Anyone a teacher? Do you truly enjoy it?

I am REALLY considering moving from accounting to teaching Pre-K to 3rd grade or so.  I hold a BBA in accounting and have done this for about 8 years now and HATE corporate America. Strict deadlines, all work no play, and most of all someone always higher up takes credit for everything.

I have been thinking about teaching for a while now and I have two small kids (ages 5 and 1) who I absolutly adore and could see myself teaching a whole room full. They WANT to be in school and LOVE it (well my 5 year old anyways).

So I thought maybe I should try substituting first to see if I really like before I do the emergency certification here in Texas. Or is there a better idea someone has? I have worked in daycares back when I was in college, but have never taught in a school setting before.

Any thoughts about any of this would really be appreciated.

Go for it :] If you think it's something you'd like try it out! Maybe do some volunteering and see if you like the environment and everything before you make any commitments to schooling or anything like that? My mom used to volunteer at my school when I was in elementary as a recess supervisor and teacher assistant and she'd come in and do special art projects with us.

I'd like to hear from some teachers too! I plan to be an elementary art teacher, with the end result working with autistic children. I know it's not the same as teaching a school subject, but still interested. :3

Obviously, I say go for it! And I agree, you can probably volunteer somewhere, just to see what it's like. I don't know if you need schooling to volunteer, but I know you need a license to teach.

If all else fails, you can ALWAYS go back to accounting. I took an accounting class in highschool and I think my brain bled a little... TOO MANY NUMBERS!

I am a substitute teacher and absolutely love it.  I would recommend starting out as a substitute to explore if you really do enjoy teaching before making a greater commitment. 

I came to teaching after a career in finance myself (I teach Spanish, however, not Math or anything numbers related).  I have to say, it was definitely the change I needed, after dealing with intangible numbers and feeling completely unrewarded (aside form bonuses). 

A word of warning: Teaching is HARD and A LOT OF WORK, even as substitute.  It requires an immense amount of patience, coupled with great tact, diplomacy and ubiquity - something that is very difficult for a lot of people.  While you are the authority figure in these kids' lives, you have to know where to draw the line between your responsibility as a teacher and the fact that you are not the child's parent. Also, you have to know how to talk to the parent of a child with issues without seeming like you are on the attack, getting the parent to come to your side.  In some cases, it is easy.  In others...let me just say I have wanted to strangle more than one parent in my experience :)  But you have to learn not to let it affect you.

Also, if you are the sensitive type, some of the human issues you can face in the classroom have the potential of traveling with you to your personal life.  I know for myself I had to work really hard leaving certain difficult situations (a couple of students facing really tough family circumstances, for example) at the door and not letting it affect me emotionally in my personal life.

That said, I have never felt more rewarded in my life and I would recommend teaching to anyone with the right temperament and passion! 

Another thing: I am sure you know this, but it is a lot easier teaching kids who LOVE school and enjoy being there, than it is teaching those who (for whatever reason: family, learning disabilities, behavioral problems) HATE school and do not want to be there.  That is where the real (com)passionate teachers come out :)   

Hmm, now you've piqued my curiosity. Do you have to have a teaching degree to be a substitute teacher? What kind of qualifications do they ask for?

Thanks!

I think there are certian people out there who are MEANT to teach.. others just aren't.  Throughout high school, I only had four teachers who actually were MEANT to teach.  I had an incredible experience learning from them.  Now that I'm in college (a small private school), everyone there WANTS to teach and I am learning so much more than I could have ever imagined.

If you're considering becoming a teacher, you really have to think about whether or not you can deal with screaming kids all day.. badly behaved kids who steal other kids' crayons and push and don't share.  Even the occasional elementary school kid who smokes cigarettes in the bathroom, and the 3rd grade "couples" who go in the bathrooms and.. well, do things that they aren't supposed to do.  All of this stuff is really going on in elementary schools nowadays, it's getting more and more dramatic.  I know because my youngest brother is in 4th grade or something now and my mom tells me horror stories about what goes on at his school, which is one of the top public elementary schools in SD.. it's not the ghetto and it's not undisciplined.. but kids are going to do what they want to do..

I dunno, just my 2 cents.  I had an awful school experience so I advise anyone who wants to be a teacher to REALLY think about it beforehand.  It's not just a job.. it's a kid's future in your hands.

I don't know if I will be a good teacher or if I meant to teach or anything like that, but it's been my life goal since I was 4 years old. It hasn't changed, I used to be a teacher's aide for a first grade class room, and I used to help kids with everything and I loved it (especially art stuff, oh man, kid's are so creative, it's awesome). It further fueled me to wanna be a teacher even more, back then.

