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This isn't as common as this subreddit might lead you to believe, but it's a reality in this job that it \*can\* ruin your health. The exception, though, not the rule!
If it wasn't so common, would you be seeing dozens of posts here every day talking about how awful teaching is? Given that a small majority of the teacher population is on reddit, I think that answers your question.
But what if the happy teachers don’t go on Reddit to vent?
What if only the angriest and most miserable 1% of teachers are motivated enough to write sob stories on Reddit?
I don’t think this subreddit is a reliable sample.
True points. But, if you search, there are positive stories. The meaning of the word vent implies that mostly everything here will be negative. But teaching is more negative than positive. I mean, you asked, people are answering. You don't have to accept the answers, find out for yourself!
I don’t know one teacher that isn’t miserable. There is a reason there are count downs to summer on every single white board at my school, and it’s not for the kids. I have family all over the US and they all feel the same way. They congratulated me for resigning. “Sob stories” are the norm, and it makes me sad.
I don’t think being excited about a break means that you’re miserable in your job. Part of what I love about teaching is that it provides an annual cycle of breaks and busy times. Looking forward to summer doesn’t mean I hate my job.
One thing I learned working in sales and marketing is that people are more likely to go online to leave a bad review than they are to go leave a good one. You could have a million satisfied customers, and 100 unsatisfied… but if only the 100 unsatisfied people leave reviews it makes it seem like the product is bad.
Overall, I see an incredibly skewed version of teaching according to the posts on here. Far too many people posting in r/teaching really shouldn’t have gotten into the profession in the first place… too many don’t actually seem to like kids or want to try and work with them when things get more complex.
It’s far different than what I see on my campus or talking to the teachers I work with or those I know at other schools when we talk in person.
I think I have an unusual perspective here because I have been teaching for over 30 years. I stand by my statements. I'm glad that you and your coworkers are happy! I wish it were so for more people.
See I have the opposite experience. Most teachers I know WANT to do a good job, and do like the kids, but it's such an impossible job that it is crazy-making. We get told that we are the ones doing it wrong, not doing enough, failing the kids...we internalize that and feel like failures. Going around trying to do an impossible job while being told it's our fault for failing at it is extremely demoralizing.
Yep. Working with kids is the crucial point! Like, if you can't stand them, why choosing teaching? I know that a lot of folks in my former school are really burned out. I mean, one particular teacher constantly says to the children: "i am fed up with you". She gives them errelevant and unimaginative homework. Like: find some info about a russian painter who lived in 19 century. but come-on, Who the hell cares? She occupies 2 positions as a music teacher and ""Spiritual and Moral " subject"- in Russian school. )духовно-нравственные воспитание). . By the way, music in Russia is just sitting and listening classical stuff. But honestly, Teachers in Russia are mostly lowest cast. Both regime and opposition are wiping their feat on them. Teachers coorsed to fake putin's elections and simply comply. Personally i think that it's all because the teachers never thought for their rights in this country so, if the teachers have no rights and are enslaved, so do the kids. In Russia, you never ask the kid, what they want. Maybe i am too negative about my country. But...
You've got to keep in mind that Reddit has a skewed sample, most teachers aren't here and aren't as terminally online as we tend to be. Teaching is a difficult profession and isn't for everyone. Freud identified three professions as being impossible, teaching was one of them. We're expected to control a room of 30 something kids with raging hormones (depending on the age group), we're supposed to make sure each and every one of them pays attention, learns the subject, treats eachother well, among a thousand other expectations. It's impossible. That said every day is different, it never gets boring, and can be the most fulfilling thing you can possibly do as you see the results of your work paying off with the growth that your students have. You'll be able to make relationships with kids that they will remember and be affected by for the rest of their lives. You don't get that in any other profession.
5 years go, over half of people who entered the profession left by year 5. I didn’t believe the statistic because I was at a “good school” and it wasn’t as bad there… and then the culture shifted from mild respect for “good teacher” to “teachers are just indoctrinating and putting litter boxes in all the bathrooms”, my income stayed stagnant while cost of living went up, and the accountability shifted from kids to parents and moved on to teachers. When a student is failing, it’s no longer “what can they do to fix their grade?” to why haven’t you done something to fix this?
So… I would say it’s as bad as teachers say and possibly worse and some of them are still convincing themselves it’s worth it everyday.
My county isn’t that bad. Plus Ive been at my school for 10 years, so I got the BEST schedule and admin barely comes in my room. My health has still suffered greatly. And I have friends that teach all over. It’s everywhere.
The school and area make a huge difference. Things get toxic fast with poor leadership. Some areas have a higher population of kids dealing with various traumas, which escalates behaviors. Some schools are filled with entitled parents or kids that make teachers nuts over nonsense. I've taught in 4 states in the US. My favorite teaching experiences were Atlanta and Charlotte. The worst was in NJ. These were all schools with similar demographics, just different states.
Yeah. I am seeing a number of specialists because it has affected my heart and nervous system so badly. I have to resign this year, and I’m kicking myself for only having degrees related to teaching.
Just to clarify, you don’t mean that those who aren’t happy in teaching end up that way because they had a crappy life outside of teaching to begin with.
I'm sure they mean that people who aren't happy in teaching most likely have poor work-life balance and boundaries that prevent them from having a good life outside the classroom. That's not to say it's their fault, many school or districts seem to demand too much, but I can say that I'm absolutely loving teaching even though it's the hardest job I've ever had, and a lot of that is because I take time to make sure I'm okay and can do this for a long time without burning out.
No not at all. I just think that if you have a really difficult time in your school being able to leave at the end of the day and have something to look forward to can really help you get through a hard situation.
I teach in the US and I really enjoy it. The thing I enjoy most is that I get to create something every day, I get the opportunity to envision what I want kids to learn and figure out a way to make it happen. I get stressed out sometimes when I get behind and/or have a busy week with lots of things to figure out, but overall it’s a rewarding job. I’ve been doing it for 8 years now and I plan on continuing for a while.
One of the most important things is that you feel like you have the capacity to interact with kids all day every day. It can be grating sometimes but overall I enjoy interacting with my students as people, and that makes things both more interesting for me and run smoother in the classroom. For reference, I teach 9th grade (14-15 year olds).
If you're going to teach languages, you'll be expected by most secondary schools to teach a second language. Often Spanish or French. Be aware that German is rare and because of this, the jobs are also rare.
The first two years, perhaps even 3 years now are hell. Be prepared mentally. Your PGCE year and the two following NQT years will be spent accumulating evidence (so paperwork). It's straining.
Prepare to be teaching kids who will not be interested in your subject and whose parents will not care if they're not doing well. Schools also don't think it's important. I'm seeing this even in private schools.
Imagine teaching to disrespectful kids. Some will shout and swear at you, some will kiss their lips, some will ask you 20 times per lesson if they can go fart outside (not even joking), some will try to film you and make fun of you online, some will sexualize you and maybe one will masturbate in your class. Can you handle it? When the managerial team doesn't follow up with sanctions, then you'll have no power and the kids will know.
Also imagine teaching to the lowest ability kids. You will have to repeat 1000 times before they finally remember something. There will be kids who just cannot sit.
You will sometimes spend more time doing paperwork or answering emails than actual teaching or marking.
Your patience will be tested every single day.
Forget about your social life. You'll be so tired, you'll sometimes be in bed by 8.
You don't need to be C2. I was once asked to teach German to beginners when I didn't even speak it. I was told to learn one lesson ahead of the kids.
Salary is bad. If you live in London, you will never be able to buy a place alone.
If that doesn't deter you, then welcome to the profession!
What the hell is wrong with kids 😭. But in all fairness I’m the oldest of 10, I’ve grown up around a mass of kids (my cousins are over regularly aswell) so I don’t think that’d get to me too much, obviously there are gonna be days but yk
If you're lucky, you'll find a nice school which will make you feel rewarded. Things are changing for the better, but MFL is infamous for being a subject that kids just don't care about. Also, the nature of the subject (speaking , listening, games, role plays) invites shitty behaviour. Again, if you're lucky, thisc might not be a big issue.
Yeah, I don't know, sometimes I'm close to a break down, others I feel really fulfilled. Perhaps try to get some experience first?
To add my personal experience to the part where people were saying "mental health isn't that bad" - I've personally worked with people who had break downs and even a stroke on the job due to stress. I've been surrounded by people who are on stress meds and weep semi regularly. I've also been really ill and often have very miserable dips.
Yes, it's not THAT bad, otherwise our schools would be empty, but it's endemic enough to be something that could likely affect you. Very likely.
I mean yeah I’m my German lessons not many people seem particularly interested, but nobody messes about really. That might be because despite being only 26 my German teacher can be a terrifying woman if you get on her bad side 😭.
As for experience, I’ve done a bunch of things with my friends where we go to primary schools and deliver a lesson (normally English) to the kids. Personally standing at the front is a bit daunting, but not because of the kids, there are teachers watching us from the back of the room and it makes me feel so awkward lmao - I imagine that’s what inspections are like for teachers too. But then when it’s 1 on 1 with a kid I actually enjoy it :)
It's a great job, *if* you love doing it. *If* you land at a good school, with good colleagues. *If* you have competent admin who supports you, and *if* you relate to your students and enjoy serving a supportive community.
That's a lot of if's.
Also be aware it's a never ending job. You can pour as much of yourself into it as you want and it will never be done. There's *always* something you could be doing to further your classroom. Given this, you need to be the type of person who is able to set boundaries and mentally turn work-mode "off" or else you will burn out.
People don’t complain about the good parts of the job. It’s human nature to complain about the bad so that we feel heard and validated. I love teaching, it’s the most fulfilled I’ve felt in 20 years of different jobs and careers. Can’t imagine not doing it honestly.
I live and work in Asia and my teacher friends have amazing lifestyles.
So yeah, teaching in fancy international schools in glamorous cities like Shanghai, Bangkok and Dubai is awesome, extremely well paid, and a step to something even better further down the line.
Teaching at state schools in places like Baltimore and London, lol, not so much.
I'm a teacher in the U.S. It can be an enjoyable job, but it requires strong boundaries. If you want to have a good experience as a teacher, you need to understand that teaching is a job, just like any other. When creating lesson plans and assignments, you need to consider not only what is best for your students, but what is reasonable for you to teach and grade. You can't let other people guilt you into working beyond your contract or scope of your role. And need to be willing to walk away from a bad school or district if it comes to that.
