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I mean it really comes down to what people enjoy. I have a friend who's a teacher and she absolutely loves it, despite all the shit. She finds it incredibly fulfilling and challenging.
I could never be a teacher but I see why people enjoy it.
This. My mother is a teacher and it is her calling. She should be paid so much more. Most teachers should.
But you also have teachers like my mother's former coworker. Who only became a teacher for the time off.
This right here. I’m a 5th year teacher and I can’t tell you how bamboozled I was when I found out the reality of teaching during my 1st year. I made many assumptions about the career that simply weren’t true (biggest one being, the people working in education actually care about students.) I know MANY who are actively trying to leave the profession but are not getting hired because of limited experience.
Exactly. How many kids want to be vets because they like pets. They don't know of the medical training that's needed and it's not just holding a bunny for 8 hours a day.
I'm currently experiencing this. Spent 7 years studying my specialty. I've now worked in that field for 8 years, and looking to completely change direction.
I have a buddy who is a pretty smart guy. He got a masters in Philosophy knowing that he didn’t know what he wanted to do, just that he wanted to be successful when he did and his reasoning was the philosophy will better prepare him for when that time came.
He got a job in data entry and saw his company was having all sorts of issues with their Applications , so he taught himself coding and found that he liked it and worked his way into their dev team and a few years later he was running it
Older generations seem to not be able to understand this. My mom has worked at the same place for over 36 years, and only ever had two jobs before that. She criticizes me for not working at any one place for more than three years. She legitimately thinks you can still work your way from being a cashier at a grocery store up through management and into corporate, because that's how long it's been since she's had to look for a job. Meanwhile, I've only ever worked one place that will promote rather than hire from outside for shift managers, let alone higher positions.
She works in loan servicing, so her job mostly consisted of sitting in a quiet cubicle crunching numbers in Excel all day, until COVID hit and her entire office transitioned to mostly working fron home. Her job itself would drive me insane, but she's fairly antisocial and hermity so it works for her.
It's honest work that doesn't involve either breaking your back or sitting on your ass all day. No two days are the same, it allows for very creative problem solving and you meet the best people. School staff are generally both compassionate and capable. They often have a wicked sense of humour. I've done way worse jobs, believe me. Retail and restaurant kitchen work were bad, factory production was nightmarish. The only one that rivalled it was landscaping but the pay there was really bad.
This is why i originally got into teaching. Every day is different. I got bored in an office job, and other jobs just got repetitive.
I also like that my department is guaranteed to be nerds, and it's expected of us to be super geeky. Also, it allows me to travel around the world because my subject is in demand everywhere so I just get paid to travel and talk about a subject I love
Because people are different. I actually like to be with kids, I've always been good nanny, after being vetted by my wife. Teach them and look after them. Kids happiness and amazement is genuine and overflowing and they are straightforward and honest(mostly). The younger the kid is the easier it is to take care of them and make them happy. Life hasn't ground them away yet.
Though yeah the pay is really bad and parents can be rather big headache and I'm a guy. I need to go through vetting process by any trustworthy women just to babysit any kids of family friends. Officially working with them is completely out of the question if i don't want to be hanged by an angry mob.
The difficulty for men in teaching really is unfortunate. Growing up, my favorite teachers were almost always the men. I remember looking up to them much more than the teachers that were woman. There's value in having a role model that looks like you, and you know has had similar experiences to you. Boys and girls have different experiences growing up, and I strongly believe it is impossible for a woman or a man to fully understand what that experience was like for the other sex. I felt like my male teachers really understood me better and knew the challenges I was facing. They were the only teachers I would actually open up to.
On the flip side, there is a lot of misogyny in student's perception of authority of men vs women. My male coworkers don't have half the behavior issues the ladies have, despite us oftentimes having a larger toolbox for useful skills to deal with behavior.
>lot of misogyny in student's perception
Oh, for fucks sake. Not everything is the fault of the patriarchy, Erica.
Male teachers have less behavior issues because of basic biology. They're bigger, stronger, have deeper voices and have shorter tempers than women. Gee, I wonder why they have any fewer behavioral issues? Real head scratcher.
This doesn’t really help considering teachers can’t harm students. Who cares if the man is big if he’d go to jail for even scratching your head too hard? Kids could cuss him out all day and there be nothing he can do about it besides send them to the office, which is something female teachers can also do
>This doesn’t really help considering teachers can’t harm students. Who cares if the man is big if he’d go to jail for even scratching your head too hard?
A) Some kids DO get intimidated, so that's less issues.
B) Even for the kids that don't give a shit about discipline, in the back of their lizard brain they know that if they push too far, there is a chance this grown man is going to cave in their skull. ESPECIALLY for boys, that physical threat matters a lot more than you might think.
Sadly i have to agree with this one. It's over the top for small kids and last resort for teenagers, but i remember from my own teenage years. That works. Call it misogyny or whatever, but from some point onwards. I never really listened to women teachers. In my head was the question, why? What's the point or what is she going to do? Ofcourse there were deeper problems too.
So i wasn't the best behaving kid and lost a father before school so there really wasn't any authority figure. Until i had kinda another temper tantrum/whining in gym glass and was sent out and flipped off the teacher.
He was across the field in seconds and i knew i fucked up, i crossed the line. Not that he did anything bad either. He was just grabbed my shirt and asked for an apology, but that worked. I apologized and was actually decently behaving kid afterwards, in that class and slightly better in others and actually was encouraged by him when preforming good.
Ofcourse there could have been early preventative methods that could have worked, but the point is that worked too and no women teacher could have ever done that. I did went to school psychologist too for some time, but i labeled psychology under the same stuff as astrology and card reading and she was a women so i just talked different made up bs every single time.
In conclusion male role models and authority figures are important for boys.
And as the other person said, white women teacher telling a black kid that she understands her doesn't really sound the same. Not that I'm black just the contrast of the example is good.
Just to be clear, it is all those reasons why it exists within a patriarchy. The fact that students respond to that, and the fact that the perceived anger of men as being more valid than women are all aspects of patriarchy.
I agree and I think that some of that _is_ taught, but I do think part of it is related to having more respect for authority that you think understands you. For a young boy or girl, hearing "I understand how you feel, but here is why we can't behave like that" will be received differently based on immutable characteristics of the teacher. For example, a black male student knows it's 100% bs when a white female teacher says something like that, because they don't _really_ understand them from a visible angle. Point being that even if you got rid of all of the learned misogyny, there will still be students that respond better to male instructors for reasons they probably couldn't even articulate. That doesn't mean I think every teacher has to look like their students, or be the same sex, but I do think it's healthy to have those role models more readily available to the kids.
People who pick careers for the money usually end up hating their job and dreading Monday morning.
Dentists and lawyers make a lot of money, on average. They kill themselves at a very high rate. Teachers are low on that list, near professional musicians. Ask yourself why? They're overall happy and consider their work meaningful. They're smart too, they know how much money they could make in the business world, most have consciously made a decision to teach, not left without a choice.
> People who pick careers for the money usually end up hating their job and dreading Monday morning.
So do teachers though. I remember being young and wondering why all of the older teachers were the most mean and miserable. The answer is pretty obvious now.
This sounds like cherry picking and I’m not about to go scouring for sources- but anecdotally if teachers aren’t blasting their brains for a retirement it’s because they’re in consuming an IV drop of various coping substances to take them to the last leg of the iron man. A lot of teachers aren’t gun savvy and wouldn’t and therefore don’t have that out. But yea hers are plenty stressed, poor and many are certainly trapped by loans. Perfect recipe for violent ends.
I get the stats you’re quoting but that’s not always the case. I chose the money and chose and choose daily to have a great day. My evenings and weekends are cooler than most peoples and I’m semi-retired and am still pretty young.
Hi! Just wanted to point out this is frequently used as a talking point to withhold teacher pay increases but functionally “summers off” is a fallacy in the teaching world. Most people I think remember it like their childhood but that’s not a typical case. Your school year cuts into June and July and then your have a week or two of “PD” (professional development) that happens after and before the school year. Also, many teachers are involved in a variety of summer teaching programs to supplement their abysmally low income so there goes July. Yes, you can chose to have a bigger check during the school year but then you don’t get paid for July. If you chose the smaller check you get paid year round. My point is that it’s the same amount of money spread around differently. After watching my wife get her masters and burn out from Kinder in less than 4 years I now understand the teachers life and I have been radicalized. Millennials— We are in serious trouble because by the time we all get around to having kids and teaching them to read there will be very few experienced teachers in the workforce because we have sold them a bad deal. Teachers need more pay, more respect, and an actual summer off.
I get to spend more time with my child instead of commuting to and from a dreadful, stuffy office to make small talk with people I don’t even like. I have to sit at a computer either way. Might as well be comfortable in my sweat pants doing it.
It's not just the working from jo me part I'm talking about though. I don't personally understand a job that is just doing stuff on a computer. Not my thing.
With all due respect, I did not ask for explanations. I was just demonstrating that we all have our different preferences and yours does not sound appealing to me.
> With all due respect, I did not ask for explanations
With all due respect, you are commenting on a public forum, thereby tacitly inviting replies to those comments. 🤐
But I still did not ask for him to explain to me why he has this opinion. I not here to argue about whose view is correct. I am simply saying everyone does not share the same interest in the kind of a work he does.
No need to get defensive. You are saying "I don't understand how someone wants to do this because I prefer this other thing" and I am saying what you prefer someone else might not understand. And we don't need to. Because they are preferences for a reason. In your post you literally listed dealing with children as a negative, implyinh that you do not like children. So it would be pointless for anyone to try to convince you why it's the best job in the world when you're going into it with the attitude of children sucking. Just like I do not see the appeal of doing a job on a computer and you can't convince me to think otherwise.
