drive the job and when I was offered a job as a classroom assistant at a large local highschool-I accepted.
I absolutely loved the job itself. I worked with years 7,8 and 9 both in small groups and giving one to one support. Yes there were behavour issues, yes there were times I could have happily wrung the necks of certain pupils yet despite been known as "That strict classroom assistant" I had a good rapport with many of the kids and they would come to me outside of lesson times for advice or support too. The buzz when you'd see a kid who struggled finally "get" a concept they had struggled with or get a better mark than they'd previously got was honestly great and made up for all the frustrations of the times they didn't or the kids who simply didn't want to even try. lthough it was a challenging school the discipline side didn't worry me-yes it wasn't always easy -but in time you earn the respect of the kids and once they realize you aren't a pushover most are no issue. I think I had to raise my voice ONCE in the year- the "look" was far more effective !! :)
The other teachers...... I worked with some absolutely brilliant teachers -dedicated, interested in the kids who really made a difference-and some right wastes of space who were either burned out, worked only for the holidays or went into teaching for all the wrong reasons. No particular age group fell into one catagory some had taught all their working lives, some were straight from uni and others had entered teaching as their second career-good and bad in all.
So I completed a year.......had the offer of a training place.....had funding-but then didn't proceed. The reason-schools aren't run for what is best for the children, they are run as businesses-meeting targets, quotas etc-even when these directly conflict with what is best educationally and emotionally for the students. In the end it would have driven me crazy to not be able to do the best job I possibly could. I have the greatest of respect for those who teach for the right reasons and work endlessly for what is best for their students within a flawed system.
I still do a little invigilating exams in school and whenever I do I remember all the good reasons for teaching and feel a pang of regret but ultimately I know teaching would have broken my heart.

Summary: Good teachers have special qualities