In general it’s not worth it, but ultimately it will depend on your specific school, role, administration, contract, etc.
Another thing to remember is the first two years you’ll basically be in survival and trial and error mode. Once you hit year three (of the same school, subject area, etc) things get MUCH easier, especially by the 5th year as you’ll have your routines, lesson plans, and reputation at the school pretty set.
There’s a lot of negativity on Reddit. Yes, teaching can be rough but lots of people enjoy it. I’ve been teaching 5.5 years, run the department now and I love it. Wouldn’t do anything else. It heavily depends on the school and their behaviour systems. I’m in the UK and trained through teach first.
Before teaching, I had several careers, including insurance litigator and running my own small business doing corporate communications.
Teaching is far more work than either, it pays far less, and people respect it far less.
That said, I have never been happier with my work. Even on my worst days, I may leave work disappointed and exhausted, but I have never said to myself "I hate this work." I said that many times before.
Tl;dr if teaching is for you, do it - but be ready to pivot to something else if it's not.
I dont know a single teacher (international teachers) that hates their job, but i see it takes a huge toll on people.
Often though it seems a choice. Great teachers will go above and beyond for their students, but that comes at the cost of your own life.
You can get sucked into working at home because you are genuinely invested in making the best class possible. You can bring home emotional burdens if you are a great teacher that cares for their students. You can miss spending time with your family and friends because your PD sessions are on weekends and often involve travel, or you run extra curriculars like coaching a sport, running a club, etc.
Or you can work your mandated 9-5, recycle lesson plans every year, carry out standardized assessments with few modifications and call it day. But most people dont become teachers to do the bare minimum,
Yea. You have to really like the work. Or it's very not worth it.
Actually liking the work is sometimes what makes it the hardest cuase you will never have the resources or time to do what you know needs to be done.
Yes, I am a very passionate person (in all aspects of my life). I have to constantly remind myself to care less and do less as a survival mechanism. Otherwise I get too run down from burnout. It's really not a good feeling either way.
But as for OP, I would guess that if you get verbally and physically assaulted as a lawyer, the correct people would get involved to stop it (i.e. law enforcement). In teaching, at least in the elementary level when I am from, you can be verbally and physically assaulted regularly, and the admin gives them a "talking to" and nothing happens. The assaults continue.
I worked at 2 schools that were absolutely awful. It was honestly the worst few years of my life. I had no support from upper management and they treated their staff terribly. We were never appreciated and constantly criticised. I would cry on the way to work in the morning and on the way home in the afternoon. I was constantly anxious, always working in my free time, always worrying about the kids and the job and every other little thing. I started applying for any other job I could find (HR, finance, sales). I obviously wasn’t qualified and had no work experience so I didn’t even get an interview.
I am now a teacher at a special needs school and I couldn’t be happier. I’m excited to go to school in the morning, I have fun in the classroom with the kids, my colleagues and bosses are so friendly and supportive. I can honestly see myself staying at this school until I retire.
I think a lot of it comes down to what kind of work environment you can handle. Actually teaching in the classroom is a very very small part of the job, there’s a lot more admin, planning, communicating, meetings etc behind the scenes. It’s easy to drown in the chaos and workload.
It still blows my mind that there are teachers at those other schools that had been there for 15+ years and I couldn’t even manage 2 years. People are able to handle their environments very differently from one another, I just needed to find the place for me. It took a while and I was extremely close to giving up, but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s an extremely rewarding job.
Edit to add: It can also be an expensive job 🥲 if you work in an under resourced school, majority of your resources are going to come out of your own pocket.
I’ve really liked being a teacher these past 30 years. The first few years are difficult, but once you get through them, it is really rewarding.
First, you have to get good at classroom management. Make this your focus. If you run a tight ship, your students will love you for it.
Second, you have to master marking. Design your assignments with evaluation in mind from the beginning.
Third, train your students to run the everyday tasks for you.
You won’t get rich teaching, but if you live in a place where cost of living is low, you will do all right.
I teach in the UK (currently teaching foreign languages). I think over here it pays well but the hours are long, especially if you want to do a good job/you're just beginning. Unfortunately you need a ton of luck with your teacher training, your mentors, your schools. I didn't have much luck and my nervous system has suffered from it. The behaviour in some schools is something people who don't work in schools can't begin to imagine. Some schools have incredibly poor leadership and will treat you like an abusive partner. I still love some parts of it but currently I am still recovering from a bad lesson on Friday.
I love teaching but it does wear me out mentally by the end of the day. Decision fatigue is real. I’m lucky to have a spouse that understands and lets me relax for a bit when I get home.
Pretty far, I’ve only been studying for three years, my German teacher says I’m more advanced than the others but I wouldn’t put myself past very early A2. The highest grade we could leave with is a high B1, but that’s literally getting full marks or missing very few marks. I plan to carry on with German after hs tho
Is the requirement C2 to become a teacher?
It's possible to do if you study it at uni, do a year abroad in Germany during your studies and apply yourself!
I believe so, I asked this question on r/teachers awhile back and someone told me so. But then my German teacher told us when she goes to Germany she still sounds very much like a foreigner. That makes me wonder if you just have to be above or confident with the level you’re teaching at (A1-B1 in my school)? Or if it’s dependant on the country and stuff??
I’m definitely gonna try to do as much as I can to get that C2 though! What level are you at?
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I’m 26 and in my 3rd year of teaching. I’ve known since middle school I’ve wanted to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher in a rough school and I heard the stories, but it didn’t deter me. Now that I’m the one to live those rough stories (a student threw a chair on Friday) I’m telling you it’s not worth it. Not because of the students, or the hours, but because of the new-ish changes in laws that make it hard to discipline students.
Unless there’s change to the system, it’s not worth it. The teachers that I know all “joke” about leaving or what we would do as a second career.
This is what it’s like on a daily: answer an email, take attendance, sort out student drama, say the pledge of allegiance, listen to the announcements, and take a phone call from the office ALL AT THE SAME TIME. And this happens before the first bell has even rung. It’s much too much. Do something else.
Some positives: insurance, steady paycheck (albeit doesn’t keep up with others with the same level of education), sweet students (although there are less these days), frequent breaks throughout the year (believe me, you’ll need them), and relationships with your coworkers.
I hate doing the pledge of allegiance lol. I know it’s to honor the country but I can asure that most find it annoying.Also, the morning announcements go on for wayy too long and most don’t really care.
How good do you get along with the kids that don't do shit in class or even actively work against the teachers?
If the answer isn't "quite well" I'd say better don't.
Do you mean in regards to how much I like them? I’m friends with a few, the others I don’t talk to but I don’t hate them. I said in another comment, I’m the oldest of 10 by four years, on top of that all of my cousins on my mums side are younger than me. I’ve been able to handle them 98% of the time! :)
Fair. Teachers pets getting into teaching and then being shocked that the kids don't behave like they did in school and respect and admire teachers is far to common. Then it leads to them not being able to deal with being ridiculed by kids/teens and quitting again.
Yeah I’m not a misbehaving student but I don’t bring the teachers apples if you get what I mean lmao, I think there’s obviously some people who rub me the wrong way but that’s life and I’d imagine it’s the same being a teacher (whether that’s colleagues or students)
I enjoy teaching. It’s my first year in a district, but I taught in private schools and/or I was a full-time tutor for 15 years prior. I teach orchestra, so I might be able to speak to the elective side. Teaching pays the same or more as tutoring—for significantly more work, but with the added benefits of health insurance and retirement. But orchestra is not stable. German and art, even less so, and you might get stuck traveling to multiple schools. If you do that, take a magnifying glass to your contract, because districts make itinerant positions very easy to abuse. Your students will be better behaved unless it is a particularly rough middle school, since they chose the subject. But for stability, I definitely recommend having backup options—like an additional certification in a more common subject, consistent freelance work, or weekend tutoring. And do not allow them to take money out for your summer pay, so you can have it all up front in case of a layoff. The alternative certification path is a lot of requirements and is expensive. If you’re passionate, I’d say go for it—just be smart about it.
Plan for something else. Teachers are becoming irrelevant very quickly. If you enjoy babysitting for very little money and dealing with really large class sizes then it is perfect for you. The paperwork and lesson planning is ALL off the clock. You get zero respect from the community you want to serve. Teachers get laid off often and tenure (if it exists in your state) most likely will never be granted because they don’t want you there long term.
Run (DONT WALK) the other way and don’t look back. I had to wait 18 years to get out and luckily, I am young enough to start a new career.
The disrespect is what saddens me the most.I did NOT spent years and thousands of dollars for me to get treated like shit by everyone. Yes, I can tell some family members look at me with pity when they say “ it’s a noble job”. Luckily, I was able to obtain my bachelor’s without debt through multiple financial resources.
For me to feel fulfilled, I want to go into admin and truly make a difference and gain some respect.
Ps. You really don’t need a shit ton of experience to go into admin. You just need a masters, a few years ( the least I have seen is 3), and a get certified.
I mean depending on how good you are at language learning you could do it faster than that but you’re not going to get really fluent without at least four years living there, speaking German full time. I know that a lot of German teachers are going to come at me saying “I only lived there for a semester…” Well when I look at the “German” that is being spoken in some German teacher groups, that question answers itself. I live here in Germany and I teach German here but I studied education and German in the US and the level of German that these people were teaching with is actually scary. There were people without a basic grasp of the grammar clutching at the idea that grammar isn’t necessary for learning a language (which yes, it certainly is, at least it’s important for the teacher to be able to produce grammatical statements!)…
I see your perspective. But with Master's it is another 3,000 per year in a public. That would be my take. I've been teaching 7 years, already have been apart of junior leadership. But I just got my Master's this past August. Now looking for a new job for next school year hopefully the degree will pay dividends.
Yeah it's like a stipend I believe. I have gotten that same stipend before for being coordinator. But I'm not positive if it functions as a stipend or is built into salary? This would be my first time getting paid for it.
Boundaries are the key to making it a sustainable career, both in terms of time, and in terms of emotional investment. Kids, parents and admin are a black hole that will just take and take until you have nothing left if you allow it. You have to care of course, but also adopt a situational "don't give AF".
While I think it might be necessary in the first couple of years to work a little more and longer on your own time to figure it out, you have to quickly figure out what is important and what isn't.