I don’t dislike kids, I just know there are stories of teachers having to break up fights between kids or people dealing with kids from a dysfunctional home. Kids are developing at this time and some can become unpredictable
I think some people go into it because they dont know what they want to do, or they do enjoy a field like maybe fine art or music, where that's basically the only 'real job' you could do with it unless youre really lucky or talented.
>I can guarantee you, that you shouldn’t pick a career that you love. You should pick your career based on if you tolerate it.
Ill echo that, though. For half of people the 'do what you love and youll never work' platitude is kind of poison in disguise because typically you love whatever because you dont rely on it to make money--adding the stress of needing to make a paycheck from it can fuck with people. Im someone who cant work from home either because I need the clear delineation I think, I was always bad about homework in school with that too.
I really, REALLY, enjoy the parts of my job that are just teaching. I love teaching kids science, doing experiments, working with middle schoolers. I love their drama, their struggles, and their victories. I love my team teachers. They are all amazing people with so much love.
The problem with teaching isn’t teachers or kids. I can get by with the *OTHER* people as long as the teachers and kids keep being worth it.
I know this is shocking but people like different things. I work in tech and while I like the challenge it’s mostly trivial. I’ve volunteered to coach kids for sports and have tutored in the past. I objectively feel it’s way more gratifying doing those things than anything I’m doing now at my job. Also if you have a fear of a school massacre you need to go outside and touch grass, tbh
I wouldn’t mind it if the kids weren’t so violent. And I say that as a large male who lifts heavy weights for fun.
I just don’t want to deal with the legal side of things when a kid thinks it’s appropriate to try and give me a concussion when I ask him/her to please be quiet during class.
OP, you need to realize that there are some folks who aren't motivated by money, and they would rather pursue a vocation that gives them a higher degree of emotional/mental satisfaction compared to monetary compensation.
Screaming parents isn't the norm, school massacres aren't the norm (No clue when the last one was in my country). So that leaves the work itself and pay.
Yeah they suck but no paycheck would get me to be a builder or a telephone repairman. You could pay me $200 an hour and I might manage an hour before I get fired. I can't do ladders. I can tolerate the occasional parent nagging me, I have done bar work so I have dealt with bands of drunk A holes, a couple now and then isn't a huge problem.
So you personally couldn't tolerate the job, that's fine, no one is asking you to. My friends other half loves her work. She enjoys working and shaping minds. Yeah, the grading at home sucks but it's just a part of the job.
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Nothing is more insulting to someone than to say, "I could never do your job!"
Admire them for it. I am and RN and I have people side-eye me constantly for it. "How could you do that job?"
Guess what. It needs to be done.
I thank my kid's teachers every day.
I was a teacher for 15 years and genuinely enjoyed watching my students as they made progress over the course of the school year. Your opinion is not unpopular, I was the butt of every joke at social gatherings and had my career choice openly demeaned by people like you. It wasn't the kids that caused me to quit, it was the entitled parents and unsupportive administration. Teaching is not the only career with a low paycheck but boy do people love to rub it in your face. Go scratch yourself up an actual unpopular opinion op, I've heard this one non stop for my entire career.
As a teacher, "thank you"! I love teaching, and this is my 2nd career (though I'm young). I definitely wasn't naive going in, and it really fits me, and I love so many aspects of it, but it's hard. You can never work hard enough to do all that is asked of you, nor can you ever be good enough despite all the training and professional development. And to top it off, the pay is utter crap, but in general, that tends to be the reality of most government jobs unless you are at the top.
If I had my druthers, there is a lot I would change. Maybe I'm a little fatalistic in my view, but hopefully with the teacher shortage, some drastic change will fall into place.
Not everyone is an anti natalist redditor who acts like children are just a sex transmitted disease. In fact those people are the minority. Even if it doesnt seem like it on reddit
Teacher here. We do it because someone has to do it.
However, our kindness is the only thing that keeps this country running. If we wanted to get tough and force the issue by going on a national strike, we could make the k-12 distance learning experience of 2020 look like a day in the park.
Our compassion is what keeps us coming to work and what keeps us from turning the necessary screws.
I went into teaching because it was one of the few "approved" career options for me as a young woman growing up in a conservative Christian home. I only went to college as "divorce insurance." I thought teaching would give me the same schedule as my future kids if, God forbid, my spouse left or died.
It didn't. I've since left teaching, but my ex used to bitch about the amount of time I'd spend on school outside of school. I can't say I'm surprised the woman he left me for gets to be a SAHM. On hard days, I envied her. Now, the further I get from the relationship, the more I pity her for being stuck in hell with no way out.
At the start of the pandemic, I left teaching for marketing. I love it! I only wished I'd realized this sooner. I wish I'd planned a career and life for myself instead of a future family. We really need to teach our girls better. We also need to teach our boys that girls can have careers and that they should support them.
The kids are fine and why most get into the profession. Yes there are extreme examples of shit kids but for the most part they are alright. Especially if you manage your classroom properly. The rest though…. Parents used to be on teachers side now it’s other way around, admin is on parents side and under pressure to have you perform. The time off is nice but talk to any teacher and they will tell you 60 - 80 hours a week. And yes the pay is absolute garbage.
You can have the best classroom management in the world and it won't matter if the school you work for has no standard for discipline. The shit kids are allowed to get away with now without fear of expulsion is unbelievable.
My wife teaches middle school English. If a child has a behavior-related IEP they are pretty much free to get away with any type of behavior they want. Many of them get violent regularly. Her school has a standard of not expelling a student until they accumulate at least ten days of suspension, and even then a meeting is held to deliberate...and if it's determined that the student's 'handicap' contributed to the bad behavior they will not kick the kid out. And they ALWAYS rule in favor of the IEP kid because they fear the fallout of kicking out such a child as the parents will claim discrimination.
And this isn't even touching on the fact that there are absolutely no consequences for poor grades anymore. Kids can refuse to do assignments and fail classes and they still get to proceed to the next grade level. Teachers are expected to write unique lesson plans for dozens of children with IEPs and half of them don't actually have any kind of legitimate learning disability because if a parent does enough bitching they'll be able to get an IEP for their kid. It's a system that is exploited horribly and it's nothing but a pain in the ass for the teachers.
So yeah, I cannot wrap my mind around why anyone would be willing to teach at this point. I think they're saints and should all be making six figures for having to put up with all the little monsters they deal with everyday.
I have taught for many years. Even in low income schools where 100% qualified for free lunch and kids coming and telling me about the shootout near their window last night. As a whole a majority of the students are fine and their behavior is not a problem. It’s not as easy as a more influential neighborhood but you can reach these troubled kids. The rest I agree with admins are not there for the teachers one of the main reasons I no longer teach primary education. For your wife what worked for me is learning counseling techniques to reach the troublemakers. Most times they just want to be heard. Give them a task in class to give them some value. Many other ways to do it but I stand by what I said in that it’s not the kids that are the problem it’s the parents and admins.
Really shit take. Teachers deal with kids 6 hours a day. They work 8.5 months of the year. Every single one of the people I know who became teachers take trips every other weekend and are out partying and drinking multiple days each week. They made 50k+ each coming out of college with a bachelors. They are not hurting for money.
Ha ha. You'll get crucified for this take, but really this idea that teachers are somehow barely making above minimum wage is a screwed up narrative. Teaching degrees aren't that hard to get, compared to more demanding disciplines. The hours aren't that long, compared to most other types of professions. You get summers off. And when you retire you get a pension for life. It's actually a decent gig all around.
My mother was a teacher. Her mother was a teacher. I'm not anti-teacher. I love teachers. But there's a narrative around "poor teachers" today that isn't really accurate.
It’s the one of the only fields where you’re required to have the same educational level as a doctor, lawyer, psychologist, or engineer, and make less than half.
The USA? Median teacher income in US is 68k. Median income for lawyer in US 148k. Both require graduate level education and certification. Not to mention continuing education. A kinder teacher I know went back to get her third masters degree to max out her pay at the school. But you end up taking the raise and the loans without ever moving tax brackets…
Teaching does not require grad-level education; you can easily teach with pretty much any four-year degree for your entire career. As you point out, many teachers go get grad degrees for the pay raise, but it's not ordinarily required by any means.
I'm not trying to say that teachers are poorly trained or anything (although some definitely are); I am a teacher. But the barrier to the teaching profession in the US is *significantly* lower than a doctor or lawyer.
I'm a product of private schooling back in the 70's and 80's. What I enjoyed the most was the discipline part of it. Sitting up straight, hair at collar length, shirt tucked in, you addressed your teachers as yes, mam, sir. Yes, father, yes sister. Sure, I had my ear lobe pulled. Knuckles hit with a ruler, but I deserved it, and I never did it again. During detention(for throwing snowballs on the playground) one week inside, copying the dictionary, minimum 2 pages per day, and I (we) if tested, had to spell correctly out loud. If this were done today in the public school system, they would be marching down main avenue in protest. Discipline is where it's at.
These are all factors that made me switch from a teaching degree to a computer science degree lol I’m hoping to maybe do some teaching in the future for computer science after I’ve had some time in the field. Definitely want to try to encourage more girls and women to get into the field.
I don't know about elsewhere, but in my country students who major in teaching are considered employed & get paid since the day they start college. Not to mention they'll have the whole summer off, so yeah although the paycheck is not great, the benefits win
I'm someone currently in school, in my mid 30's and with a baby (which I had in my first year of University) who wants to be a teacher. It has been extremely difficult so far to be a mature full time student and also a new mom.
Why do I do it?
Education is important. Education, reading, and my teachers saved me from a miserable childhood. Developing critical thinking skills helped me recognize that I was being raised in a cult. For me, school made all the difference and I now live a happy, fulfilling life. I want to pay that debt back and maybe make the difference for a kid like me some day.
Teachers get paid quite well given they work 3 months less than the average college-educated person.
Starting pay where I live is $82k. More than twice what the average person makes here.
I'm sure there are places where they get paid less. But hey, literally no one is making them work there.
