Becoming a Teacher. The Right Decision or Not?
“Did I make the right decision becoming a teacher?” is a question most of us in education has found themselves pondering at one point or another, as most people question the direction their lives have taken. We take a look back to see where we’ve been and survey the path in front to see what’s ahead.
Often times, for many, those observations are made at milestones in their lives and sometimes it happens when the road gets rocky and troubles are on the horizon. Questioning key elements of life is not only common, it’s necessary in order to remain focused and happy. We share the best we have when we “fit” into our lives and exist as our authentic selves.
Commonly enough, most people ponder around similar issues, such as;
- What do I want to be when I grow up?
- What are my gifts and how can I build a life using them?
- How can I contribute to society in a meaningful way?
- Do I want to have children/family?
It’s Your Calling
When we think about someone making the decision to enter the teaching profession, we like to think that their decision is based on a desire to cultivate young minds and guide the educational journey of students. In the best case scenario, we are hopeful that a budding teacher was drawn to the profession out of a deep desire to serve, in a similar way that a person of great faith might choose to follow a religious path.
For most teachers, like Desirae G., Special Education Preschool Teacher, PA, USA this type of desire became apparent during her early years as a middle school student.
“I decided to become a teacher in fifth grade. I was tutoring other students who needed additional help with math and I realized that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life.”
Desirae G. — Special Education Teacher
For Desirae, the realization that teaching was in her blood became apparent from a very young age. She carried that strong desire all the way through college and into the classroom she so lovingly occupies today.
Sometimes It’s a Family Business
But there are other reasons why young adults find themselves studying to become educational professionals. Aside from an innate calling, there seems to be a pattern in some families to follow the profession. We tend to see a trend that many teachers come from families where others are also teachers. Kim Robinson M.Ed., High School Art Teacher, PA, USAfinds this trend present in her own family.
“My family is currently polluted with educators! I teacher HS, my husband teaches MS, my sister-in-law is a kindergarten teacher, my nephew teaches ES health/PE and I have a niece who will graduate in December with an Elementary Education degree.”
Akin to this factor, is the influence a teacher may have had on a young person’s life that later led the person to become a teacher themselves. Often times when we talk to fellow teachers, we hear stories about experiences they had as a child that influenced their decision to become a teacher later on in their lives. The idea of a teacher leaving an indelible mark on a student, both in a positive or a negative way, holds true for most people whether they subsequently chose a teaching career or not. It is as though some teachers have an almost “God-like” presence in the lives of students and that profound effect influences a student when they begin to consider a career path of their own. As a child, I personally experienced an exceptionally caring 2nd grade teacher who extended compassionate guidance to me during a time of family struggle. She was a smile in the doorway that I longed to see each and every morning. Her words of encouragement and kindness made me feel noticed and relevant at a time in my life when things were not going well. I always remembered the way she greeted her students and made us feel important and special. Her influence remained with me throughout the decades and even gave me strength during my own teaching career when I wasn’t feeling very kind or compassionate.
“Her influence remained with me throughout the decades and even gave me strength during my own teaching career when I wasn’t feeling very kind or compassionate.”
In its most basic sense, teaching is sharing what one knows with another person. When we think about the role of “teacher”, it brings to mind a set of common characteristics. Those traits lend credence to the idea that teachers are born and not made. The demeanor, personality and qualities of successful teachers follow a common thread and transcend passed the classroom doors and into their lives in general. Have you ever heard anybody say “Once a teacher, always a teacher?”. Being a lifelong teacher isn’t something you do, it’s something you are.
I Must Share My Knowledge
“Teachers who make teaching a life-long career aren’t in it for the money. They get up and go to work every day because there is a child waiting for them to show them something new.”
Certainly we have all experienced teachers who didn’t quite fit the “teacher mold”. Often times, these unique people leave the most lasting impression on us. However, one common characteristic those rare types share with their more typical counterparts is a calling or deep rooted desire to share their knowledge with others. With this thought in mind, would it be safe to make the assumption that people who enter the teaching profession because they were drawn by a deep desire are more likely to succeed at it and remain satisfied with their decision over the long haul? Kim Robinson shares this belief.
“The excitement you feel as a teacher when a child has an “aha” moment can’t be measured by tests. Hearing a child say “I did it!” or “Look what I did!” is truly a reward. Those who are in it for a career must have an abundance of patience and a genuine caring for youth. Their role as teacher extends to nurse, parent, coach, cheerleader, guardian, protector etc. In terms of influencing someone’s life, there is no better profession.”
Kim Robinson — M. Ed., High School Art Teacher
Aside from an innate “calling” we hope most teachers have, other reasons exist for why some people end up in a classroom in the role of teacher.
A Sense of Duty
Some young adults are easily coerced into the profession by someone in their family who is a teacher and sells them on the idea even though they may be unsure if it is the right path for them. They may not have a strong desire to follow any other interest so they decide to give it a try. They hop on the “hamster wheel” and away they go only to take a look back several years down the line and ask themselves, “Did I make the right decision to become a teacher?”.