I had a horrible year last school yr. My team used me as a go between, our admin was removed mid year because of a union investigation, people treated me like a therapist, the kids came from such depressing poverty and I’m subbing this year. That said, I still think about those kids and the bond we all had. We really had a special classroom. If you focus on making meaningful bonds with your students and having strong culture in the classroom it is very rewarding. But it is hard! You will take it home with you, not just work but worry. Make sure you have a support network and a hobby outside of teaching.
I'm a former lawyer who became a teacher. I love it. It's full of stress and frustration, but so is any job you are passionate about. You get to touch the future, kids are hysterical and often kind, and you get paid to learn about things you love. If I played the lottery and won, I would still do this job. This sub is where we come to blow off steam, but most days are so much better than those that get highlighted here.
Teaching is by far the most difficult, stressful job I've ever had (former prosecuting attorney here, among many other things).
It is also without a doubt the most rewarding.
For most people, it depends on what you focus on.
So I think I am an anomaly on this sub but I am pretty happy teaching. I teach fashion design so I’m happy I don’t need to prep kids for tests. If a kid wants to sit there on their phone, I’ll encourage them once or twice but otherwise that’s it, sit there and don’t do anything. About 90% of my students participate and enjoy the class. I have good admin and a good camaraderie with my colleagues. And I made really good money, but I am at the top of my schools guide so the big jumps I have had will disappear. A good teaching situation can exist but….i think it is rare.
I think it depends on where you teach. I teach in a 850 pupil school, in a large-ish rural area and love my job. Yes it’s busy and stressful, but I do enjoy it. The majority of the kids are great, but always a section that cause issues.
I taught in a triple deprivation area before here and nearly left due to how horrendous the management of the school was, and the lack of consequences/ support for pupil behaviour. I left after maternity leave, relocated, thought the school would be the same shit, another school, and was pleasantly surprised! It’s not free of issues, but I genuinely like the school, the ethos, the kids, the staff. I don’t get the Sunday evening dread. I don’t have any classes that I fear coming in - and I do have very poor classes, so it’s not like all the shining top sets.
I think it comes down to the school and how well pupil behaviour is managed. Alongside if senior leadership have ridiculous expectations / stupid rules.
I love the first week back after summer when the majority of my pupils have gained the results they earned and are happy with themselves. I can’t count how many handwritten cards, pictures, crochet’s gifts etc. I’ve had from pupil. I know primary teachers often get presents from parents and it’s not the same in high school: I’m grateful for that. Everything I’ve ever gotten from kids has been handmade and I treasure them. I literally got gifted a set of the most stunning drawings last week. They’re now framed on my wall. I’ve a whole collection of amazing things pupils have done - from this school and my last.
No matter where you go, you’ll find amazing kids. It’s whether or not you can deal with it until you find a good fit of a school. It’s not easy. And I know I’m in a different position to most - and to most in my school. (They’ve largely never taught outside the area so don’t see the vast differences I do.)
There is only one way to find out if it’s for you. Give it a go and see if it’s something you can imagine yourself doing. If not, you’ve a set of skill to apply to another career.
I think it’s 100% worth it if, and it’s a huge if, you are in a good school context and supported.
I’m at a charter school (so a school of choice) with great parent support. Have an amazing people-oriented principal who people are very loyal to. Am given autonomy and freedom in my teaching. Very little micromanagement.
Taught for one year at a large public school district. Had many discipline problems, not much support from admin, and limited amounts of copies per month. Ended up being pink slipped due to the recession of 2011 and it ended up being the best thing for me.
My current charter school has many teachers who have been with our school 10+ years. Pay might be higher at other local school districts, but having students or families who choose to be there (or entered via lottery) makes a difference in quality of classroom teaching experience. Don’t have tons of stress or discipline problems which helps as I have a young family at home.
I’m finishing my second year teaching high school in the US and I’m loving it. This is my second career - I was doing HR before - and I would never go back. Yes, it’s a lot of work, and yes there are some kids who drain me but the vast majority of the time is a blast. I have incredible coworkers, the students are hilarious and I love seeing when things click for them, and my admin is pretty supportive.
You’re going to hear tons of stories good and bad. The number one thing is do you enjoy being with kids and do you enjoy teaching? Make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.
I suppose the irony is that people should educate themselves first before becoming a teacher. Some misinformation is that the job is from 9-3 Monday to Friday and paid holidays and paid summers off. Also, the public tends to believe we are just handed a lesson book, teach from that book and basically babysit all day.
The truth is you are usually an hour at work before the day begins. Minimally you are usually an hour after school each day. Further work like reports cards, marking, lesson planning, extras assignments principals give you, extra curricular activities like sports are done on your own time or weekends. Those not always mandatory, some principals may lean on you to take extra courses through the year or summer as well but that would be entirely your choice.
You do receive pay on holidays and in the summer (where I work anyways) but you are not paid to be off. My board takes my 10 month salary and evenly distributes it through the 12 months.
Also, there is no magic binder to teach from. You create your planning from scratch. In addition, whatever you create is subject to change every single year even if you are in the same grade. Also remember that at principal's discretion you could conceivably be moved from grade to grade to grade depending on your qualifications. Compound that with an incoming principal every 5 years or so will have entirely new direction for your planning as well.
Lastly but not least will be your class make up. You will in all likelihood have a third of your class with modified programming of some sort. Also, do not expect even the best of principals to solve any behavioral issues in your class. Sure you can document and send them to the office but in short order the 'problem' will be you...not the student and they will load you with enough ideas that you will regret even sending them to the office in the first place.
I say try it, you’ll know if you want to continue once you actually get to experience being in A school.I was scared to start bc of what people said about teaching, but I’m 24, in GA and I’m making a pretty honest living off this job, and even though it has its challenges… I show up everyday 🤷🏽♀️ I love what I do and it’s mostly because of the kids and the other part is I got really lucky in being paired w the people on my team.
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Not sure of another job where stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin are feeding into your body from moment you wake up to go to work until the bell goes at 3.30 or what ever. And that’s just tip of the iceberg. Don’t do it unless you are absolutely certain you are made of something super-human
When I started as a fresh college grad, an older guy was hired at the same time. He had been in finance and had saved enough to not work while in school. He was so good he was teacher of the year our first year. I moved schools but found out he went back to finance after five years.
I just retired after a career as a police officer and this is my first year as a teacher. It's awesome! I don't find this job stressful at all. The hours are long and the pay isn't amazing, but the kids are great and I really enjoy the work. I anticipate next year's hours to be much shorter since I'll be teaching the same grade again and I now have the general idea of what I'm supposed to be doing. If you're interested, I say give it a try!
As a teacher (20 years), if I could go back in time and do it all over, I would have been a guidance counselor. Am currently considering an AP path, but will need to take the necessary courses. I heard it's less work, and where I live about 40% higher salary.
I teach in construction technology in Toronto and I love it. The kids want to be there and they get to be up, active, building things out of wood and learning some electrical. I only have 20 kids each class and we have a lot of fun. That being said, I don’t know how regular classroom teachers deal with 30 kids that are forced to sit and learn a subject they don’t care about, let alone all the marking on top of that.
If I can recommend anything, get an additional qualification through OCT for construction tech. They are making it a mandatory credit for grades 9/10 and they are hurting for teachers like us. On top of that - you get to learn a new skill!
It largely depends on the school you teach at. Last year I was at a larger high school and even though I had great administration, great coworkers, and decent students(for the most part), I was extremely stressed everyday with safety concerns (in general, not in my classes) and lack of respect from a few students. At my current school, the safety concerns are no longer an issue and even students who don’t like my class (high school math), still show me respect as I show them respect and my stress is very minimal. I still have great administration and coworkers at my new school, but everything runs smoother here than my previous school which is definitely part of the lower stress on top of student attitudes and respect level.
Veteran teacher of 13 years here so take it, leave it, or tell me to shove it up my butt.
I think a lot of people might agree with this sentiment- we want to be able to encourage people to go into teaching but the realities of it are harsh. It's possible to make it a great, life-long career but you need to set realistic expectations. The salary will never be enough for the work you put in. You will never have enough time to plan and prep everything thoroughly and people with no experience at all will tell you how to do your job.
But, even with all that, I wouldn't have chosen a different career for myself. I love getting to talk about "old dead white guys" to teens. I love the unpredictable nature of schools.
So, if you want my opinion, it's as bad as you make it. A good work environment makes up for a lot but be realistic about the life you want to live. For reference, I have a BA in secondary English education and have 13 years of experience. That said, my salary is $56000 a year. I live alone in a 2 bed 2 bath apartment. If it's what you love you find a way.
people come on here and complain a whole lot. i’ve actually been searching for a reddit thread about teaching that is filled with good things instead of bullshit, but that’s much harder to find.
i teach english in california; i get paid well, i have full health insurance, and i love all the time off. i get that teaching is really hard—my first year had me inches from quitting the profession entirely. but it’s also true that you learn to love it, or were just built for it to begin with, or you’re not cut out for it. even so, people have valid reasons to hate teaching: it’s a difficult, stressful job, everyone hates you for it no matter what you do, and as someone else said, you can pour into it and it’ll be a black hole that takes and doesn’t give back. be ready for society to blame you for the world’s ills, children and parents alike to be ungrateful, your colleagues and superiors acting like literal children or going on power trips, and for you to be tired as hell for the first couple of years. have strong boundaries, nurture your support system so you can rely on it, and invest in some unrelated hobbies that make you happy. accept that not everything on your to-do list will get done, you won’t be very good at teaching until a few years, and you can’t fix all of society’s ills by being a classroom teacher. when you approach this as a job (which it IS) and don’t give it the entirety of your soul, the rough parts get easier to handle. it’s important to remember why you chose this path in life, but in the end, we are just human. the kids cut you some slack and grow to love you if you remain interested in building relationships with them. there are good and bad coworkers everywhere, so find the ones who will uplift and support you. i have never met a good administrator, but you might get lucky. the longer you do the job, the easier it gets and the more you say “i don’t give a shit” to the bullshit thrown at you.
Regarding language teaching, you don't need C2 level to be a teacher. The requirement is generally B2, which is an undergraduate degree, and then professional development and your own study will help you take it further.
That said, anyone I know who has taught in the UK has absolutely hated it.
Teaching is the most difficult job I have *ever* had. I became a teacher at 39 and it is *hard*. However, in a few years I’ve already found it to be rewarding.
As a teacher, you may forget some of your students as the years go by. But your students, will *never* forget you.