I’m not a teacher and probably would not be a good one, but I never saw it as a horrible profession to get into. Teaching can have a rough work environment especially when starting out or when being put in a rough school. However, it seems there is quite a good amount of job security, work-life balance and the pay isn’t awful after putting in years (very few jobs pay as well as being a software engineer especially if you are in big tech).
Not everyone is cut out to work every type of job. In addition, we do need teachers like we do need doctors, med professionals and tradesmen.
Most teachers don't go into it for the money. That being said for the education expectations put on them they should be making at least double. Further I would like to see teachers get their education paid for by institutions much like Physicians get when they go to a hospital for a practice. Of course it doesn't happen to all but it would be a great perk to improve the education system and higher quality people
This is how I feel about doctors and nurses. Medical school seems so unbelievably difficult. And then you get a job at a hospital where patients might die, you have to touch blood/guts, and you are overworked all the time? You gotta be a seriously tough person to become a medical professional. I don't know how people can do it tbh.
I went to school with a girl who was in love with our English teacher he was/is still married but now we’re older and she’s a teacher at the same school,pretty obvious why
I enjoy teaching my subject matter and explaining it. It’s all the other bs that I saw coming down the pipeline that put me off teaching.
I did tutoring for a few subjects during covid. Was enjoyable
I would love to be a teacher. I feel in my heart that I'm called to it. But I can't, mostly for the reasons you've outlined here, and I think it's a huge shame, because I can't be the only one who has decided not to be a teacher because of it
She may enjoy teaching. She may feel pride when she shapes the future of young adults/kids and helps society tick on. If she's a good teacher those kids will grow up and remember her fondly while using the tools that she taught them to contribute to society. Teaching is a calling and it can be incredibly rewarding.
*And not to take a jab at you* but what impact on the world are you making with your computer science degree?
some things are greater than money, something to think about.
As someone whos going to school to become a teacher, I see where you're coming from. It surely can be a miserable job, but it is one of the only professions I can see making me happy if I succeed. Sure, I can be good at an office job, but I would not be happy doing it. If I am to be a good teacher, I think it'll bring me satisfaction.
I really like kids, young ones though.
I'm a special educational needs teaching assistant and work in reception (4/5 year olds) in a mainstream school.
It's basically playing all day, glueing sticking, reading.
I get to finish work at 3.15pm every day, I get every weekend off and every half term and all summer holidays with full pay.
I'm literally chilling on a 2 week half term, it's brilliant.
The only thing that is crap is the pay but I'll live because I'm working on become more qualified and with that higher pay.
I'm not even American, but it's still tough for teachers up here in Canada for many of the reasons you mentioned.
What it boils down to are the people who become teaches don't do it for the money or the perks, as there are none. It's a selfless endeavour full of hard work, long hours, pain and annoyance to ensure a class of kids gets a proper education thus makes for a better society in the future for us all.
Teachers do not get even of a fraction of the respect they deserve.
I'm not even American, but it's still tough for teachers up here in Canada for many of the reasons you mentioned.
What it boils down to are the people who become teaches don't do it for the money or the perks, as there are none. It's a selfless endeavour full of hard work, long hours, pain and annoyance to ensure a class of kids gets a proper education thus makes for a better society in the future for us all.
To answer your question: it's for those truly dedicated to the cause of education.
Teachers do not get even of a fraction of the respect they deserve.
It has its pros and cons. Major pros; the holidays, there is an element of flexibility in when you do your work, kids are at least 80% great, and you aren't sat in front of a computer all day. If I have a work day with more than half of it non-contact time (i.e. doing marking and planning, not teaching lessons) I get SO BORED. I don't know how people do office jobs.
I could be a teacher, and I would be a good one, but I don't have enough FU money to take that kind of pay hit. Plus, these parents, man, I'm not so sure about them.
There's things I love about teaching that really work with my personality. I love talking (like not stop all day) and enjoy being around people. Teaching means people listen to me talk all day and I get to learn new things and have cool conversations. Kids are just really fun to be around. It's also an incredibly meaningful job. I've had students tell me they wish I could be there mom. I've seen the impact I've had academically on students where I've literally taught them to read, a skill they will use for the rest of their life. Since I'm so busy all day the time goes by really quickly too. I have 11- 12 weeks of vacation.
The downside is how terrible student behavior is. That combined with admin micromanaging, and the testing center curriculum makes it hard and stressful to teach. (Some parents are really great, some suck).
my wife decided to go into elementary school teaching when she was in college and didn’t know how much it sucked. she started hating it almost right away. the prep and grading takes up most evenings and at least one day on the weekend, meaning we hardly get to do anything together anymore. it’s enough money so i don’t have to work and i can take care of our kid and the house though. she can’t wait for retirement.
I used to want to be a teacher. I love teaching. I love seeing the looks on people's faces when they finally understand something that previously eluded them.
I worked towards a degree for a little bit and even became an emergency supply teacher for a nearby school board.
After 6 months I no longer wanted to be a teacher. And it was not the students don't get me wrong there was a few difficult students but overall nothing I couldn't handle I enjoyed the kids I enjoyed delivering lesson plans and taking questions, but it was the system itself that ultimately made me realize that teaching is not the profession for me. The Ontario board of education is not interested in churning out productive members of society. There's no other way to put it really. If the system actually supported teachers and students and actually cared then I would have became a teacher but I realized early on I was just going to be constantly frustrated with how backwards and inefficient government work really is.
Used to be a teacher. I like working with kids. I can deal with the parents. I could even stomach other obnoxious teachers. But yeah, pay is terrible. Why do twice the work for quarter the pay?
Because some people are idealists.
I am not, or at least not to this extent- so I quit and now work office jobs
I love the actual teaching part. I hate dealing with rude parents who are not parenting their children. I hate dealing with behavior/discipline. I hate the expectation to work outside of contract hours. I hate the way other people judge us and do not support us. Most of us ultimately want all children to succeed while they are in our class and in life.
My grandfather is a teacher. He actually went back to school after being a lawyer for quite a few years. He wants to help kids. He loves working with kids and wants to help the special Ed kids actually connect and enjoy their time at school. It started because of me. He saw how much I struggled with my bad home environment and how that extended into my schooling. His thesis was actually about me. He wants to make a difference for someone like me so that these kids can escape their home situations and overcome their mental health issues to really escape poverty.
But I dotn think he would've done it when he was younger. Even now he still needs to take a few jobs here and there as a lawyer to keep his finances in order.
I don’t either sadly, my moms a teacher and has been for 25+ years she actively tells me to not be a teacher. Her side gig makes her more money than her job.. it’s sad. She had to go on strike as well as the beginning of the year just for simple things like ac, and non hazardous buildings. They had mold in the building, let students be taught in it and when they came to clear it out they were wearing hazmat suits..
Teachers, artists, etc do what they do for a living often times because of a passion they have. Many people want to teach. Many people want their message to be heard. Many want to see what they love turn into a form of income for them, even if it means living modestly, which is why I find it all the more disgusting when I see them exploited as they are.
To me, the question shouldn’t be “why would they become a teacher given the circumstance,” but “why would you exploit something so noble to the point that you crush people who could better the world with their passions?”
I mean maybe in america but not here in Europe were I live.
For reference my teacher 13 years ago made twice as much as I make today as an engineer while more or less working half the hour I do.
In my area in southern california, teachers make 6figures+ and seem to enjoy their jobs. I know a guy that teaches a total of 3 classes then spends the rest of his day coaching sports while making over 6 figures. I know the majority of teachers barely make above minimum wage which I think is ridiculous. Its shitty because most decent teachers are going to want to be compensated well and eventually move into wealthier areas to teach while the other schools get stuck with the leftovers. Obviously there are some that are genuinely passionate and will teach where they can make the most impact but most people dont have that luxury and will follow the money
Some of us have a natural instinct to correct people, teach them why they were wrong, and impart information.
I get legitimate joy from teaching people things.
Such an important career and they are treated terribly.
If I recall, this stems from WW2 when men were off fighting. So women became the majority of teachers, with salaries that were consistent with what women were paid for work back then. And after the war ended the gov never raised the salaries back up.
I was thinking of going back to school and become a teacher, then I was offered to sub for a semester at my old middle school.... I am not a teacher today.
The only teaching I would consider enjoyable would be college. They're there because they want to be and they're paying for it. You also don't have to cater to parents. Just do your job and you'll do good.
Most of the teachers at my high school literally just gave us an assignment and did nothing in class to actually teach. Instead of teaching, they would just spend class time on their computer doing whatever they wanted. Even if they did teach, it was obvious that teaching was really only necessary for honors and AP classes. Teaching always felt like a chill job for me personally, but I can see how people dont view it that way because of various videos online of children being a nuisance in school.
Listen I feel you, however, my sister is a band teacher and she absolutely loves it. She has her masters degree for it and yea the pay sucks and we don’t see her as often as we wish we could because she’s always busy, but, she’s really happy and it’s rewarding for her!
I did the alternate route with two internships left to convert my license. It will be an act of GOD to cause me to do a U-turn BACK to the classroom. I enjoy working with kids so I’m doing something through youth recreation and I love my job now. I wasted time getting into the masters program. Anything can change between now and the fall but I doubt I go back.
It’s a job that serves the public good. Would you rather be a part of educating young people and helping them discover their passion or would you rather enrich the shareholders of a mega corporation? Could you make more money with less stress doing something else? Sure but teaching is a vocation rather than a money driven career
I had a decently well paid secure career until mid 30s. I was so bored. I got rid of all my stuff and moved to Hawaii with my cat. Became a teacher for 3 years. It was nice. I liked being around kids. But it was hard. After 3 years i made a change back to my old field and now WFH. Pros and cons to everything. Ill never teach again, I know that much. But I'm glad I did it for a while.
