Are you a teacher? Do you enjoy your job?

[mkr]

This is my 34th year in the classroom and the 20th at the high school in which I teach. I teach math to special education students. I love teaching students and working with my peers; however, I hate the paperwork. Every year there seems to be more to complete. Also, I am the department chairperson and it is my responsibility to make sure that it is done correctly. Most of the students I work with are good kids and I enjoy a good relationship with their parents. It means so much when parents ask me to please not retire until their child has graduated.
As a parent, I enjoyed working at the same high school that my son attended. I never saw him (unless he needed money or a note to check out)but I knew what was going on in the school. As a senior sponsor, graduation was so special the year he graduated. He was the valedictorian of his class and a National Merit Finalist. I will always be grateful that I could be there with him for that special year.
Teaching has been a wonderful "career" for me but is is not a professional to enter unless you feel a passion, calling, etc. Unless your heart is there the days become very long and you burn out quickly. I have seen this many times over the years.
Good luck and I hope you find the answers you are seeking.

 

[Boston Tea Party]

The most difficult part for me at times is dealing with unrealistic parents, but most of the parents are very supportive and involved in their child's education.

I glossed over that part. You want to believe that everyone is reasonable and supportive, but that is just not true. A great principal is your best asset in case they are not. It took me nine years to get to a nut. Thank goodness my principal has known me those nine years. It was still a nightmare.

 

[etoiles]

I have been teaching for nine years and enjoy it. I have worked for four different schools and the students can be enjoyable anywhere but it is my colleagues and administration that helped me truly enjoy or dread the job. I have found that I enjoy working in a small school environment where I can get to know everyone and feel like part of a community.

As other posters stated, I would highly advise to check out the job market first or be prepared to relocate to find a job. My job was cut at a school I had taught at for five years 1 1/2 years ago and for last school year all I could find was a job teaching part time for two days a week which would not pay the bills (luckily I had DH to support me). I was very lucky to find a job this year full time but believe me I applied to more than 100 places and went on many, many interviews and even final interviews and it was extremely competitive. I feel very fortunate to have found this and I think my past teaching experience is what helped me get this job.

 

[Miller1412]

I have been teaching kindergarten for more years then I can count but I love it.

I can't imagine teaching any other grade. It is so rewarding to watch these kids come in like babies, and go out like school kids. They are amazing and learn so much over the course of the year.

That being said...there is MUCH more to kindergarten than you might think. Kindergarten these days is like first grade used to be. NCLB has really pushed the curriculum down, so sometimes the late bloomers have a tough time.

Starting a kindergarten year is like the movie kindergarten cop, where you just want to freak out and scream "Shut up and sit down!"...but of course, you can't do that. You feel like your head is going to explode, but each day gets a little better until you finally get them trained, and then, it's time to move on and you get to start all over again with a new group!

It is great though, you get lots of hugs and love and they think you are a superstar.

Good luck to you!

 

[Minnie_me]

I taught Kindergarten for 20 years, and now am in my 3rd year of teaching pre-Kindergarten. Here are my responses to your questions:

So, firstly, do you enjoy your job?

Absolutely! It's different every single day, never boring!

What is it like?

It's very rewarding, fun and challenging. Dealing with difficult students and/or parents is the worst part.

Do you arrive at your class early in the morning, deal with small children all day, send kids home after lunch and have to clean the classroom before waking up early the next day to do it all over again?

We have full day Kindergarten. I always arrive at 7:30, kids arrive at 9:00 (YES -- there is THAT MUCH prep to do with early childhood ed!!). Then it's full steam ahead until dismissal at 3:30. You barely get a chance to breathe, eat or pee. Then I stay until 4:30 or 5:00 to clean up and get ready for the next day.

Also, how many teachers have children?

I have 2 daughters, and it's been more difficult since they were born. All day long, you'll have little children who NEED you every single minute. They fight, they whine, they tell long boring stories. Then you go home and you have your OWN children who NEED you every single minute. And THEY fight and whine and tell you long boring stories - LOL! It's challenging. You have to have much patience.

I think I might want to stop working once I have kids, but if I wanted to keep teaching, is it easier to work once the kids are in school, too? I might want to homeschool. Would that prove too difficult?

I'm not sure what you're asking here. You want to try to homeschool your children while teaching full time? That would be tough!!! I had a good situation: both of my daughters attended my school. So they went in with me in the morning, and came down to my classroom in the afternoon. I got to pop in and see them at lunch. And if there was an assembly or special event in their classroom, I was always able to go.

HTH!