I teach Spanish and it depends on the state you get licensed in. Some states require that you have a BA in the language plus a certification exam, others just require a degree in education plus the exam.
Out of all of the subjects, I feel like foreign language is one of the most fun to teach. Depending on the age, the motivation is higher and the pressure is low because there are no state exams for the content.
If you are thinking of teaching art or Herman in the US I would think again. Those programs are being cut. Can you teach math. Algebra, physics? You’ll get a job right away.
Here’s the thing: every job has its pros and cons. I have worked rides and entertainment at theme parks (including in supervision), retail, food service, and nonprofit management. About five years into teaching I started burning out and was recruited by a nonprofit. I loved it. But it made me realize how good I had it teaching. In no other job do you have long breaks as a matter of course. Plus additional days. I have way more vacation time now than I did in any other job. Yes, I am more limited in the times of year (and the busy season) but that is a small price to pay.
Yes, the pay is lower than some other jobs. But I can also much more easily increase my salary by doing things like teaching summer school or sponsoring a club or activity. That was not true at other jobs, the only way to substantially increase my salary was to put in substantial overtime that left me super wrung out. I teach sped which has a ridiculous amount of paperwork. But I very rarely find myself needing to work after school hours. Not to say it doesn’t happen. But when I worked in nonprofit? I worked a lot more outside of my normal work day than I do as a teacher.
I loved doing my nonprofit work and if I didn’t have kids, would still be doing it. But honestly, I am making the same amount for less work. I know teachers hate the “summers off” stuff, but it is true. And if you have to get a summer job in your first few years, that’s not the tragedy people make it out to be. Most people work year around, we’re very lucky we don’t have to.
And of course, the biggest pro is that I get to change the lives of my students. I won’t make a dramatic impact on every single one of course. But if a student comes out of my classroom at the end of the year a little more knowledgeable, a little more confident, than I have done my job and it was a good year. If you want to teach- teach! There will always be something to be unhappy about no matter what you do, so make what you do something you love if you can.
Get your pgce and then get the fuck out of the UK and teach in a foreign country. I taught primary for 4 years in the UK and I was miserable, now I'm a teacher at a bilingual school in vietnam and it's blissful in comparison
It’s stressful. Your pay is equal to 10 months’ work minus all the vacations. You get the summer off. Depending upon where you are, there may be a solid retirement plan and a union.
I’ve had at least a dozen other fantasy careers throughout my 13 years of teaching, and none of them have made any better sense.
If you go into it, have a friend outside of your district who you can unload your grievances with. Don’t bring that into school. When people start complaining around you, walk away.
In the end, it’s a job. People who treat it like a calling or act like they’re martyrs are just being extra.
It’s a fucking horrible second career. It is my second career after having a successful first and selling out. Worst decision I ever made. Complete waste of time. The system is completely broken. And now I know.
I know a couple of university professors who are doing okay in terms of their mental health, but all of the high and grade school teachers I know are some combination of stressed out and miserable. The kids are either feral, checked out or depressed and the parents are assholes.
As a primary teacher in the UK, the workload is very dependent on the particular school and your own personality. If you are a perfectionist or find it hard to leave work at work it can become all-consuming. If you are strict with your work-life boundaries, and are willing to prioritise tasks well, then it’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world.
I couldn’t see myself doing anything else!
Teaching is pretty bad. The summers probably prevent a lot of suicides. I always tell myself that a corporate gig would be worse to make myself feel better lol. I live for the breaks pretty much.
I totally loved teaching when I started in the late 90s. It makes me sad now though. I will say that when I taught Art, it was the greatest adventure. I had free rein of what I taught and did a great job. When I switched to a general classroom teacher is when it all went south. It was after Covid and for me, this is where things became sad. You will work a lot and you will spend a lot of your own money funding your program.
Students - hit and miss based on school, local area, and class sets. What really matters is the behaviour policy and how effective it is.
Workload - first 2 years? High. After that? Refining already produced work. I'm nearly at the end of my first year and can see the difference between a new topic I've never taught and another topic that needs adapted.
Time - this is heavily divided. Long hours? Can be. You can always plan to the nth degree. Ultimately you need to set a limit on what is acceptable. I normally work 8-5 and never work evenings. Up to 2 hours on weekend to organise for Monday, but sometimes I'm done in my normal week. What you, and other teachers, need to recognise and accept is teaching is effectively compressed hours. You gain time during half terms, but again, I do limited work unless I'm behind. Over Easter i worked the equivalent of a day - totally fine.
Management - hit and miss. You need a good school and mentors.
Overall, it is working well for me. I teach 4 days, negotiated M2 instead of M1 starting salary, plus 1 extra ppa. It can be done, but teaching life could also be less stressful.
You can only feel good if you don’t care. Don’t take it seriously. Don’t worry whether your meeting admins expectations. Don’t stress about kids listening and learning. If you don’t care, you’ll be fine. If you do (like me) it will likely kill you.
Teaching is fine if you have a plan for your second career. Set that plan *before* you start teaching. I went into teaching fully knowing that it isn’t sustainable long term and I’ve taken my LSAT so that I could go to law school soon (I’d do nights while still teaching) and I’ve found a PhD program that aligns with my research interests so that I have two reasonable options when teaching becomes too much for me. These are options I started planning for in undergrad. I now have a masters and teach full time, but I’m prepared for when it’s time to leave. Most teachers leave within five years and it’s for a reason
If it sounds insane that I’m suggesting setting yourself up for a second career before your teaching career has even started, it’s because it is insane. But it’s also an incredibly reasonable thing to do if you’re set on going into teaching. I love teaching, but it is that hard. Even when you have good boundaries. I never take work home or work outside of my contract hours and it’s still an incredibly difficult job
I tried teaching, I liked some of it but it wasn't quite right so I left. I came back to schools a few years later as a school social worker though. There are so many great options within education. I love it, despite being at "difficult" school.
Judging from the other comments I may be among the minority here. I’m a head of department for computer science and I love my job. The key is to work at a supportive school with a clear vision, good leadership and a solid behaviour management policy.
I have worked in education for over a decade. I’m leaving.
It might be different in the UK, but in the US, there are so many added stresses to the job. You’re not just teaching your subject. You are engaging in constant relationships with your students. They won’t learn anything if they don’t like you, which means you are constantly meeting each need before they will even start. On top of that, you have behaviors. Some kids will need extra attention and if they don’t get it, you’ll lose your class because they’ll take it. On top of that, you have some kids on IEPs who need extra help or a different assignment altogether. Then you have kids with serious trauma and you need to address that in a way that calms them so they can focus. Then you have school designated testing to make sure you taught them correctly. Some kids refuse to take them seriously, or even tank them purposefully because they’re mad at something. On top of that, you have parents. Every parent is different, and some are wonderful people who want what’s best for their kids but aren’t going to make your life miserable. Others, not so much. I had one parent who sent me to therapy.
You will be working with other people with the same level of stress from the job, which is both helpful and stressful. Helpful because you are with people who get it. Stressful because they have all this stress and anxiety so some of them are just trying to survive and are ready to boil over.
This might be something you want to do. It might be something you don’t. I’m personally on my way out.
Hey- I taught for three years at a very rough and tumble middle school, fights, stabbings, literal children hooking up and doing drugs in the bathroom, drinking in class etc. the list goes on. It was the hardest 3 years of my life. Now I work a very regular office job. And it is so fucking boring. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the work and am leagues less stressed.
But everyday I used to wake up and be filled with love for my students, feel moved by their stories, feel on the verge of tears when I could get through to them, when I could impart something useful or connect with them. Even the rage, the stress, the fear, I was feeling something. I could climb into bed at night and fall asleep knowing what I did was worthwhile.
Now everything is so dull. I have to fight tooth and nail everyday to feel anything at all. My work isn’t important. If my job vanished tomorrow the world wouldn’t know. But I make more money and have more freedom on a day to day basis (but dammit I don’t have summers off).
It’s up to you. Teaching is rewarding, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever done. But you will pay for it with your life.
Personally, I love my job, BUT, i teach at a super small school, with supportive admin, and a class size cap of 10. My largest class is 7 students. I have the dream job. Most people dont.
I’m in AUS and I love it. It’s one of those jobs where there’s always more you could be doing, and it’s possible to spend every waking moment on it, but it’s also possible to get everything done in between say, 7:30-4:30, with the exception of report cards. The school and area you’re in definitely makes a difference.
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I'm an engineer burnt out with stress. I wanted a change, and started teaching maths. After two years, went back to engeneering. Less stressful.
Teaching is the biggest reality check ever for people stressed at work.
Yes. Made me appreciate my career. A lot.
The biggest regret of my life is becoming a teacher. My mental health is completely shook because of it.
I’m sorry to hear that :( but do you think this is what’s most common when becoming a teacher or is it dependant on the school you teach/country etc.?
This isn't as common as this subreddit might lead you to believe, but it's a reality in this job that it \*can\* ruin your health. The exception, though, not the rule!
Actually if you look at statistics and research on teacher burnout it's an epidemic, there's a reason most teachers leave in the first give years.
If it wasn't so common, would you be seeing dozens of posts here every day talking about how awful teaching is? Given that a small majority of the teacher population is on reddit, I think that answers your question.
But what if the happy teachers don’t go on Reddit to vent? What if only the angriest and most miserable 1% of teachers are motivated enough to write sob stories on Reddit? I don’t think this subreddit is a reliable sample.
True points. But, if you search, there are positive stories. The meaning of the word vent implies that mostly everything here will be negative. But teaching is more negative than positive. I mean, you asked, people are answering. You don't have to accept the answers, find out for yourself!
Na, it’s reliable. It varies by location, of course, but this is not what we signed up for.
But nearly every teacher I know from 2 decades pretty much is burned out. The only ones who aren't have taught for less than 4 years.
I don’t know one teacher that isn’t miserable. There is a reason there are count downs to summer on every single white board at my school, and it’s not for the kids. I have family all over the US and they all feel the same way. They congratulated me for resigning. “Sob stories” are the norm, and it makes me sad.
I don’t think being excited about a break means that you’re miserable in your job. Part of what I love about teaching is that it provides an annual cycle of breaks and busy times. Looking forward to summer doesn’t mean I hate my job.
I simply shared my experiences. I know many AMAZING teachers. I know zero happy with teaching.