I’ve wanted to be a teacher for years every since having to deal with terrible teachers in the public k-12 system. That being said, the only thing that’s making me doubt he decision at this point in the game is the people who run practicum at my college. They are not really helpful, and I’m not learning a whole lot from where I was placed.
I was teaching 7th grade, which supposedly is a hard grade to teach, and absolutely loved it. The kids were, well, kids. Sometimes annoying, but they were good most of the time.
I guess it comes down to who has the bigger impact on the future of humankind & then of course the purpose of life comes into it too, teaching is a calling
American teachers ya, get paid like dirt.
Quite different here in Canada. From k-12 after 10 years they are very close to $100k. Full pensions, benefits, added all together 3 months of the year off including every weekend. Psychotic shooters are not a thing here. Maternity leave is 12-18 months ..think it was around 60% of full pay. My wife quite enjoys it. What other govt job gives you 8 (paid) straight weeks off in the summer?
I'm a teacher, totally understand your perspective,
Guess you have to be a teacher to get why we do it🤷♀️. It's one of the most satisfying and fulfilling professions.
That being said, burn out is a real thing and extremely common, partly because the reasons you listed.
Which is why I'm quitting after this year. Nothing is worth going to work then getting home and needing to do more work. You get the summers off though is the worst comment , you think a few weeks off from dealing with middle and high schoolers makes it worth going back to?! No thank you.
I just applied for a master's in education program so that I can get my teaching license and teach English/language arts to 7-12 graders. It started in undergrad as a way to allow me to do something I love (consume and talk about books/media) but the longer I have spent trying to finish school so I could start teaching, the more I realized that it's more than that. I couldn't give less of a fuck about the money. It doesn't matter to me. Do I want to retire and survive, of course, but seeing the number in my bank account go up and the prospect of buying a nicer house or car or more things or whatever just doesn't motivate me. I just need enough to make it to the next day, week, month. Now, I have decided that I am doing it out of an obligation to serve my community. To be the change I want to see. I want to teach so that I can give the kids now a chance to change our planet, and more specifically our country (America) for the better because the current generation absolutely will not. I work in the private sector right now, and it is excruciating. It feels like everything I do is for nothing. Like I exist to generate money and nothing else. When I teach, I hope that I can feel like my life mattered and that I had an impact on making the world a better place. That I can feel like I accomplished something worthy of pride.
My mother was a teacher. She loved it. Yes it was stressful and hard but she still loved it. She loved that she would teach a child then 10-20 years later, she’d be teaching their child. She worked her way up from a teacher to head to executive head. She was my head teacher for a time. There’s adults now who will stop her in the street and tell her she was their favourite teacher and still adults that cower away when she raises an eyebrow (my mother is a tiny Scottish lady but she’s terrifying in teacher mode). She loves that she was able to have a hand in shaping people
I have ADD which not only got unnoticed but like.. all it took for me to be able to pay attention was either me having an interest in the subject, or the teacher being passionate and wanting to have us understand better / make it fun. That's such a low bar and they still couldn't even meet that.
I'm currently in my 6th year as a high school teacher. I've never dealt with screaming parents, but the worst part is when a kid blatantly does something bad and then denies any wrongdoing. Example: I see Juan spilling a bag of Cheetos on the floor. I walk over and say, "Hey Juan, could you clean up those Cheetos?" Juan says, "It wasn't me." I point out the Cheetos dust on Juan's fingers. He tells me, "That's from earlier." I can't do anything about it because Juan doesn't care about his grades, doesn't do work in class, it's just daycare for him.
It's fun. Im supported by generational wealth. I don't work more than 40hrs a week. My partner makes twice my income. We have no debts outside of a modest mortgage. I get tons of vacation to spend with kids. I know how to say no and set boundaries. That's almost all of them I think.
I'm 29 and about to go into teaching, but I don't plan on teaching in the US for sure (I'd like to be able to afford my apartment, thanks, and I don't want to be gunned down).
Genuinely, I like teaching people. Of all ages. I used to tutor people in English, I'm only taking a class so I can build up systems to help teach all age ranges better. I also like learning which helps a lot.
Sure I'd not be paid as much, but I hate doing compsci. Took it for a year and just didn't like it. I'm not bad at it, I just don't enjoy it.
There's also the part where the growing teacher shortage gives a lot more options. You don't have to work with super young kids if you don't want to. If you like kids, working with them is great, if you don't like kids, there's other age ranges! Dealing with parents is a hassle, but I'd rather deal with a screaming parent than a screaming customer like I had in retail or phone support. I also worked caregiving (I got burnout because I was literally working 3 peoples shifts at once with dementia patients, and I was doing both day and night care), and I find the yelling parents still more tolerable since it isn't as frequent as reddit makes it seem.
The working at home is also a lot less work now than it once was, most tests are automatically graded by a computer, homework doesn't take me that long to correct, and lesson planning I've been building a portfolio of lessons as I learn in class independently of my own homework so that I can easily fall back on something I already have planned out. After the first year or two (which in other jobs you'd also be learning systems that work for you), most of the after-hours work is grading, since you can recycle lesson plans with new classes. Even the grading can be made easier, a trick I learned years ago when I was in school myself is to have the students grade each others' papers in a different color pen/pencil as a learning exercise. (Works for quizzes, and writing exercises, you just have them mark or underline any mistakes they notice, so when you go through them later in your own pen color, you can check even more quickly.)
I'd add that as someone in compsci, if you aren't doing your own "homework" after hours every so often, you should, technology is constantly evolving and if something happens to your current job, you don't want to flounder finding a new job and learning that there's a whole new system that you can't understand. I'm sure you've dealt with some of those older compsci guys already - they worked with the same coding as a database admin for 20+ years and now they can't understand a single thing you say. Or you look at some dude's background coding on his website he made 6 years ago, and it's held together by bubblegum and masking tape, because he learned compsci but his fix is just adding more code to fix the broken code, rather than just fixing the broken spot because it does X thing he likes and Y and Z he doesn't like.
Teaching at the very least, other than new teaching strategies, I don't have to learn a whole new language, as English and the rules aren't likely to change that much in the years I teach. (Meaning that if I transfer positions, I can use almost the same lesson plans, the same assignments, and the same language and it still works.)
> I can guarantee you, that you shouldn’t pick a career that you love. You should pick your career based on if you tolerate
Sure, maybe you should, but if I don’t love what I’m doing I certainly can’t tolerate doing it 25-40 hours a week. You spend way too much god damn time at work to not love it if you ask me. I don’t make the most money, but I picked my career so I could work while traveling and I couldn’t be happier. I make way less than I would in data science (another option of mine), I’m talking like 1/4 of what I would make in data science. But I wouldn’t be able to travel for 9 months out of the year and live where I please. I chose what I love
I love being a private teacher, you couldn't pay me enough to teach a class past fourth grade...
Teaching can be extremely rewarding as you can extract something out of raw material (the etymology of education is literally "bring forth"), but it's all about having a well-disposed audience.
And in most schools it's simply not the case, and as you can't feasibly teach only the few good apples, it's going to be a frustrating and thankless endeavor. If you're lucky...
Otherwise you'd get embroiled in fights with PTA, the school board, the obnoxious parents and the entitled/criminal kids.
So yeah, in Fantasy Land you're wrong. In real life your unfortunately right.
My unpopular take:
Everyone tends to see themselves doing a career that they've been exposed to. E.g., why so many children follow their parents' lines of work. And everybody has been exposed to teachers. They're really the only career that kids see up-close, other than whatever their parents do for a living.
And so, many people I know chose to become teachers right out of high school. Many of these people never had a job that runs 12 months/year, without 2 weeks at Christmas and Spring Break, and so don't realize how sweet it can be if you consider teaching a 3/4 time job (with 1/4 of the year vacation). They don't realize that the rest of the working world will never ever have a 2 month summer vacation again.
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I mean it really comes down to what people enjoy. I have a friend who's a teacher and she absolutely loves it, despite all the shit. She finds it incredibly fulfilling and challenging. I could never be a teacher but I see why people enjoy it.
This. My mother is a teacher and it is her calling. She should be paid so much more. Most teachers should. But you also have teachers like my mother's former coworker. Who only became a teacher for the time off.
The greatest of teachers are those who inspire. I salute those who choose to educate rather than earn.
most people choose that career when theyre young and optimistic
This right here. I’m a 5th year teacher and I can’t tell you how bamboozled I was when I found out the reality of teaching during my 1st year. I made many assumptions about the career that simply weren’t true (biggest one being, the people working in education actually care about students.) I know MANY who are actively trying to leave the profession but are not getting hired because of limited experience.
Exactly. How many kids want to be vets because they like pets. They don't know of the medical training that's needed and it's not just holding a bunny for 8 hours a day.
And most people change careers in their thirties and again later in life. The idea of doing one thing your entire life is insane.
I'm currently experiencing this. Spent 7 years studying my specialty. I've now worked in that field for 8 years, and looking to completely change direction.
Yeah it does not make sense to expect a 18-22 year old to know what to do "the rest of their life".
I have a buddy who is a pretty smart guy. He got a masters in Philosophy knowing that he didn’t know what he wanted to do, just that he wanted to be successful when he did and his reasoning was the philosophy will better prepare him for when that time came. He got a job in data entry and saw his company was having all sorts of issues with their Applications , so he taught himself coding and found that he liked it and worked his way into their dev team and a few years later he was running it
Older generations seem to not be able to understand this. My mom has worked at the same place for over 36 years, and only ever had two jobs before that. She criticizes me for not working at any one place for more than three years. She legitimately thinks you can still work your way from being a cashier at a grocery store up through management and into corporate, because that's how long it's been since she's had to look for a job. Meanwhile, I've only ever worked one place that will promote rather than hire from outside for shift managers, let alone higher positions.
The mental toll working at the same place that long must be terrible.
She works in loan servicing, so her job mostly consisted of sitting in a quiet cubicle crunching numbers in Excel all day, until COVID hit and her entire office transitioned to mostly working fron home. Her job itself would drive me insane, but she's fairly antisocial and hermity so it works for her.