Love Kids
Many people like kids and enjoy being in the company of children so the idea of a profession in teaching appeals to them. The thought of sharing their days with children seems fun and appealing so off they go in pursuit of a teaching degree only to find that “liking kids” is probably not going to be enough to support and motivate them long-term. Teacher “burnout” is an all too common result of the challenges of teaching that “liking kids” doesn’t fix.
Schedule Familiarity
College aged young adults are ingrained in a “school schedule” mentality and the appeal of a school day/year schedule seems like a very favorable perk in a profession. The idea of summer breaks and long holidays coupled with a workday that does not require overtime seems like a great deal. It isn’t until a young teacher is well into the swing of teaching and maybe even with a new family/baby that they begin to realize that teaching, as a profession, is not family friendly and in fact requires a great deal more devotion outside the classroom if it is to be done the justice it deserves.
So? Did I?
The tough part about making the decision to become an educator is that in most instances the decision is made when we are only 18–20 years old. Even before we finish our high school years, we are faced with a commitment to a study track in college. Although we have the option to modify that track, changes usually result in lost time and lost financial resources. Ultimately, many just hang in there due to the lack of a second option. However, after the completion of college and a few years in the role of teacher, they begin to ask the question, “Did I make the right decision to become a teacher?”.
According to a recent study published in April 2015 by the US federal government, 17% of all teachers polled from a wide range of school types/locations/age levels, have left the profession before they reached the five-year benchmark. Thankfully, over the last 25 years in the US, college teacher prep programs have placed aspiring teachers in the classroom setting far earlier in their training. This early exposure to the hands-on side of the profession gives teachers-in-training the opportunity to take their heads out of the textbooks and experience the realities of the classroom while they still have an opportunity to decide if teaching is indeed the right fit for them.
The sad truth is there are many great teachers who have opted out of the profession due to external stressors and some teachers, in hindsight and better familiarisation of the demands of the profession, would’ve chosen another career path. Probably still in education, but not as an educator on the frontlines. For reasons that are often beyond their control, valuable teachers have wandered away from the mission.
Some of the common pitfalls that tend to derail teaching careers are:
Thrown to the Wolves
When inexperienced teachers are “thrown to the wolves”, things tend to go sour more often than not. According to the National Education Association, one of the two biggest factors affecting teacher retention is the lack of a solid mentoring program. Schools that pair veteran teachers with new teachers reap the reward of greater teacher retention and satisfaction.
Financial Rewards
It is common knowledge that most new teaching professionals complete their college program saddled in student loan debt. The enormous debt requires them to work a part-time job in addition to their full-time teaching position just to meet their financial obligations. Schools that are able to offer in excess of $40,000 annually in new teacher salary stand a better chance of retaining young professionals.
Lack of Support
Lack of support has to be one of the “biggies” for most teachers at some point in their careers. Teaching is a partnership between school administrators, parents and teachers. In order for that partnership to work, each entity has to do their part. A significant problem is the US school system has been the lack of parental support and the subsequent “spilling over” of societal issues into the classroom. Coupled with the lack of parental support, is the manner in which the media has created a harsh environment by highlighting the “wasteful” spending of tax dollars and lack of student achievement. This barrage of criticism against teachers fuels an environment of disrespect and frustration.
Reap the Rewards
Maybe one of the hardest parts of all about being a teacher is that sometimes it seems like it takes forever to see the benefits of all your hard work and dedication. Often times, progress proceeds at a snail’s pace with little to cheer about on a daily basis. Seeing the fruits of your labor takes a long time and sometimes that long time is just too long. In a society where we are all too accustomed to having everything right now, planting seeds that are going to take years to mature is going to require a long-term investment in your career.
Only you can find the answer
Fact is, there are a boatload of reasons why people enter the teaching profession. There are just as many reasons why some stay and others bail out. When we look at some of the most successful educational systems in the world, we see that the joy of learning and the journey of growth seems to pacify both teacher and student. Take for example only one in ten applicants becoming teachers in Finland, the status of teaching profession elevated, a greater partnership and bond that is created by a shoulder to shoulder approach to education feeds the soul in a way that is necessary for lifelong learning and commitment.
Teaching is one of those things in life that can never really be measured in terms of an outcome. Sure, a test can tell us if a student knows a specific answer but how do you measure the effect that words of encouragement or an example of integrity has on another person? Like the Butterfly Effect, one act spurs another act and becomes the impetus for a chain reaction we never see the end of. And so it is with teaching, there will be times when things get rough and the burden seems too heavy to bear.
Along with the heavy burden might come the question “Did I make the right decision to become a teacher?” Some will answer a resounding “YES!” without hesitation and others will come to the inevitable conclusion… No! In the quietness of your heart, only you can find the answer, and as Nietzsche always says “Never do anything in bad faith”, in other words, don’t do something if your heart is not in it.
Rebecca Eckenrode, Early Education Teacher — Classloom Blog Writer
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Originally published at blog.classloom.com on September 5, 2016.