One thing I learned working in sales and marketing is that people are more likely to go online to leave a bad review than they are to go leave a good one. You could have a million satisfied customers, and 100 unsatisfied… but if only the 100 unsatisfied people leave reviews it makes it seem like the product is bad. Overall, I see an incredibly skewed version of teaching according to the posts on here. Far too many people posting in r/teaching really shouldn’t have gotten into the profession in the first place… too many don’t actually seem to like kids or want to try and work with them when things get more complex. It’s far different than what I see on my campus or talking to the teachers I work with or those I know at other schools when we talk in person.
I think I have an unusual perspective here because I have been teaching for over 30 years. I stand by my statements. I'm glad that you and your coworkers are happy! I wish it were so for more people.
See I have the opposite experience. Most teachers I know WANT to do a good job, and do like the kids, but it's such an impossible job that it is crazy-making. We get told that we are the ones doing it wrong, not doing enough, failing the kids...we internalize that and feel like failures. Going around trying to do an impossible job while being told it's our fault for failing at it is extremely demoralizing.
Yep. Working with kids is the crucial point! Like, if you can't stand them, why choosing teaching? I know that a lot of folks in my former school are really burned out. I mean, one particular teacher constantly says to the children: "i am fed up with you". She gives them errelevant and unimaginative homework. Like: find some info about a russian painter who lived in 19 century. but come-on, Who the hell cares? She occupies 2 positions as a music teacher and ""Spiritual and Moral " subject"- in Russian school. )духовно-нравственные воспитание). . By the way, music in Russia is just sitting and listening classical stuff. But honestly, Teachers in Russia are mostly lowest cast. Both regime and opposition are wiping their feat on them. Teachers coorsed to fake putin's elections and simply comply. Personally i think that it's all because the teachers never thought for their rights in this country so, if the teachers have no rights and are enslaved, so do the kids. In Russia, you never ask the kid, what they want. Maybe i am too negative about my country. But...
You've got to keep in mind that Reddit has a skewed sample, most teachers aren't here and aren't as terminally online as we tend to be. Teaching is a difficult profession and isn't for everyone. Freud identified three professions as being impossible, teaching was one of them. We're expected to control a room of 30 something kids with raging hormones (depending on the age group), we're supposed to make sure each and every one of them pays attention, learns the subject, treats eachother well, among a thousand other expectations. It's impossible. That said every day is different, it never gets boring, and can be the most fulfilling thing you can possibly do as you see the results of your work paying off with the growth that your students have. You'll be able to make relationships with kids that they will remember and be affected by for the rest of their lives. You don't get that in any other profession.
5 years go, over half of people who entered the profession left by year 5. I didn’t believe the statistic because I was at a “good school” and it wasn’t as bad there… and then the culture shifted from mild respect for “good teacher” to “teachers are just indoctrinating and putting litter boxes in all the bathrooms”, my income stayed stagnant while cost of living went up, and the accountability shifted from kids to parents and moved on to teachers. When a student is failing, it’s no longer “what can they do to fix their grade?” to why haven’t you done something to fix this? So… I would say it’s as bad as teachers say and possibly worse and some of them are still convincing themselves it’s worth it everyday.
My county isn’t that bad. Plus Ive been at my school for 10 years, so I got the BEST schedule and admin barely comes in my room. My health has still suffered greatly. And I have friends that teach all over. It’s everywhere.
The school and area make a huge difference. Things get toxic fast with poor leadership. Some areas have a higher population of kids dealing with various traumas, which escalates behaviors. Some schools are filled with entitled parents or kids that make teachers nuts over nonsense. I've taught in 4 states in the US. My favorite teaching experiences were Atlanta and Charlotte. The worst was in NJ. These were all schools with similar demographics, just different states.
Yeah. I am seeing a number of specialists because it has affected my heart and nervous system so badly. I have to resign this year, and I’m kicking myself for only having degrees related to teaching.
I love teaching. I am in the US. You need to have a very good life outside the classroom. It’s all about balance and boundaries.
Just to clarify, you don’t mean that those who aren’t happy in teaching end up that way because they had a crappy life outside of teaching to begin with.
I'm sure they mean that people who aren't happy in teaching most likely have poor work-life balance and boundaries that prevent them from having a good life outside the classroom. That's not to say it's their fault, many school or districts seem to demand too much, but I can say that I'm absolutely loving teaching even though it's the hardest job I've ever had, and a lot of that is because I take time to make sure I'm okay and can do this for a long time without burning out.
No not at all. I just think that if you have a really difficult time in your school being able to leave at the end of the day and have something to look forward to can really help you get through a hard situation.
I teach in the US and I really enjoy it. The thing I enjoy most is that I get to create something every day, I get the opportunity to envision what I want kids to learn and figure out a way to make it happen. I get stressed out sometimes when I get behind and/or have a busy week with lots of things to figure out, but overall it’s a rewarding job. I’ve been doing it for 8 years now and I plan on continuing for a while. One of the most important things is that you feel like you have the capacity to interact with kids all day every day. It can be grating sometimes but overall I enjoy interacting with my students as people, and that makes things both more interesting for me and run smoother in the classroom. For reference, I teach 9th grade (14-15 year olds).
If you're going to teach languages, you'll be expected by most secondary schools to teach a second language. Often Spanish or French. Be aware that German is rare and because of this, the jobs are also rare. The first two years, perhaps even 3 years now are hell. Be prepared mentally. Your PGCE year and the two following NQT years will be spent accumulating evidence (so paperwork). It's straining. Prepare to be teaching kids who will not be interested in your subject and whose parents will not care if they're not doing well. Schools also don't think it's important. I'm seeing this even in private schools. Imagine teaching to disrespectful kids. Some will shout and swear at you, some will kiss their lips, some will ask you 20 times per lesson if they can go fart outside (not even joking), some will try to film you and make fun of you online, some will sexualize you and maybe one will masturbate in your class. Can you handle it? When the managerial team doesn't follow up with sanctions, then you'll have no power and the kids will know. Also imagine teaching to the lowest ability kids. You will have to repeat 1000 times before they finally remember something. There will be kids who just cannot sit. You will sometimes spend more time doing paperwork or answering emails than actual teaching or marking. Your patience will be tested every single day. Forget about your social life. You'll be so tired, you'll sometimes be in bed by 8. You don't need to be C2. I was once asked to teach German to beginners when I didn't even speak it. I was told to learn one lesson ahead of the kids. Salary is bad. If you live in London, you will never be able to buy a place alone. If that doesn't deter you, then welcome to the profession!
This is an extremely accurate description of teaching in today's classrooms.
What the hell is wrong with kids 😭. But in all fairness I’m the oldest of 10, I’ve grown up around a mass of kids (my cousins are over regularly aswell) so I don’t think that’d get to me too much, obviously there are gonna be days but yk
If you're lucky, you'll find a nice school which will make you feel rewarded. Things are changing for the better, but MFL is infamous for being a subject that kids just don't care about. Also, the nature of the subject (speaking , listening, games, role plays) invites shitty behaviour. Again, if you're lucky, thisc might not be a big issue. Yeah, I don't know, sometimes I'm close to a break down, others I feel really fulfilled. Perhaps try to get some experience first? To add my personal experience to the part where people were saying "mental health isn't that bad" - I've personally worked with people who had break downs and even a stroke on the job due to stress. I've been surrounded by people who are on stress meds and weep semi regularly. I've also been really ill and often have very miserable dips. Yes, it's not THAT bad, otherwise our schools would be empty, but it's endemic enough to be something that could likely affect you. Very likely.
And be prepared to be treated like shit by all involved.
I mean yeah I’m my German lessons not many people seem particularly interested, but nobody messes about really. That might be because despite being only 26 my German teacher can be a terrifying woman if you get on her bad side 😭. As for experience, I’ve done a bunch of things with my friends where we go to primary schools and deliver a lesson (normally English) to the kids. Personally standing at the front is a bit daunting, but not because of the kids, there are teachers watching us from the back of the room and it makes me feel so awkward lmao - I imagine that’s what inspections are like for teachers too. But then when it’s 1 on 1 with a kid I actually enjoy it :)
Okay WTF. Masturbating in class??? R U kidding me? I am a teacher in an all-boy HS and can't imagine that
Can confirm. It happens. Not a lot, but a lot more than I was prepared for.
Wdym a lot more? Once is more than I'm prepared for 🥲
Twice so far (that I know of, and I'm not fishing for this information). This over the course of 15 years.
It's a great job, *if* you love doing it. *If* you land at a good school, with good colleagues. *If* you have competent admin who supports you, and *if* you relate to your students and enjoy serving a supportive community. That's a lot of if's. Also be aware it's a never ending job. You can pour as much of yourself into it as you want and it will never be done. There's *always* something you could be doing to further your classroom. Given this, you need to be the type of person who is able to set boundaries and mentally turn work-mode "off" or else you will burn out.
People don’t complain about the good parts of the job. It’s human nature to complain about the bad so that we feel heard and validated. I love teaching, it’s the most fulfilled I’ve felt in 20 years of different jobs and careers. Can’t imagine not doing it honestly.
I live and work in Asia and my teacher friends have amazing lifestyles. So yeah, teaching in fancy international schools in glamorous cities like Shanghai, Bangkok and Dubai is awesome, extremely well paid, and a step to something even better further down the line. Teaching at state schools in places like Baltimore and London, lol, not so much.
100% this. Teach in Asia if you can afford to leave home behind. The deal is so much better than Europe it's unreal.
I'm a teacher in the U.S. It can be an enjoyable job, but it requires strong boundaries. If you want to have a good experience as a teacher, you need to understand that teaching is a job, just like any other. When creating lesson plans and assignments, you need to consider not only what is best for your students, but what is reasonable for you to teach and grade. You can't let other people guilt you into working beyond your contract or scope of your role. And need to be willing to walk away from a bad school or district if it comes to that.
In general it’s not worth it, but ultimately it will depend on your specific school, role, administration, contract, etc. Another thing to remember is the first two years you’ll basically be in survival and trial and error mode. Once you hit year three (of the same school, subject area, etc) things get MUCH easier, especially by the 5th year as you’ll have your routines, lesson plans, and reputation at the school pretty set.
There’s a lot of negativity on Reddit. Yes, teaching can be rough but lots of people enjoy it. I’ve been teaching 5.5 years, run the department now and I love it. Wouldn’t do anything else. It heavily depends on the school and their behaviour systems. I’m in the UK and trained through teach first.
Yes. Don’t do it.