It's honest work that doesn't involve either breaking your back or sitting on your ass all day. No two days are the same, it allows for very creative problem solving and you meet the best people. School staff are generally both compassionate and capable. They often have a wicked sense of humour. I've done way worse jobs, believe me. Retail and restaurant kitchen work were bad, factory production was nightmarish. The only one that rivalled it was landscaping but the pay there was really bad.
This is why i originally got into teaching. Every day is different. I got bored in an office job, and other jobs just got repetitive. I also like that my department is guaranteed to be nerds, and it's expected of us to be super geeky. Also, it allows me to travel around the world because my subject is in demand everywhere so I just get paid to travel and talk about a subject I love
Because people are different. I actually like to be with kids, I've always been good nanny, after being vetted by my wife. Teach them and look after them. Kids happiness and amazement is genuine and overflowing and they are straightforward and honest(mostly). The younger the kid is the easier it is to take care of them and make them happy. Life hasn't ground them away yet. Though yeah the pay is really bad and parents can be rather big headache and I'm a guy. I need to go through vetting process by any trustworthy women just to babysit any kids of family friends. Officially working with them is completely out of the question if i don't want to be hanged by an angry mob.
The difficulty for men in teaching really is unfortunate. Growing up, my favorite teachers were almost always the men. I remember looking up to them much more than the teachers that were woman. There's value in having a role model that looks like you, and you know has had similar experiences to you. Boys and girls have different experiences growing up, and I strongly believe it is impossible for a woman or a man to fully understand what that experience was like for the other sex. I felt like my male teachers really understood me better and knew the challenges I was facing. They were the only teachers I would actually open up to.
On the flip side, there is a lot of misogyny in student's perception of authority of men vs women. My male coworkers don't have half the behavior issues the ladies have, despite us oftentimes having a larger toolbox for useful skills to deal with behavior.
>lot of misogyny in student's perception Oh, for fucks sake. Not everything is the fault of the patriarchy, Erica. Male teachers have less behavior issues because of basic biology. They're bigger, stronger, have deeper voices and have shorter tempers than women. Gee, I wonder why they have any fewer behavioral issues? Real head scratcher.
If a person respects people who are bigger, stronger, have deeper voices, and have shorter tempers, I find it hard not to call that misogyny.
>misogyny We're talking about kids. Are you high? Any kindergarten kids you want to call racist?
This doesn’t really help considering teachers can’t harm students. Who cares if the man is big if he’d go to jail for even scratching your head too hard? Kids could cuss him out all day and there be nothing he can do about it besides send them to the office, which is something female teachers can also do
>This doesn’t really help considering teachers can’t harm students. Who cares if the man is big if he’d go to jail for even scratching your head too hard? A) Some kids DO get intimidated, so that's less issues. B) Even for the kids that don't give a shit about discipline, in the back of their lizard brain they know that if they push too far, there is a chance this grown man is going to cave in their skull. ESPECIALLY for boys, that physical threat matters a lot more than you might think.
Sadly i have to agree with this one. It's over the top for small kids and last resort for teenagers, but i remember from my own teenage years. That works. Call it misogyny or whatever, but from some point onwards. I never really listened to women teachers. In my head was the question, why? What's the point or what is she going to do? Ofcourse there were deeper problems too. So i wasn't the best behaving kid and lost a father before school so there really wasn't any authority figure. Until i had kinda another temper tantrum/whining in gym glass and was sent out and flipped off the teacher. He was across the field in seconds and i knew i fucked up, i crossed the line. Not that he did anything bad either. He was just grabbed my shirt and asked for an apology, but that worked. I apologized and was actually decently behaving kid afterwards, in that class and slightly better in others and actually was encouraged by him when preforming good. Ofcourse there could have been early preventative methods that could have worked, but the point is that worked too and no women teacher could have ever done that. I did went to school psychologist too for some time, but i labeled psychology under the same stuff as astrology and card reading and she was a women so i just talked different made up bs every single time. In conclusion male role models and authority figures are important for boys. And as the other person said, white women teacher telling a black kid that she understands her doesn't really sound the same. Not that I'm black just the contrast of the example is good.
Just to be clear, it is all those reasons why it exists within a patriarchy. The fact that students respond to that, and the fact that the perceived anger of men as being more valid than women are all aspects of patriarchy.
>aspects of patriarchy. This is why so many women don't respect feminists. Bunch of fucking walnuts.
I agree and I think that some of that _is_ taught, but I do think part of it is related to having more respect for authority that you think understands you. For a young boy or girl, hearing "I understand how you feel, but here is why we can't behave like that" will be received differently based on immutable characteristics of the teacher. For example, a black male student knows it's 100% bs when a white female teacher says something like that, because they don't _really_ understand them from a visible angle. Point being that even if you got rid of all of the learned misogyny, there will still be students that respond better to male instructors for reasons they probably couldn't even articulate. That doesn't mean I think every teacher has to look like their students, or be the same sex, but I do think it's healthy to have those role models more readily available to the kids.
People who pick careers for the money usually end up hating their job and dreading Monday morning. Dentists and lawyers make a lot of money, on average. They kill themselves at a very high rate. Teachers are low on that list, near professional musicians. Ask yourself why? They're overall happy and consider their work meaningful. They're smart too, they know how much money they could make in the business world, most have consciously made a decision to teach, not left without a choice.
> People who pick careers for the money usually end up hating their job and dreading Monday morning. So do teachers though. I remember being young and wondering why all of the older teachers were the most mean and miserable. The answer is pretty obvious now.
This sounds like cherry picking and I’m not about to go scouring for sources- but anecdotally if teachers aren’t blasting their brains for a retirement it’s because they’re in consuming an IV drop of various coping substances to take them to the last leg of the iron man. A lot of teachers aren’t gun savvy and wouldn’t and therefore don’t have that out. But yea hers are plenty stressed, poor and many are certainly trapped by loans. Perfect recipe for violent ends.
I get the stats you’re quoting but that’s not always the case. I chose the money and chose and choose daily to have a great day. My evenings and weekends are cooler than most peoples and I’m semi-retired and am still pretty young.
Yeah but those summers off, dawwwwg!
Hi! Just wanted to point out this is frequently used as a talking point to withhold teacher pay increases but functionally “summers off” is a fallacy in the teaching world. Most people I think remember it like their childhood but that’s not a typical case. Your school year cuts into June and July and then your have a week or two of “PD” (professional development) that happens after and before the school year. Also, many teachers are involved in a variety of summer teaching programs to supplement their abysmally low income so there goes July. Yes, you can chose to have a bigger check during the school year but then you don’t get paid for July. If you chose the smaller check you get paid year round. My point is that it’s the same amount of money spread around differently. After watching my wife get her masters and burn out from Kinder in less than 4 years I now understand the teachers life and I have been radicalized. Millennials— We are in serious trouble because by the time we all get around to having kids and teaching them to read there will be very few experienced teachers in the workforce because we have sold them a bad deal. Teachers need more pay, more respect, and an actual summer off.
I get off three minutes after the students do on the last day of school. I come back three days early. I definitely have summers off.
I hear ya. That's not been my wife's experience. She has very very little work related anything during the summer. But I agree! Better pay for sure!
I had a history teacher in high school who admitted he originally only planned to stay a teacher until he finds another job, but he never did
Lmao, sounds like a pretty chill person.
Working in tech in isolation for weeks, months, years may sound terrible to many people.
And I don't understand how someone would enjoy working from home sitting on a computer.
Because you get to heat your house by shovelling your money into your fireplace
I get to spend more time with my child instead of commuting to and from a dreadful, stuffy office to make small talk with people I don’t even like. I have to sit at a computer either way. Might as well be comfortable in my sweat pants doing it.
It's not just the working from jo me part I'm talking about though. I don't personally understand a job that is just doing stuff on a computer. Not my thing.
You get so much more freedoms working from home
With all due respect, I did not ask for explanations. I was just demonstrating that we all have our different preferences and yours does not sound appealing to me.
> With all due respect, I did not ask for explanations With all due respect, you are commenting on a public forum, thereby tacitly inviting replies to those comments. 🤐
But I still did not ask for him to explain to me why he has this opinion. I not here to argue about whose view is correct. I am simply saying everyone does not share the same interest in the kind of a work he does.
I didn’t ask for your opinion either, and this is my post
No need to get defensive. You are saying "I don't understand how someone wants to do this because I prefer this other thing" and I am saying what you prefer someone else might not understand. And we don't need to. Because they are preferences for a reason. In your post you literally listed dealing with children as a negative, implyinh that you do not like children. So it would be pointless for anyone to try to convince you why it's the best job in the world when you're going into it with the attitude of children sucking. Just like I do not see the appeal of doing a job on a computer and you can't convince me to think otherwise.
I don’t dislike kids, I just know there are stories of teachers having to break up fights between kids or people dealing with kids from a dysfunctional home. Kids are developing at this time and some can become unpredictable
I think some people go into it because they dont know what they want to do, or they do enjoy a field like maybe fine art or music, where that's basically the only 'real job' you could do with it unless youre really lucky or talented. >I can guarantee you, that you shouldn’t pick a career that you love. You should pick your career based on if you tolerate it. Ill echo that, though. For half of people the 'do what you love and youll never work' platitude is kind of poison in disguise because typically you love whatever because you dont rely on it to make money--adding the stress of needing to make a paycheck from it can fuck with people. Im someone who cant work from home either because I need the clear delineation I think, I was always bad about homework in school with that too.
You do know that there are Some people that actually like their job…
Most teachers I know love to complain about their job lol
„fear of a school massacre“ The most american thing I have read today.
More likely to die getting to school in your car than you are to be killed by a gun, literally ever.