As for the negative things, you deal with negative things at every job, whether it is adults or children (sometimes it's hard to tell whether you're dealing with kids or adults :P).

I think if someone is tired of the same old thing, and they wanna try something new, they should. It'll either backfire or it'll open up new doors.

I figured I'd throw my two cents in here, since I went through something similar . . .

I come from a really driven family, and was raised by a single father. I think he instilled in me that there was something wrong with jobs socially tied to women (teaching, nursing, etc.). At any rate, I always suspected I would like teaching and that I would be a good teacher, but it was a little too "feminine" and seemed like an under-achievement. So instead I ended up getting my master's in politics and working in journalism . . .

 . . . AND THEN I decided I had to be a teacher :) Elementary no less. That was two years ago.

As it turns out, I LOVE my job, I'm pretty damn good at it, and my family has even come around to supporting me in my decision.

I will definitely confirm that its no walk in the park. I think I spend less than half of my day actually teaching . . . there's paperwork and assistance tasks and discipline (oh discipline!). Be prepared to deal with nasty kids and even nastier parents and coworkers.

Anyway, no one can make the decision for you, but if you feel it in your gut, then just go for it! You won't regret it :)

WOW! Thanks for all the input! I called my district's HR person yesterday and found out you only need a HS diploma to sub~ I have a bachelors so I am a shoe in. I am actually going to try it at the elementary and junior high levels to see which I enjoy more. Because I LOVE the age of the kids and activities that go along with kinder-1st grade I will probably aim for that, but then again maybe there will be a junior high class that is just as fun. I don't know! I might just like the age because I have a 5 year old.

Once I get a few "teaching" days under my belt I might even try highschool, but right now they would eat me alive! They can sense fear you know........been there done that, lol. We'll see..............thanks again!

To the person who asked about sub teaching-- in the US you don't need a teaching degree (in most states), you just need a bachelor's.

I'm a teacher. Don't love it, don't hate it. I have my kids I absolutely adore and the kids who I'd love to throw through a wall. I teach K-6 and my favorite kids are the 3rd-4th graders. They're adorable and before that age where the attitude is bad and after the age of random crying fits. 

Original Post by cptbunny:

I'd like to hear from some teachers too! I plan to be an elementary art teacher, with the end result working with autistic children. I know it's not the same as teaching a school subject, but still interested. :3

Obviously, I say go for it! And I agree, you can probably volunteer somewhere, just to see what it's like. I don't know if you need schooling to volunteer, but I know you need a license to teach.

If all else fails, you can ALWAYS go back to accounting. I took an accounting class in highschool and I think my brain bled a little... TOO MANY NUMBERS!

Hey Bunny

Why autistic kids?  Because of their creativity?  Or do love them for a special reason?

I am an English as a Second Language teacher in a middle school, and it absolutely the hardest and best thing I have ever done.

Original Post by rosieblue:

Original Post by cptbunny:

I'd like to hear from some teachers too! I plan to be an elementary art teacher, with the end result working with autistic children. I know it's not the same as teaching a school subject, but still interested. :3

Obviously, I say go for it! And I agree, you can probably volunteer somewhere, just to see what it's like. I don't know if you need schooling to volunteer, but I know you need a license to teach.

If all else fails, you can ALWAYS go back to accounting. I took an accounting class in highschool and I think my brain bled a little... TOO MANY NUMBERS!

Hey Bunny

Why autistic kids?  Because of their creativity?  Or do love them for a special reason?

I just really really love autistic kids, I love the way they think and their logic. I had a close friend when I was little who was autistic, she was the best (and really confusing :P). I've always had an interest in autism, and I want to be an art teacher so, why not combine the two? :D

I hope to teach 4th-5th grade. :D

I'm not a teacher - I worked as a speech-language pathologist in elementary schools.

I have to say, that for the most part, it is not the kids that are difficult.  It is the paperwork, the system, and the parents that are difficult.

For your first couple of years, I would definitely look for a nice school district, that has nice buildings, good funding, and space for all the teachers.  If you feel the need to work with underprivileged kids, then wait until you are experienced enough to survive.

I made the mistake of starting my career in an inner city school district, and it made my first two years even harder than they should have been.  I was doing therapy in the hallways, for crying out loud!

Substituting for a while is an awesome idea.  Also, you might want to follow a teacher for a few weeks before you plunge in full-time. 

I say do it! If you feel desire in your heart to teach (I believe) you'll make a wonderful teacher. IMO, it's one of the most fulfilling jobs in the world.

I wish I had considered teaching as a career.  It wasn't till I had my children that I realized how much I enjoyed showing them EVERYTHING and watching them learn and be fascinated - I love that.  Sounds like you've had a similar experience.  Go for it if you are able to - I don't think you'll regret it.