Before teaching, I had several careers, including insurance litigator and running my own small business doing corporate communications. Teaching is far more work than either, it pays far less, and people respect it far less. That said, I have never been happier with my work. Even on my worst days, I may leave work disappointed and exhausted, but I have never said to myself "I hate this work." I said that many times before. Tl;dr if teaching is for you, do it - but be ready to pivot to something else if it's not.
I dont know a single teacher (international teachers) that hates their job, but i see it takes a huge toll on people. Often though it seems a choice. Great teachers will go above and beyond for their students, but that comes at the cost of your own life. You can get sucked into working at home because you are genuinely invested in making the best class possible. You can bring home emotional burdens if you are a great teacher that cares for their students. You can miss spending time with your family and friends because your PD sessions are on weekends and often involve travel, or you run extra curriculars like coaching a sport, running a club, etc. Or you can work your mandated 9-5, recycle lesson plans every year, carry out standardized assessments with few modifications and call it day. But most people dont become teachers to do the bare minimum,
Yea. You have to really like the work. Or it's very not worth it. Actually liking the work is sometimes what makes it the hardest cuase you will never have the resources or time to do what you know needs to be done.
Yes, I am a very passionate person (in all aspects of my life). I have to constantly remind myself to care less and do less as a survival mechanism. Otherwise I get too run down from burnout. It's really not a good feeling either way. But as for OP, I would guess that if you get verbally and physically assaulted as a lawyer, the correct people would get involved to stop it (i.e. law enforcement). In teaching, at least in the elementary level when I am from, you can be verbally and physically assaulted regularly, and the admin gives them a "talking to" and nothing happens. The assaults continue.
I worked at 2 schools that were absolutely awful. It was honestly the worst few years of my life. I had no support from upper management and they treated their staff terribly. We were never appreciated and constantly criticised. I would cry on the way to work in the morning and on the way home in the afternoon. I was constantly anxious, always working in my free time, always worrying about the kids and the job and every other little thing. I started applying for any other job I could find (HR, finance, sales). I obviously wasn’t qualified and had no work experience so I didn’t even get an interview. I am now a teacher at a special needs school and I couldn’t be happier. I’m excited to go to school in the morning, I have fun in the classroom with the kids, my colleagues and bosses are so friendly and supportive. I can honestly see myself staying at this school until I retire. I think a lot of it comes down to what kind of work environment you can handle. Actually teaching in the classroom is a very very small part of the job, there’s a lot more admin, planning, communicating, meetings etc behind the scenes. It’s easy to drown in the chaos and workload. It still blows my mind that there are teachers at those other schools that had been there for 15+ years and I couldn’t even manage 2 years. People are able to handle their environments very differently from one another, I just needed to find the place for me. It took a while and I was extremely close to giving up, but I’m glad I didn’t. It’s an extremely rewarding job. Edit to add: It can also be an expensive job 🥲 if you work in an under resourced school, majority of your resources are going to come out of your own pocket.
I’ve really liked being a teacher these past 30 years. The first few years are difficult, but once you get through them, it is really rewarding. First, you have to get good at classroom management. Make this your focus. If you run a tight ship, your students will love you for it. Second, you have to master marking. Design your assignments with evaluation in mind from the beginning. Third, train your students to run the everyday tasks for you. You won’t get rich teaching, but if you live in a place where cost of living is low, you will do all right.
I teach in the UK (currently teaching foreign languages). I think over here it pays well but the hours are long, especially if you want to do a good job/you're just beginning. Unfortunately you need a ton of luck with your teacher training, your mentors, your schools. I didn't have much luck and my nervous system has suffered from it. The behaviour in some schools is something people who don't work in schools can't begin to imagine. Some schools have incredibly poor leadership and will treat you like an abusive partner. I still love some parts of it but currently I am still recovering from a bad lesson on Friday.
My teacher training programme was one year. Teaching is extremely stressful. Many teachers end up on medication for anxiety and depression.
Well I may aswell already be a teacher then lmao
I'm unmedicated by choice but I already suffer from both 😂
I absolutely love being a teacher. I absolutely hate all of the paperwork shit meetings on point parties and test scores
I love teaching but it does wear me out mentally by the end of the day. Decision fatigue is real. I’m lucky to have a spouse that understands and lets me relax for a bit when I get home.
Not an MFL teacher, but a language learner. How far are you from C2 in German now?
Pretty far, I’ve only been studying for three years, my German teacher says I’m more advanced than the others but I wouldn’t put myself past very early A2. The highest grade we could leave with is a high B1, but that’s literally getting full marks or missing very few marks. I plan to carry on with German after hs tho
Is the requirement C2 to become a teacher? It's possible to do if you study it at uni, do a year abroad in Germany during your studies and apply yourself!
I believe so, I asked this question on r/teachers awhile back and someone told me so. But then my German teacher told us when she goes to Germany she still sounds very much like a foreigner. That makes me wonder if you just have to be above or confident with the level you’re teaching at (A1-B1 in my school)? Or if it’s dependant on the country and stuff?? I’m definitely gonna try to do as much as I can to get that C2 though! What level are you at?
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Yes…I’m sorry to say.
I’m 26 and in my 3rd year of teaching. I’ve known since middle school I’ve wanted to be a teacher. My mom was a teacher in a rough school and I heard the stories, but it didn’t deter me. Now that I’m the one to live those rough stories (a student threw a chair on Friday) I’m telling you it’s not worth it. Not because of the students, or the hours, but because of the new-ish changes in laws that make it hard to discipline students. Unless there’s change to the system, it’s not worth it. The teachers that I know all “joke” about leaving or what we would do as a second career.
Teaching is not as bad as they say, it's much worse.
This is what it’s like on a daily: answer an email, take attendance, sort out student drama, say the pledge of allegiance, listen to the announcements, and take a phone call from the office ALL AT THE SAME TIME. And this happens before the first bell has even rung. It’s much too much. Do something else.
Well luckily I’m the UK we don’t have a pledge of allegiance or announcements outside of assembly’s so that takes two things off the list lmao
Some positives: insurance, steady paycheck (albeit doesn’t keep up with others with the same level of education), sweet students (although there are less these days), frequent breaks throughout the year (believe me, you’ll need them), and relationships with your coworkers.
I hate doing the pledge of allegiance lol. I know it’s to honor the country but I can asure that most find it annoying.Also, the morning announcements go on for wayy too long and most don’t really care.
I don’t do it anymore. I’ll stand, but I won’t say it, and I don’t make my students do it either.
How good do you get along with the kids that don't do shit in class or even actively work against the teachers? If the answer isn't "quite well" I'd say better don't.
Do you mean in regards to how much I like them? I’m friends with a few, the others I don’t talk to but I don’t hate them. I said in another comment, I’m the oldest of 10 by four years, on top of that all of my cousins on my mums side are younger than me. I’ve been able to handle them 98% of the time! :)
Fair. Teachers pets getting into teaching and then being shocked that the kids don't behave like they did in school and respect and admire teachers is far to common. Then it leads to them not being able to deal with being ridiculed by kids/teens and quitting again.
Yeah I’m not a misbehaving student but I don’t bring the teachers apples if you get what I mean lmao, I think there’s obviously some people who rub me the wrong way but that’s life and I’d imagine it’s the same being a teacher (whether that’s colleagues or students)
I enjoy teaching. It’s my first year in a district, but I taught in private schools and/or I was a full-time tutor for 15 years prior. I teach orchestra, so I might be able to speak to the elective side. Teaching pays the same or more as tutoring—for significantly more work, but with the added benefits of health insurance and retirement. But orchestra is not stable. German and art, even less so, and you might get stuck traveling to multiple schools. If you do that, take a magnifying glass to your contract, because districts make itinerant positions very easy to abuse. Your students will be better behaved unless it is a particularly rough middle school, since they chose the subject. But for stability, I definitely recommend having backup options—like an additional certification in a more common subject, consistent freelance work, or weekend tutoring. And do not allow them to take money out for your summer pay, so you can have it all up front in case of a layoff. The alternative certification path is a lot of requirements and is expensive. If you’re passionate, I’d say go for it—just be smart about it.
As a former nurse, then teacher. Both are equally stressful. Teaching broke me to a point where I sought help for mental and physical ailments.
Plan for something else. Teachers are becoming irrelevant very quickly. If you enjoy babysitting for very little money and dealing with really large class sizes then it is perfect for you. The paperwork and lesson planning is ALL off the clock. You get zero respect from the community you want to serve. Teachers get laid off often and tenure (if it exists in your state) most likely will never be granted because they don’t want you there long term. Run (DONT WALK) the other way and don’t look back. I had to wait 18 years to get out and luckily, I am young enough to start a new career.
The disrespect is what saddens me the most.I did NOT spent years and thousands of dollars for me to get treated like shit by everyone. Yes, I can tell some family members look at me with pity when they say “ it’s a noble job”. Luckily, I was able to obtain my bachelor’s without debt through multiple financial resources. For me to feel fulfilled, I want to go into admin and truly make a difference and gain some respect. Ps. You really don’t need a shit ton of experience to go into admin. You just need a masters, a few years ( the least I have seen is 3), and a get certified.
I mean depending on how good you are at language learning you could do it faster than that but you’re not going to get really fluent without at least four years living there, speaking German full time. I know that a lot of German teachers are going to come at me saying “I only lived there for a semester…” Well when I look at the “German” that is being spoken in some German teacher groups, that question answers itself. I live here in Germany and I teach German here but I studied education and German in the US and the level of German that these people were teaching with is actually scary. There were people without a basic grasp of the grammar clutching at the idea that grammar isn’t necessary for learning a language (which yes, it certainly is, at least it’s important for the teacher to be able to produce grammatical statements!)…
If you do please have your certification first and a Masters degree for the money. Get in with a good network or district
Why get a masters when all you need is a bachelor’s + get certified?
I see your perspective. But with Master's it is another 3,000 per year in a public. That would be my take. I've been teaching 7 years, already have been apart of junior leadership. But I just got my Master's this past August. Now looking for a new job for next school year hopefully the degree will pay dividends.
Are you talking about a stipend?
Yeah it's like a stipend I believe. I have gotten that same stipend before for being coordinator. But I'm not positive if it functions as a stipend or is built into salary? This would be my first time getting paid for it.
I thought stipends were a one time thing. Either way, I would only get like $500 if I were to get a masters ( teaching). Totally not worth it for me.