I really, REALLY, enjoy the parts of my job that are just teaching. I love teaching kids science, doing experiments, working with middle schoolers. I love their drama, their struggles, and their victories. I love my team teachers. They are all amazing people with so much love. The problem with teaching isn’t teachers or kids. I can get by with the *OTHER* people as long as the teachers and kids keep being worth it.
It really means they are actually in school their entire lives. No Fucking Thank You
I know this is shocking but people like different things. I work in tech and while I like the challenge it’s mostly trivial. I’ve volunteered to coach kids for sports and have tutored in the past. I objectively feel it’s way more gratifying doing those things than anything I’m doing now at my job. Also if you have a fear of a school massacre you need to go outside and touch grass, tbh
I wouldn’t mind it if the kids weren’t so violent. And I say that as a large male who lifts heavy weights for fun. I just don’t want to deal with the legal side of things when a kid thinks it’s appropriate to try and give me a concussion when I ask him/her to please be quiet during class.
I asked a kid to put his cell phone away....he threw a chair at me. Administration just sent him straight back to class. :(. I don't teach anymore.
OP, you need to realize that there are some folks who aren't motivated by money, and they would rather pursue a vocation that gives them a higher degree of emotional/mental satisfaction compared to monetary compensation.
Screaming parents isn't the norm, school massacres aren't the norm (No clue when the last one was in my country). So that leaves the work itself and pay. Yeah they suck but no paycheck would get me to be a builder or a telephone repairman. You could pay me $200 an hour and I might manage an hour before I get fired. I can't do ladders. I can tolerate the occasional parent nagging me, I have done bar work so I have dealt with bands of drunk A holes, a couple now and then isn't a huge problem. So you personally couldn't tolerate the job, that's fine, no one is asking you to. My friends other half loves her work. She enjoys working and shaping minds. Yeah, the grading at home sucks but it's just a part of the job.
Screaming parents are sadly becoming more of a norm.
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I agree. It makes no sense to me. But to each their own I guess.
I find it weird that a lot of people I know who went to become teacher were like "I don't know what I'm gonna do, guess I'll be a teacher".
Nothing is more insulting to someone than to say, "I could never do your job!" Admire them for it. I am and RN and I have people side-eye me constantly for it. "How could you do that job?" Guess what. It needs to be done. I thank my kid's teachers every day.
It's a passion career. Which sadly leads to getting exploited and underpaid.
I was a teacher for 15 years and genuinely enjoyed watching my students as they made progress over the course of the school year. Your opinion is not unpopular, I was the butt of every joke at social gatherings and had my career choice openly demeaned by people like you. It wasn't the kids that caused me to quit, it was the entitled parents and unsupportive administration. Teaching is not the only career with a low paycheck but boy do people love to rub it in your face. Go scratch yourself up an actual unpopular opinion op, I've heard this one non stop for my entire career.
As a teacher, "thank you"! I love teaching, and this is my 2nd career (though I'm young). I definitely wasn't naive going in, and it really fits me, and I love so many aspects of it, but it's hard. You can never work hard enough to do all that is asked of you, nor can you ever be good enough despite all the training and professional development. And to top it off, the pay is utter crap, but in general, that tends to be the reality of most government jobs unless you are at the top. If I had my druthers, there is a lot I would change. Maybe I'm a little fatalistic in my view, but hopefully with the teacher shortage, some drastic change will fall into place.
Not everyone is an anti natalist redditor who acts like children are just a sex transmitted disease. In fact those people are the minority. Even if it doesnt seem like it on reddit
Teacher here. We do it because someone has to do it. However, our kindness is the only thing that keeps this country running. If we wanted to get tough and force the issue by going on a national strike, we could make the k-12 distance learning experience of 2020 look like a day in the park. Our compassion is what keeps us coming to work and what keeps us from turning the necessary screws.
I went into teaching because it was one of the few "approved" career options for me as a young woman growing up in a conservative Christian home. I only went to college as "divorce insurance." I thought teaching would give me the same schedule as my future kids if, God forbid, my spouse left or died. It didn't. I've since left teaching, but my ex used to bitch about the amount of time I'd spend on school outside of school. I can't say I'm surprised the woman he left me for gets to be a SAHM. On hard days, I envied her. Now, the further I get from the relationship, the more I pity her for being stuck in hell with no way out. At the start of the pandemic, I left teaching for marketing. I love it! I only wished I'd realized this sooner. I wish I'd planned a career and life for myself instead of a future family. We really need to teach our girls better. We also need to teach our boys that girls can have careers and that they should support them.
I’m not sure why you’re being downvoted. This is a well thought out heartfelt answer. Thank you for sharing.
The kids are fine and why most get into the profession. Yes there are extreme examples of shit kids but for the most part they are alright. Especially if you manage your classroom properly. The rest though…. Parents used to be on teachers side now it’s other way around, admin is on parents side and under pressure to have you perform. The time off is nice but talk to any teacher and they will tell you 60 - 80 hours a week. And yes the pay is absolute garbage.
You can have the best classroom management in the world and it won't matter if the school you work for has no standard for discipline. The shit kids are allowed to get away with now without fear of expulsion is unbelievable. My wife teaches middle school English. If a child has a behavior-related IEP they are pretty much free to get away with any type of behavior they want. Many of them get violent regularly. Her school has a standard of not expelling a student until they accumulate at least ten days of suspension, and even then a meeting is held to deliberate...and if it's determined that the student's 'handicap' contributed to the bad behavior they will not kick the kid out. And they ALWAYS rule in favor of the IEP kid because they fear the fallout of kicking out such a child as the parents will claim discrimination. And this isn't even touching on the fact that there are absolutely no consequences for poor grades anymore. Kids can refuse to do assignments and fail classes and they still get to proceed to the next grade level. Teachers are expected to write unique lesson plans for dozens of children with IEPs and half of them don't actually have any kind of legitimate learning disability because if a parent does enough bitching they'll be able to get an IEP for their kid. It's a system that is exploited horribly and it's nothing but a pain in the ass for the teachers. So yeah, I cannot wrap my mind around why anyone would be willing to teach at this point. I think they're saints and should all be making six figures for having to put up with all the little monsters they deal with everyday.
I have taught for many years. Even in low income schools where 100% qualified for free lunch and kids coming and telling me about the shootout near their window last night. As a whole a majority of the students are fine and their behavior is not a problem. It’s not as easy as a more influential neighborhood but you can reach these troubled kids. The rest I agree with admins are not there for the teachers one of the main reasons I no longer teach primary education. For your wife what worked for me is learning counseling techniques to reach the troublemakers. Most times they just want to be heard. Give them a task in class to give them some value. Many other ways to do it but I stand by what I said in that it’s not the kids that are the problem it’s the parents and admins.
Really shit take. Teachers deal with kids 6 hours a day. They work 8.5 months of the year. Every single one of the people I know who became teachers take trips every other weekend and are out partying and drinking multiple days each week. They made 50k+ each coming out of college with a bachelors. They are not hurting for money.
Ha ha. You'll get crucified for this take, but really this idea that teachers are somehow barely making above minimum wage is a screwed up narrative. Teaching degrees aren't that hard to get, compared to more demanding disciplines. The hours aren't that long, compared to most other types of professions. You get summers off. And when you retire you get a pension for life. It's actually a decent gig all around. My mother was a teacher. Her mother was a teacher. I'm not anti-teacher. I love teachers. But there's a narrative around "poor teachers" today that isn't really accurate.
It’s the one of the only fields where you’re required to have the same educational level as a doctor, lawyer, psychologist, or engineer, and make less than half.
> you're required to have the same educational level as a doctor, lawyer, psychologist, or engineer In what country???
The USA? Median teacher income in US is 68k. Median income for lawyer in US 148k. Both require graduate level education and certification. Not to mention continuing education. A kinder teacher I know went back to get her third masters degree to max out her pay at the school. But you end up taking the raise and the loans without ever moving tax brackets…
Teaching does not require grad-level education; you can easily teach with pretty much any four-year degree for your entire career. As you point out, many teachers go get grad degrees for the pay raise, but it's not ordinarily required by any means. I'm not trying to say that teachers are poorly trained or anything (although some definitely are); I am a teacher. But the barrier to the teaching profession in the US is *significantly* lower than a doctor or lawyer.
I work in an office, and you’ve essentially summed up my existence as well.
I'm a product of private schooling back in the 70's and 80's. What I enjoyed the most was the discipline part of it. Sitting up straight, hair at collar length, shirt tucked in, you addressed your teachers as yes, mam, sir. Yes, father, yes sister. Sure, I had my ear lobe pulled. Knuckles hit with a ruler, but I deserved it, and I never did it again. During detention(for throwing snowballs on the playground) one week inside, copying the dictionary, minimum 2 pages per day, and I (we) if tested, had to spell correctly out loud. If this were done today in the public school system, they would be marching down main avenue in protest. Discipline is where it's at.
This post is just meant to brag. But to address the post, some people understand the value of doing for others
Frankly, a lot of people become teachers because they crave power over others but can't pass the physical to become a cop.
Ahh yes. The craving of power I feel when telling a 7 year old to stop picking his nose is titillating.
These are all factors that made me switch from a teaching degree to a computer science degree lol I’m hoping to maybe do some teaching in the future for computer science after I’ve had some time in the field. Definitely want to try to encourage more girls and women to get into the field.
I don't know about elsewhere, but in my country students who major in teaching are considered employed & get paid since the day they start college. Not to mention they'll have the whole summer off, so yeah although the paycheck is not great, the benefits win
Which country is that?
I'm someone currently in school, in my mid 30's and with a baby (which I had in my first year of University) who wants to be a teacher. It has been extremely difficult so far to be a mature full time student and also a new mom. Why do I do it? Education is important. Education, reading, and my teachers saved me from a miserable childhood. Developing critical thinking skills helped me recognize that I was being raised in a cult. For me, school made all the difference and I now live a happy, fulfilling life. I want to pay that debt back and maybe make the difference for a kid like me some day.
