Why Teachers Choose What They Do
Teaching is an admirable profession because of the contribution teachers make to society. By teaching the leaders and inventors of tomorrow, they ensure that the future is bright and capable people can lead the way. Nevertheless, this is just one side of the story. Ask a teacher and he or she will provide you a long list of reasons for selecting the profession. In fact, many of them fall in love with teaching after they become teachers.
Enjoy Teaching Children
A large number of teachers report that their main reason for choosing the profession is the enjoyment of working with children. According to them, children are different in the classroom. This allows their teacher a different view of them that their parents may not be familiar with. It also has much to do with young children's amusing attitudes and personalities that they portray while in the classroom. Additionally, they prefer teaching younger age groups, such as children in kindergarten and playschool.
They Want To Make an Impact
A fair number of teachers said that after seeing current societal conditions and those of their own time, wanted to make a positive impact on children. They consider their minds heavily impressionable by the slightest exposure to the world's conflict. This reason is why they need a nurturing environment at school that teaches them to be better people. They also want to teach younger children, such as in grades one through three. The reason is the kids' conscious minds and how it's more possible to make an impact on their core values around this time.
Love for the Field of Study
These teachers think that more than anything, they have fun teaching their favorite subject to children. According to them, they wouldn't like the job as much if they were teaching a subject they didn't like, even if they had a firm grasp of it. That's because they have a unique way of understanding a topic, something they think that children will appreciate as well. Teachers who reported this reason taught subjects like science and math. Children consider these subjects difficult to understand, which further highlights the importance of using unique teaching methods.
The Unpredictability
Quite many teachers find their careers to be fulfilling because of how deeply they vary from other types. Compare teaching with being an accountant, some would say; it's no secret that teaching offers a much more fun and diverse experience. Many people who enter the profession at a later age do so after experiencing mundane routines and boring work schedules at desk jobs. Thus, they take up teaching to make a fresh start. The unpredictable nature of the profession is what keeps them on their feet, they explained. Furthermore, this helps them prepare for all types of situations. This was something that teachers of all grades could attest to, whether it was handling a grade schooler's allergy or an adolescent's quirky responses in class.
Unlimited Creativity
Teachers from all levels of experience claim the endless reservoir of creativity in the classroom to be a big part of their decision to stay in the profession. Whether it was their excited mix-up of words blurting out an idea or the bright look on their face as they have a 'Eureka!' the moment, the teachers loved it all.
While some teachers took up the profession to unlock children's creative potential, others did it to unlock theirs. Many of them explained that teaching a bunch of impressionable children can make you think of all sorts of ways that you can get a point across without screwing up the contents. The creativity can be in the form of physical crafts and toys that kindergarten teachers use. These include self-made diagrams and abbreviations for theories and formulas that middle and high school teachers use.
Why Teachers Leave the Profession
Despite being a fulfilling line of work by nature, many teachers leave behind their careers eventually, mostly within five years. There are a few reasons why teachers consider leaving the profession, regardless of all the factors that make it such a rewarding career.
Overburdening Work Schedule
Of the teachers who consider leaving their job, many of them complain of the workload they have to handle. They object to how they spend less time actually teaching, and more time checking homework and writing reports. Moreover, most of the paperwork they deliver isn't necessary and doesn't contribute to anything. Rather, it's only a part of the 'tradition'.
No Time for Their Personal Lives
Because of the immense work they would have to complete at the end of the day, many former teachers said that they would have no choice but to take it all home and cancel their plans. This lack of balance between their work and personal lives is what numerous former teachers report to be the main cause for them leaving the field of work.
Being Underappreciated and Misunderstood
Of all the reasons why teachers were packing their things and emptying their desks, this was a crucial one; feeling unappreciated. They feel that they don't get the credit they deserve, especially when their students get ahead and achieve greater goals, with the parents taking all the credit for it.
Another cause is that teachers were generalized and piled with their colleagues, some of whom don't have the best reputations. While many teachers try their best, their students, the school system, and the parents failed to realize their efforts time and again.
Student Behavior
With the proliferation of smart technology and social media platforms, numerous teachers complain about the exposure of children to sensitive material that isn't right for their age. This has caused a complicated situation in every classroom where ideas can spread like wildfire, especially the bad ones.
To make matters worse, these very teachers are bashed by parents for reprimanding student behavior. Sometimes, seeing a different side of a child isn't always the best thing since parents have no idea that it exists.
These factors can douse the teaching experience and transform it from something rewarding to a challenging and stressful ordeal.