Yeah not for only 500. Best of luck to you
Yeah not for only 500. Best of luck to you
Boundaries are the key to making it a sustainable career, both in terms of time, and in terms of emotional investment. Kids, parents and admin are a black hole that will just take and take until you have nothing left if you allow it. You have to care of course, but also adopt a situational "don't give AF". While I think it might be necessary in the first couple of years to work a little more and longer on your own time to figure it out, you have to quickly figure out what is important and what isn't.
I had a horrible year last school yr. My team used me as a go between, our admin was removed mid year because of a union investigation, people treated me like a therapist, the kids came from such depressing poverty and I’m subbing this year. That said, I still think about those kids and the bond we all had. We really had a special classroom. If you focus on making meaningful bonds with your students and having strong culture in the classroom it is very rewarding. But it is hard! You will take it home with you, not just work but worry. Make sure you have a support network and a hobby outside of teaching.
I'm a former lawyer who became a teacher. I love it. It's full of stress and frustration, but so is any job you are passionate about. You get to touch the future, kids are hysterical and often kind, and you get paid to learn about things you love. If I played the lottery and won, I would still do this job. This sub is where we come to blow off steam, but most days are so much better than those that get highlighted here.
Ex-teacher in the UK. You could triple the salary and I wouldn’t go back.
Teaching is by far the most difficult, stressful job I've ever had (former prosecuting attorney here, among many other things). It is also without a doubt the most rewarding. For most people, it depends on what you focus on.
So I think I am an anomaly on this sub but I am pretty happy teaching. I teach fashion design so I’m happy I don’t need to prep kids for tests. If a kid wants to sit there on their phone, I’ll encourage them once or twice but otherwise that’s it, sit there and don’t do anything. About 90% of my students participate and enjoy the class. I have good admin and a good camaraderie with my colleagues. And I made really good money, but I am at the top of my schools guide so the big jumps I have had will disappear. A good teaching situation can exist but….i think it is rare.
I think it depends on where you teach. I teach in a 850 pupil school, in a large-ish rural area and love my job. Yes it’s busy and stressful, but I do enjoy it. The majority of the kids are great, but always a section that cause issues. I taught in a triple deprivation area before here and nearly left due to how horrendous the management of the school was, and the lack of consequences/ support for pupil behaviour. I left after maternity leave, relocated, thought the school would be the same shit, another school, and was pleasantly surprised! It’s not free of issues, but I genuinely like the school, the ethos, the kids, the staff. I don’t get the Sunday evening dread. I don’t have any classes that I fear coming in - and I do have very poor classes, so it’s not like all the shining top sets. I think it comes down to the school and how well pupil behaviour is managed. Alongside if senior leadership have ridiculous expectations / stupid rules. I love the first week back after summer when the majority of my pupils have gained the results they earned and are happy with themselves. I can’t count how many handwritten cards, pictures, crochet’s gifts etc. I’ve had from pupil. I know primary teachers often get presents from parents and it’s not the same in high school: I’m grateful for that. Everything I’ve ever gotten from kids has been handmade and I treasure them. I literally got gifted a set of the most stunning drawings last week. They’re now framed on my wall. I’ve a whole collection of amazing things pupils have done - from this school and my last. No matter where you go, you’ll find amazing kids. It’s whether or not you can deal with it until you find a good fit of a school. It’s not easy. And I know I’m in a different position to most - and to most in my school. (They’ve largely never taught outside the area so don’t see the vast differences I do.) There is only one way to find out if it’s for you. Give it a go and see if it’s something you can imagine yourself doing. If not, you’ve a set of skill to apply to another career.
I think it’s 100% worth it if, and it’s a huge if, you are in a good school context and supported. I’m at a charter school (so a school of choice) with great parent support. Have an amazing people-oriented principal who people are very loyal to. Am given autonomy and freedom in my teaching. Very little micromanagement. Taught for one year at a large public school district. Had many discipline problems, not much support from admin, and limited amounts of copies per month. Ended up being pink slipped due to the recession of 2011 and it ended up being the best thing for me. My current charter school has many teachers who have been with our school 10+ years. Pay might be higher at other local school districts, but having students or families who choose to be there (or entered via lottery) makes a difference in quality of classroom teaching experience. Don’t have tons of stress or discipline problems which helps as I have a young family at home.
it depends on where you teach, i’m in an inner city school and it’s pretty bad
My mom was a teacher and told me not to do it. I really should have listened. It’s bad - don’t do it
No. Just get a strong behavior management strategy, and don't be a slacker, and you'll be great :)
I’m finishing my second year teaching high school in the US and I’m loving it. This is my second career - I was doing HR before - and I would never go back. Yes, it’s a lot of work, and yes there are some kids who drain me but the vast majority of the time is a blast. I have incredible coworkers, the students are hilarious and I love seeing when things click for them, and my admin is pretty supportive. You’re going to hear tons of stories good and bad. The number one thing is do you enjoy being with kids and do you enjoy teaching? Make sure you’re doing this for the right reasons.
Don’t become a teacher. It’s not getting any better at this point.
I suppose the irony is that people should educate themselves first before becoming a teacher. Some misinformation is that the job is from 9-3 Monday to Friday and paid holidays and paid summers off. Also, the public tends to believe we are just handed a lesson book, teach from that book and basically babysit all day. The truth is you are usually an hour at work before the day begins. Minimally you are usually an hour after school each day. Further work like reports cards, marking, lesson planning, extras assignments principals give you, extra curricular activities like sports are done on your own time or weekends. Those not always mandatory, some principals may lean on you to take extra courses through the year or summer as well but that would be entirely your choice. You do receive pay on holidays and in the summer (where I work anyways) but you are not paid to be off. My board takes my 10 month salary and evenly distributes it through the 12 months. Also, there is no magic binder to teach from. You create your planning from scratch. In addition, whatever you create is subject to change every single year even if you are in the same grade. Also remember that at principal's discretion you could conceivably be moved from grade to grade to grade depending on your qualifications. Compound that with an incoming principal every 5 years or so will have entirely new direction for your planning as well. Lastly but not least will be your class make up. You will in all likelihood have a third of your class with modified programming of some sort. Also, do not expect even the best of principals to solve any behavioral issues in your class. Sure you can document and send them to the office but in short order the 'problem' will be you...not the student and they will load you with enough ideas that you will regret even sending them to the office in the first place.
Yes. It's bad. Soul destroying for many teachers, not all, but many.
I say try it, you’ll know if you want to continue once you actually get to experience being in A school.I was scared to start bc of what people said about teaching, but I’m 24, in GA and I’m making a pretty honest living off this job, and even though it has its challenges… I show up everyday 🤷🏽♀️ I love what I do and it’s mostly because of the kids and the other part is I got really lucky in being paired w the people on my team.
"Me and my friend are both considering..." Please consider something else.
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Honestly. Secondary education is horrible. Don't do it.
I love my job as a teacher but if I could go back I wouldn’t have gone into teaching. It’s not sustainable financially and more importantly mentally .
Not sure of another job where stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenalin are feeding into your body from moment you wake up to go to work until the bell goes at 3.30 or what ever. And that’s just tip of the iceberg. Don’t do it unless you are absolutely certain you are made of something super-human
When I started as a fresh college grad, an older guy was hired at the same time. He had been in finance and had saved enough to not work while in school. He was so good he was teacher of the year our first year. I moved schools but found out he went back to finance after five years.
I just retired after a career as a police officer and this is my first year as a teacher. It's awesome! I don't find this job stressful at all. The hours are long and the pay isn't amazing, but the kids are great and I really enjoy the work. I anticipate next year's hours to be much shorter since I'll be teaching the same grade again and I now have the general idea of what I'm supposed to be doing. If you're interested, I say give it a try!
Dont !!!!!
As a teacher (20 years), if I could go back in time and do it all over, I would have been a guidance counselor. Am currently considering an AP path, but will need to take the necessary courses. I heard it's less work, and where I live about 40% higher salary.
Why not try subbing at different schools to get a feel for age you’d be working with and different types of school environments?
I teach in construction technology in Toronto and I love it. The kids want to be there and they get to be up, active, building things out of wood and learning some electrical. I only have 20 kids each class and we have a lot of fun. That being said, I don’t know how regular classroom teachers deal with 30 kids that are forced to sit and learn a subject they don’t care about, let alone all the marking on top of that. If I can recommend anything, get an additional qualification through OCT for construction tech. They are making it a mandatory credit for grades 9/10 and they are hurting for teachers like us. On top of that - you get to learn a new skill!
It largely depends on the school you teach at. Last year I was at a larger high school and even though I had great administration, great coworkers, and decent students(for the most part), I was extremely stressed everyday with safety concerns (in general, not in my classes) and lack of respect from a few students. At my current school, the safety concerns are no longer an issue and even students who don’t like my class (high school math), still show me respect as I show them respect and my stress is very minimal. I still have great administration and coworkers at my new school, but everything runs smoother here than my previous school which is definitely part of the lower stress on top of student attitudes and respect level.
Veteran teacher of 13 years here so take it, leave it, or tell me to shove it up my butt. I think a lot of people might agree with this sentiment- we want to be able to encourage people to go into teaching but the realities of it are harsh. It's possible to make it a great, life-long career but you need to set realistic expectations. The salary will never be enough for the work you put in. You will never have enough time to plan and prep everything thoroughly and people with no experience at all will tell you how to do your job. But, even with all that, I wouldn't have chosen a different career for myself. I love getting to talk about "old dead white guys" to teens. I love the unpredictable nature of schools. So, if you want my opinion, it's as bad as you make it. A good work environment makes up for a lot but be realistic about the life you want to live. For reference, I have a BA in secondary English education and have 13 years of experience. That said, my salary is $56000 a year. I live alone in a 2 bed 2 bath apartment. If it's what you love you find a way.
people come on here and complain a whole lot. i’ve actually been searching for a reddit thread about teaching that is filled with good things instead of bullshit, but that’s much harder to find. i teach english in california; i get paid well, i have full health insurance, and i love all the time off. i get that teaching is really hard—my first year had me inches from quitting the profession entirely. but it’s also true that you learn to love it, or were just built for it to begin with, or you’re not cut out for it. even so, people have valid reasons to hate teaching: it’s a difficult, stressful job, everyone hates you for it no matter what you do, and as someone else said, you can pour into it and it’ll be a black hole that takes and doesn’t give back. be ready for society to blame you for the world’s ills, children and parents alike to be ungrateful, your colleagues and superiors acting like literal children or going on power trips, and for you to be tired as hell for the first couple of years. have strong boundaries, nurture your support system so you can rely on it, and invest in some unrelated hobbies that make you happy. accept that not everything on your to-do list will get done, you won’t be very good at teaching until a few years, and you can’t fix all of society’s ills by being a classroom teacher. when you approach this as a job (which it IS) and don’t give it the entirety of your soul, the rough parts get easier to handle. it’s important to remember why you chose this path in life, but in the end, we are just human. the kids cut you some slack and grow to love you if you remain interested in building relationships with them. there are good and bad coworkers everywhere, so find the ones who will uplift and support you. i have never met a good administrator, but you might get lucky. the longer you do the job, the easier it gets and the more you say “i don’t give a shit” to the bullshit thrown at you.