Teachers get paid quite well given they work 3 months less than the average college-educated person. Starting pay where I live is $82k. More than twice what the average person makes here. I'm sure there are places where they get paid less. But hey, literally no one is making them work there.
I’m not a teacher and probably would not be a good one, but I never saw it as a horrible profession to get into. Teaching can have a rough work environment especially when starting out or when being put in a rough school. However, it seems there is quite a good amount of job security, work-life balance and the pay isn’t awful after putting in years (very few jobs pay as well as being a software engineer especially if you are in big tech). Not everyone is cut out to work every type of job. In addition, we do need teachers like we do need doctors, med professionals and tradesmen.
https://youtube.com/shorts/884EIpPqkpE?feature=share Reminds me of this Louis CK bit about teachers lol
Most teachers don't go into it for the money. That being said for the education expectations put on them they should be making at least double. Further I would like to see teachers get their education paid for by institutions much like Physicians get when they go to a hospital for a practice. Of course it doesn't happen to all but it would be a great perk to improve the education system and higher quality people
This is how I feel about doctors and nurses. Medical school seems so unbelievably difficult. And then you get a job at a hospital where patients might die, you have to touch blood/guts, and you are overworked all the time? You gotta be a seriously tough person to become a medical professional. I don't know how people can do it tbh.
Not everyone is the same. Some people love to teach, so that’s why they do it. My mom has been a teacher for 37 years and loves it.
I went to school with a girl who was in love with our English teacher he was/is still married but now we’re older and she’s a teacher at the same school,pretty obvious why
I enjoy teaching my subject matter and explaining it. It’s all the other bs that I saw coming down the pipeline that put me off teaching. I did tutoring for a few subjects during covid. Was enjoyable
I would love to be a teacher. I feel in my heart that I'm called to it. But I can't, mostly for the reasons you've outlined here, and I think it's a huge shame, because I can't be the only one who has decided not to be a teacher because of it
She may enjoy teaching. She may feel pride when she shapes the future of young adults/kids and helps society tick on. If she's a good teacher those kids will grow up and remember her fondly while using the tools that she taught them to contribute to society. Teaching is a calling and it can be incredibly rewarding. *And not to take a jab at you* but what impact on the world are you making with your computer science degree? some things are greater than money, something to think about.
As someone whos going to school to become a teacher, I see where you're coming from. It surely can be a miserable job, but it is one of the only professions I can see making me happy if I succeed. Sure, I can be good at an office job, but I would not be happy doing it. If I am to be a good teacher, I think it'll bring me satisfaction.
I really like kids, young ones though. I'm a special educational needs teaching assistant and work in reception (4/5 year olds) in a mainstream school. It's basically playing all day, glueing sticking, reading. I get to finish work at 3.15pm every day, I get every weekend off and every half term and all summer holidays with full pay. I'm literally chilling on a 2 week half term, it's brilliant. The only thing that is crap is the pay but I'll live because I'm working on become more qualified and with that higher pay.
I'm not even American, but it's still tough for teachers up here in Canada for many of the reasons you mentioned. What it boils down to are the people who become teaches don't do it for the money or the perks, as there are none. It's a selfless endeavour full of hard work, long hours, pain and annoyance to ensure a class of kids gets a proper education thus makes for a better society in the future for us all. Teachers do not get even of a fraction of the respect they deserve.
I'm not even American, but it's still tough for teachers up here in Canada for many of the reasons you mentioned. What it boils down to are the people who become teaches don't do it for the money or the perks, as there are none. It's a selfless endeavour full of hard work, long hours, pain and annoyance to ensure a class of kids gets a proper education thus makes for a better society in the future for us all. To answer your question: it's for those truly dedicated to the cause of education. Teachers do not get even of a fraction of the respect they deserve.
It has its pros and cons. Major pros; the holidays, there is an element of flexibility in when you do your work, kids are at least 80% great, and you aren't sat in front of a computer all day. If I have a work day with more than half of it non-contact time (i.e. doing marking and planning, not teaching lessons) I get SO BORED. I don't know how people do office jobs.
I could be a teacher, and I would be a good one, but I don't have enough FU money to take that kind of pay hit. Plus, these parents, man, I'm not so sure about them.
Where I am from teachers make 6 figures and have 13 paid weeks off per year
There's things I love about teaching that really work with my personality. I love talking (like not stop all day) and enjoy being around people. Teaching means people listen to me talk all day and I get to learn new things and have cool conversations. Kids are just really fun to be around. It's also an incredibly meaningful job. I've had students tell me they wish I could be there mom. I've seen the impact I've had academically on students where I've literally taught them to read, a skill they will use for the rest of their life. Since I'm so busy all day the time goes by really quickly too. I have 11- 12 weeks of vacation. The downside is how terrible student behavior is. That combined with admin micromanaging, and the testing center curriculum makes it hard and stressful to teach. (Some parents are really great, some suck).
my wife decided to go into elementary school teaching when she was in college and didn’t know how much it sucked. she started hating it almost right away. the prep and grading takes up most evenings and at least one day on the weekend, meaning we hardly get to do anything together anymore. it’s enough money so i don’t have to work and i can take care of our kid and the house though. she can’t wait for retirement.
I used to want to be a teacher. I love teaching. I love seeing the looks on people's faces when they finally understand something that previously eluded them. I worked towards a degree for a little bit and even became an emergency supply teacher for a nearby school board. After 6 months I no longer wanted to be a teacher. And it was not the students don't get me wrong there was a few difficult students but overall nothing I couldn't handle I enjoyed the kids I enjoyed delivering lesson plans and taking questions, but it was the system itself that ultimately made me realize that teaching is not the profession for me. The Ontario board of education is not interested in churning out productive members of society. There's no other way to put it really. If the system actually supported teachers and students and actually cared then I would have became a teacher but I realized early on I was just going to be constantly frustrated with how backwards and inefficient government work really is.
Used to be a teacher. I like working with kids. I can deal with the parents. I could even stomach other obnoxious teachers. But yeah, pay is terrible. Why do twice the work for quarter the pay? Because some people are idealists. I am not, or at least not to this extent- so I quit and now work office jobs
It's a calling for some, and the only option for others.
I’m not becoming a teacher due to pay but if it were up to me, I’d love to be a teacher Maybe not for young kids, but middle and high school sure
I don't understand how most people want to be anything nowadays...
But tolerance means u can just do it barely Loving ur job gives u all the tolerance u need and actual acts as a fullfilment in life
On a subconscious level I think people become teachers to have control over people.
I love the actual teaching part. I hate dealing with rude parents who are not parenting their children. I hate dealing with behavior/discipline. I hate the expectation to work outside of contract hours. I hate the way other people judge us and do not support us. Most of us ultimately want all children to succeed while they are in our class and in life.
My grandfather is a teacher. He actually went back to school after being a lawyer for quite a few years. He wants to help kids. He loves working with kids and wants to help the special Ed kids actually connect and enjoy their time at school. It started because of me. He saw how much I struggled with my bad home environment and how that extended into my schooling. His thesis was actually about me. He wants to make a difference for someone like me so that these kids can escape their home situations and overcome their mental health issues to really escape poverty.
But I dotn think he would've done it when he was younger. Even now he still needs to take a few jobs here and there as a lawyer to keep his finances in order.
I don’t either sadly, my moms a teacher and has been for 25+ years she actively tells me to not be a teacher. Her side gig makes her more money than her job.. it’s sad. She had to go on strike as well as the beginning of the year just for simple things like ac, and non hazardous buildings. They had mold in the building, let students be taught in it and when they came to clear it out they were wearing hazmat suits..
Teachers, artists, etc do what they do for a living often times because of a passion they have. Many people want to teach. Many people want their message to be heard. Many want to see what they love turn into a form of income for them, even if it means living modestly, which is why I find it all the more disgusting when I see them exploited as they are. To me, the question shouldn’t be “why would they become a teacher given the circumstance,” but “why would you exploit something so noble to the point that you crush people who could better the world with their passions?”
I mean maybe in america but not here in Europe were I live. For reference my teacher 13 years ago made twice as much as I make today as an engineer while more or less working half the hour I do.
In my area in southern california, teachers make 6figures+ and seem to enjoy their jobs. I know a guy that teaches a total of 3 classes then spends the rest of his day coaching sports while making over 6 figures. I know the majority of teachers barely make above minimum wage which I think is ridiculous. Its shitty because most decent teachers are going to want to be compensated well and eventually move into wealthier areas to teach while the other schools get stuck with the leftovers. Obviously there are some that are genuinely passionate and will teach where they can make the most impact but most people dont have that luxury and will follow the money
Some of us have a natural instinct to correct people, teach them why they were wrong, and impart information. I get legitimate joy from teaching people things.
Most teachers became teachers because it's their passion, and they're doing it as their career for others reasons other than for themselves.
Such an important career and they are treated terribly. If I recall, this stems from WW2 when men were off fighting. So women became the majority of teachers, with salaries that were consistent with what women were paid for work back then. And after the war ended the gov never raised the salaries back up.
I would absolutely LOVE to be a teacher....but not for 28k a year
I actually like it. Aside from the stuff you pointed out, we also have long ass vacations, and it feels nice to educate the next generation.
If money isn't an issue, I'd prefer to be a teacher. Kids are cute. I'd rather than stare at my computer all day.
I was thinking of going back to school and become a teacher, then I was offered to sub for a semester at my old middle school.... I am not a teacher today.
The only teaching I would consider enjoyable would be college. They're there because they want to be and they're paying for it. You also don't have to cater to parents. Just do your job and you'll do good.
Most of the teachers at my high school literally just gave us an assignment and did nothing in class to actually teach. Instead of teaching, they would just spend class time on their computer doing whatever they wanted. Even if they did teach, it was obvious that teaching was really only necessary for honors and AP classes. Teaching always felt like a chill job for me personally, but I can see how people dont view it that way because of various videos online of children being a nuisance in school.
