A few weeks ago I received the email below from one of my followers on Instagram:
Hi Kelly-Anne,
I am sending you a quick note asking for a little advice on becoming a social studies teacher.
A little about me: I am a college junior majoring in secondary education
with a concentration in social studies/history and I have an
overwhelming passion for U.S. History and government! As I begin to
think about life after graduation, I have been asking for advice and
talking to several educators and administrators, including a few of my
high school history teachers. The majority of responses I am getting are
making me terrified of becoming a teacher. From the low pay, to new
common core standards - I am being very negatively influenced on the
profession. One of my favorite teachers has now quit teaching after just
four years in the school system and has made me question my college
major. I feel overwhelmed because people say teaching is the hardest job
and you aren't rewarded and compensated like teachers should be. I
understand that I won't become rich being an educator, and I am OK with
that :)
I am hoping you can share your
teaching experience with me because you seem to love what you do, and
you look so very happy! I admire you and I only hope to be the crafty
teacher you are someday.
Thanks!
It took me a little while to respond as it's sort of a daunting question...what advice can I give those looking to enter the teaching profession? Here was my response:
Hello!
First, thank you for the
lovely compliment at the end of your email...I am, for the most part,
very happy in my life and chosen career! I, too, majored in secondary
education with a concentration in social studies (focusing on US
History) and was very excited and passionate about my area of studies!
I'd like to disagree with what others have said to you about the low pay, low
recognition, and high stress, but I can't. Those are all very real
downsides to this profession. I'd also like to say that I hadn't
seriously considered leaving the teaching profession for some other
career choice but I can't say that either because I have, at one point or
another, thought about other career paths.
I've heard and read that over half of all new teachers
quit within the first 5 years (so it doesn't surprise me that your
favorite teacher quit after only 4 years in) and I, too, personally know
friends/colleagues who quit after only a few years. It's an extremely
demanding career field where you will work harder than you ever
imagined. There will be lots of days where you will work yourself
ragged and will be so very patient but still wonder '
am I really making
any difference here'? Some teenagers can be ruthless (I use the word 'some' because others are thoughtful, helpful, and kind) and can be very quick to
complain. It's hard to not take that personally but you will eventually
realize that it's often times not really about you and really more
about them.
I still remember my days as a student teacher where I would
spend hours coming up with what I thought were such creative, fun,
engaging lessons and activities only to have my bubble burst when some
kids would still complain about what we were doing and wouldn't complete
their classwork, homework, or any work at all! I almost gave up right then and there because I thought
'what's the point of working this hard if they're just going to
complain'? But, luckily my mentor teacher told me he thought I was going
to make a really good teacher and that I should stick with it.
Here
I am 11 years later and I'm still in the trenches! So, here's the good
side...if you can learn to tune out and/or tolerate the bureaucratic
nonsense that is public education, the parents who enable their kids to
be lazy and entitled, the increasing demands from administration to do
more with less time, the aforementioned complainers, and every other person who thinks they can do this job
better than you (
because obviously having once been a student means one is an expert on teaching), there's a lot to
love about this job.
It feels really, really good teach someone
something they didn't know before (like really good). It feels really
good to show a kid kindness and patience and to see them make progress
and reach goals. It feels really good to laugh out loud almost every day
(because my kids can be so funny, witty, and clever). It feels good to
put in a hard day's work and know that your life is dedicated to serving
your community. It feels AMAZING when, every now and then, you get a
letter or an email from a former student thanking you for not only
teaching them something they are now using in their life but for
teaching them to be kind & hard working people, especially when it's
from a kid whom you never expected to receive such a note.
I
am a more patient, more tolerant, more industrious, more creative, more enthusiastic, and
better-educated person because I am a teacher. Until the cons
outweigh the pros, a teacher I shall remain!