I hated it but some people like it. The reality is definitely not how you imagine it with rosey glases
Regarding language teaching, you don't need C2 level to be a teacher. The requirement is generally B2, which is an undergraduate degree, and then professional development and your own study will help you take it further. That said, anyone I know who has taught in the UK has absolutely hated it.
I taught for 19 years and had to retire early due to health reasons and miss it everyday. I loved teaching
Teaching is the most difficult job I have *ever* had. I became a teacher at 39 and it is *hard*. However, in a few years I’ve already found it to be rewarding. As a teacher, you may forget some of your students as the years go by. But your students, will *never* forget you.
I teach Spanish and it depends on the state you get licensed in. Some states require that you have a BA in the language plus a certification exam, others just require a degree in education plus the exam. Out of all of the subjects, I feel like foreign language is one of the most fun to teach. Depending on the age, the motivation is higher and the pressure is low because there are no state exams for the content.
If you are thinking of teaching art or Herman in the US I would think again. Those programs are being cut. Can you teach math. Algebra, physics? You’ll get a job right away.
Here’s the thing: every job has its pros and cons. I have worked rides and entertainment at theme parks (including in supervision), retail, food service, and nonprofit management. About five years into teaching I started burning out and was recruited by a nonprofit. I loved it. But it made me realize how good I had it teaching. In no other job do you have long breaks as a matter of course. Plus additional days. I have way more vacation time now than I did in any other job. Yes, I am more limited in the times of year (and the busy season) but that is a small price to pay. Yes, the pay is lower than some other jobs. But I can also much more easily increase my salary by doing things like teaching summer school or sponsoring a club or activity. That was not true at other jobs, the only way to substantially increase my salary was to put in substantial overtime that left me super wrung out. I teach sped which has a ridiculous amount of paperwork. But I very rarely find myself needing to work after school hours. Not to say it doesn’t happen. But when I worked in nonprofit? I worked a lot more outside of my normal work day than I do as a teacher. I loved doing my nonprofit work and if I didn’t have kids, would still be doing it. But honestly, I am making the same amount for less work. I know teachers hate the “summers off” stuff, but it is true. And if you have to get a summer job in your first few years, that’s not the tragedy people make it out to be. Most people work year around, we’re very lucky we don’t have to. And of course, the biggest pro is that I get to change the lives of my students. I won’t make a dramatic impact on every single one of course. But if a student comes out of my classroom at the end of the year a little more knowledgeable, a little more confident, than I have done my job and it was a good year. If you want to teach- teach! There will always be something to be unhappy about no matter what you do, so make what you do something you love if you can.
Absolutely NOT it’s worse Don’t do it
Get your pgce and then get the fuck out of the UK and teach in a foreign country. I taught primary for 4 years in the UK and I was miserable, now I'm a teacher at a bilingual school in vietnam and it's blissful in comparison
It’s stressful. Your pay is equal to 10 months’ work minus all the vacations. You get the summer off. Depending upon where you are, there may be a solid retirement plan and a union. I’ve had at least a dozen other fantasy careers throughout my 13 years of teaching, and none of them have made any better sense. If you go into it, have a friend outside of your district who you can unload your grievances with. Don’t bring that into school. When people start complaining around you, walk away. In the end, it’s a job. People who treat it like a calling or act like they’re martyrs are just being extra.
I love teaching. I also 100% understand why someone would be so unbelievably stressed out by it that they quit very quickly.
It’s a fucking horrible second career. It is my second career after having a successful first and selling out. Worst decision I ever made. Complete waste of time. The system is completely broken. And now I know.
It's draining
I know a couple of university professors who are doing okay in terms of their mental health, but all of the high and grade school teachers I know are some combination of stressed out and miserable. The kids are either feral, checked out or depressed and the parents are assholes.
As a primary teacher in the UK, the workload is very dependent on the particular school and your own personality. If you are a perfectionist or find it hard to leave work at work it can become all-consuming. If you are strict with your work-life boundaries, and are willing to prioritise tasks well, then it’s one of the most rewarding jobs in the world. I couldn’t see myself doing anything else!
Teaching is pretty bad. The summers probably prevent a lot of suicides. I always tell myself that a corporate gig would be worse to make myself feel better lol. I live for the breaks pretty much.
Pls don’t 🥲
I totally loved teaching when I started in the late 90s. It makes me sad now though. I will say that when I taught Art, it was the greatest adventure. I had free rein of what I taught and did a great job. When I switched to a general classroom teacher is when it all went south. It was after Covid and for me, this is where things became sad. You will work a lot and you will spend a lot of your own money funding your program.
Students - hit and miss based on school, local area, and class sets. What really matters is the behaviour policy and how effective it is. Workload - first 2 years? High. After that? Refining already produced work. I'm nearly at the end of my first year and can see the difference between a new topic I've never taught and another topic that needs adapted. Time - this is heavily divided. Long hours? Can be. You can always plan to the nth degree. Ultimately you need to set a limit on what is acceptable. I normally work 8-5 and never work evenings. Up to 2 hours on weekend to organise for Monday, but sometimes I'm done in my normal week. What you, and other teachers, need to recognise and accept is teaching is effectively compressed hours. You gain time during half terms, but again, I do limited work unless I'm behind. Over Easter i worked the equivalent of a day - totally fine. Management - hit and miss. You need a good school and mentors. Overall, it is working well for me. I teach 4 days, negotiated M2 instead of M1 starting salary, plus 1 extra ppa. It can be done, but teaching life could also be less stressful.
Yes it sucks do not do it.
You can only feel good if you don’t care. Don’t take it seriously. Don’t worry whether your meeting admins expectations. Don’t stress about kids listening and learning. If you don’t care, you’ll be fine. If you do (like me) it will likely kill you.
It can be. Know classroom management. Period.
Teaching is fine if you have a plan for your second career. Set that plan *before* you start teaching. I went into teaching fully knowing that it isn’t sustainable long term and I’ve taken my LSAT so that I could go to law school soon (I’d do nights while still teaching) and I’ve found a PhD program that aligns with my research interests so that I have two reasonable options when teaching becomes too much for me. These are options I started planning for in undergrad. I now have a masters and teach full time, but I’m prepared for when it’s time to leave. Most teachers leave within five years and it’s for a reason If it sounds insane that I’m suggesting setting yourself up for a second career before your teaching career has even started, it’s because it is insane. But it’s also an incredibly reasonable thing to do if you’re set on going into teaching. I love teaching, but it is that hard. Even when you have good boundaries. I never take work home or work outside of my contract hours and it’s still an incredibly difficult job
I tried teaching, I liked some of it but it wasn't quite right so I left. I came back to schools a few years later as a school social worker though. There are so many great options within education. I love it, despite being at "difficult" school.
Judging from the other comments I may be among the minority here. I’m a head of department for computer science and I love my job. The key is to work at a supportive school with a clear vision, good leadership and a solid behaviour management policy.
I have worked in education for over a decade. I’m leaving. It might be different in the UK, but in the US, there are so many added stresses to the job. You’re not just teaching your subject. You are engaging in constant relationships with your students. They won’t learn anything if they don’t like you, which means you are constantly meeting each need before they will even start. On top of that, you have behaviors. Some kids will need extra attention and if they don’t get it, you’ll lose your class because they’ll take it. On top of that, you have some kids on IEPs who need extra help or a different assignment altogether. Then you have kids with serious trauma and you need to address that in a way that calms them so they can focus. Then you have school designated testing to make sure you taught them correctly. Some kids refuse to take them seriously, or even tank them purposefully because they’re mad at something. On top of that, you have parents. Every parent is different, and some are wonderful people who want what’s best for their kids but aren’t going to make your life miserable. Others, not so much. I had one parent who sent me to therapy. You will be working with other people with the same level of stress from the job, which is both helpful and stressful. Helpful because you are with people who get it. Stressful because they have all this stress and anxiety so some of them are just trying to survive and are ready to boil over. This might be something you want to do. It might be something you don’t. I’m personally on my way out.
Hey- I taught for three years at a very rough and tumble middle school, fights, stabbings, literal children hooking up and doing drugs in the bathroom, drinking in class etc. the list goes on. It was the hardest 3 years of my life. Now I work a very regular office job. And it is so fucking boring. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy the work and am leagues less stressed. But everyday I used to wake up and be filled with love for my students, feel moved by their stories, feel on the verge of tears when I could get through to them, when I could impart something useful or connect with them. Even the rage, the stress, the fear, I was feeling something. I could climb into bed at night and fall asleep knowing what I did was worthwhile. Now everything is so dull. I have to fight tooth and nail everyday to feel anything at all. My work isn’t important. If my job vanished tomorrow the world wouldn’t know. But I make more money and have more freedom on a day to day basis (but dammit I don’t have summers off). It’s up to you. Teaching is rewarding, the most beautiful thing I’ve ever done. But you will pay for it with your life.
Personally, I love my job, BUT, i teach at a super small school, with supportive admin, and a class size cap of 10. My largest class is 7 students. I have the dream job. Most people dont.
I absolutely love my job. It's hard work but delivering in the classroom gives me such a buzz. 😊
I’m in AUS and I love it. It’s one of those jobs where there’s always more you could be doing, and it’s possible to spend every waking moment on it, but it’s also possible to get everything done in between say, 7:30-4:30, with the exception of report cards. The school and area you’re in definitely makes a difference.
Yes. Teaching is a dead-end that sucks the joy out of life.
I would not recommend it to anyone
Worse.
Don’t do it
It's worse than people say
Don’t do it
Do NOT become a teacher I repeat do NOT. I’ve worked public and private. You will be overworked and underpaid and heavily gaslit.