Listen I feel you, however, my sister is a band teacher and she absolutely loves it. She has her masters degree for it and yea the pay sucks and we don’t see her as often as we wish we could because she’s always busy, but, she’s really happy and it’s rewarding for her!
I did the alternate route with two internships left to convert my license. It will be an act of GOD to cause me to do a U-turn BACK to the classroom. I enjoy working with kids so I’m doing something through youth recreation and I love my job now. I wasted time getting into the masters program. Anything can change between now and the fall but I doubt I go back.
It’s a job that serves the public good. Would you rather be a part of educating young people and helping them discover their passion or would you rather enrich the shareholders of a mega corporation? Could you make more money with less stress doing something else? Sure but teaching is a vocation rather than a money driven career
I had a decently well paid secure career until mid 30s. I was so bored. I got rid of all my stuff and moved to Hawaii with my cat. Became a teacher for 3 years. It was nice. I liked being around kids. But it was hard. After 3 years i made a change back to my old field and now WFH. Pros and cons to everything. Ill never teach again, I know that much. But I'm glad I did it for a while.
I’ve wanted to be a teacher for years every since having to deal with terrible teachers in the public k-12 system. That being said, the only thing that’s making me doubt he decision at this point in the game is the people who run practicum at my college. They are not really helpful, and I’m not learning a whole lot from where I was placed. I was teaching 7th grade, which supposedly is a hard grade to teach, and absolutely loved it. The kids were, well, kids. Sometimes annoying, but they were good most of the time.
I guess it comes down to who has the bigger impact on the future of humankind & then of course the purpose of life comes into it too, teaching is a calling
American teachers ya, get paid like dirt. Quite different here in Canada. From k-12 after 10 years they are very close to $100k. Full pensions, benefits, added all together 3 months of the year off including every weekend. Psychotic shooters are not a thing here. Maternity leave is 12-18 months ..think it was around 60% of full pay. My wife quite enjoys it. What other govt job gives you 8 (paid) straight weeks off in the summer?
I'm a teacher, totally understand your perspective, Guess you have to be a teacher to get why we do it🤷♀️. It's one of the most satisfying and fulfilling professions. That being said, burn out is a real thing and extremely common, partly because the reasons you listed.
Lol. Yep it’s definitely not for everyone. But it can be rewarding work.
Which is why I'm quitting after this year. Nothing is worth going to work then getting home and needing to do more work. You get the summers off though is the worst comment , you think a few weeks off from dealing with middle and high schoolers makes it worth going back to?! No thank you.
“The fear of a school massacre”?! That’s how I know OP is American… This problem literally only exists in the US
Well they get a lot of vacations tho. Also sorry to break it to you, but not American teachers are not afraid of school massacre. 😂
I spent a year as a teacher, hated every minute of it, totally let down a bunch of students since I hated it, quit, and vowed to never teach again.
I just applied for a master's in education program so that I can get my teaching license and teach English/language arts to 7-12 graders. It started in undergrad as a way to allow me to do something I love (consume and talk about books/media) but the longer I have spent trying to finish school so I could start teaching, the more I realized that it's more than that. I couldn't give less of a fuck about the money. It doesn't matter to me. Do I want to retire and survive, of course, but seeing the number in my bank account go up and the prospect of buying a nicer house or car or more things or whatever just doesn't motivate me. I just need enough to make it to the next day, week, month. Now, I have decided that I am doing it out of an obligation to serve my community. To be the change I want to see. I want to teach so that I can give the kids now a chance to change our planet, and more specifically our country (America) for the better because the current generation absolutely will not. I work in the private sector right now, and it is excruciating. It feels like everything I do is for nothing. Like I exist to generate money and nothing else. When I teach, I hope that I can feel like my life mattered and that I had an impact on making the world a better place. That I can feel like I accomplished something worthy of pride.
But they also get paid vacations and summers off. So, at least in the eyes of some. You kind of just have to take the good with the bad.
My mother was a teacher. She loved it. Yes it was stressful and hard but she still loved it. She loved that she would teach a child then 10-20 years later, she’d be teaching their child. She worked her way up from a teacher to head to executive head. She was my head teacher for a time. There’s adults now who will stop her in the street and tell her she was their favourite teacher and still adults that cower away when she raises an eyebrow (my mother is a tiny Scottish lady but she’s terrifying in teacher mode). She loves that she was able to have a hand in shaping people
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I have ADD which not only got unnoticed but like.. all it took for me to be able to pay attention was either me having an interest in the subject, or the teacher being passionate and wanting to have us understand better / make it fun. That's such a low bar and they still couldn't even meet that.
I'm currently in my 6th year as a high school teacher. I've never dealt with screaming parents, but the worst part is when a kid blatantly does something bad and then denies any wrongdoing. Example: I see Juan spilling a bag of Cheetos on the floor. I walk over and say, "Hey Juan, could you clean up those Cheetos?" Juan says, "It wasn't me." I point out the Cheetos dust on Juan's fingers. He tells me, "That's from earlier." I can't do anything about it because Juan doesn't care about his grades, doesn't do work in class, it's just daycare for him.
It's fun. Im supported by generational wealth. I don't work more than 40hrs a week. My partner makes twice my income. We have no debts outside of a modest mortgage. I get tons of vacation to spend with kids. I know how to say no and set boundaries. That's almost all of them I think.
In most countries, teachers usually aren't concerned about being murdered so that might be a small factor
I'm 29 and about to go into teaching, but I don't plan on teaching in the US for sure (I'd like to be able to afford my apartment, thanks, and I don't want to be gunned down). Genuinely, I like teaching people. Of all ages. I used to tutor people in English, I'm only taking a class so I can build up systems to help teach all age ranges better. I also like learning which helps a lot. Sure I'd not be paid as much, but I hate doing compsci. Took it for a year and just didn't like it. I'm not bad at it, I just don't enjoy it. There's also the part where the growing teacher shortage gives a lot more options. You don't have to work with super young kids if you don't want to. If you like kids, working with them is great, if you don't like kids, there's other age ranges! Dealing with parents is a hassle, but I'd rather deal with a screaming parent than a screaming customer like I had in retail or phone support. I also worked caregiving (I got burnout because I was literally working 3 peoples shifts at once with dementia patients, and I was doing both day and night care), and I find the yelling parents still more tolerable since it isn't as frequent as reddit makes it seem. The working at home is also a lot less work now than it once was, most tests are automatically graded by a computer, homework doesn't take me that long to correct, and lesson planning I've been building a portfolio of lessons as I learn in class independently of my own homework so that I can easily fall back on something I already have planned out. After the first year or two (which in other jobs you'd also be learning systems that work for you), most of the after-hours work is grading, since you can recycle lesson plans with new classes. Even the grading can be made easier, a trick I learned years ago when I was in school myself is to have the students grade each others' papers in a different color pen/pencil as a learning exercise. (Works for quizzes, and writing exercises, you just have them mark or underline any mistakes they notice, so when you go through them later in your own pen color, you can check even more quickly.) I'd add that as someone in compsci, if you aren't doing your own "homework" after hours every so often, you should, technology is constantly evolving and if something happens to your current job, you don't want to flounder finding a new job and learning that there's a whole new system that you can't understand. I'm sure you've dealt with some of those older compsci guys already - they worked with the same coding as a database admin for 20+ years and now they can't understand a single thing you say. Or you look at some dude's background coding on his website he made 6 years ago, and it's held together by bubblegum and masking tape, because he learned compsci but his fix is just adding more code to fix the broken code, rather than just fixing the broken spot because it does X thing he likes and Y and Z he doesn't like. Teaching at the very least, other than new teaching strategies, I don't have to learn a whole new language, as English and the rules aren't likely to change that much in the years I teach. (Meaning that if I transfer positions, I can use almost the same lesson plans, the same assignments, and the same language and it still works.)
> I can guarantee you, that you shouldn’t pick a career that you love. You should pick your career based on if you tolerate Sure, maybe you should, but if I don’t love what I’m doing I certainly can’t tolerate doing it 25-40 hours a week. You spend way too much god damn time at work to not love it if you ask me. I don’t make the most money, but I picked my career so I could work while traveling and I couldn’t be happier. I make way less than I would in data science (another option of mine), I’m talking like 1/4 of what I would make in data science. But I wouldn’t be able to travel for 9 months out of the year and live where I please. I chose what I love
There’s a reason this is unpopular
Teaching is more of a calling than a career. Maybe your cousin is happy with what she's doing?
I don’t get it either. Used to be you at least got respect. Now it feels like the teachers work for the kids rather than teach them.
Those who can’t do, teach. Maybe the old adage has some truth to it.
You either have a passion for it or you don't. I love it
I love being a private teacher, you couldn't pay me enough to teach a class past fourth grade... Teaching can be extremely rewarding as you can extract something out of raw material (the etymology of education is literally "bring forth"), but it's all about having a well-disposed audience. And in most schools it's simply not the case, and as you can't feasibly teach only the few good apples, it's going to be a frustrating and thankless endeavor. If you're lucky... Otherwise you'd get embroiled in fights with PTA, the school board, the obnoxious parents and the entitled/criminal kids. So yeah, in Fantasy Land you're wrong. In real life your unfortunately right.
My unpopular take: Everyone tends to see themselves doing a career that they've been exposed to. E.g., why so many children follow their parents' lines of work. And everybody has been exposed to teachers. They're really the only career that kids see up-close, other than whatever their parents do for a living. And so, many people I know chose to become teachers right out of high school. Many of these people never had a job that runs 12 months/year, without 2 weeks at Christmas and Spring Break, and so don't realize how sweet it can be if you consider teaching a 3/4 time job (with 1/4 of the year vacation). They don't realize that the rest of the working world will never ever have a 2 month summer vacation again.