If you are good at a certain subject and have one or two teachers that you look up to, you might be considering becoming a teacher yourself. However, an important thing to keep in mind is that just because you are a good teacher does not necessarily mean you will be a good teacher. There’s a myriad of things that go into teaching beyond knowing your stuff. For the right individual, however, teaching can be an extremely rewarding career. If you are not into working with large groups of people or overly-reactive and hormonal teenagers, then this is not a career that’s best suited for you. The early career teacher salary has seen a big hike in recent years.

In order to be a great teacher, you need to be excellent at figuring out ways to get young individuals interested in the subject and kickstart their curiosity. This calls for a profound appreciation of the manner that young students think and feel- something that many individuals tend to lose as they grow older or pursue a narrow interest in their desired subject. You may graduate from university, with a great qualification, but find it challenging to understand the thought process of students that get into the classroom wishing they were still out there playing with their friends. In some cases, teachers become too hooked on their own discipline that they become disillusioned with the challenges that come with working with young students who aren’t looking forward to hearing about science or poetry.

In addition, teachers also have to be good at classroom management. This is likely something they will be questioned about in their career so looking at common classroom management interview questions and having a list of prepared answers can be very beneficial. They need to decide how the students should enter the class, how the desks should be arranged, where they should sit, and also create an ideal lesson plan with an array of interesting activities in order to keep them motivated. Discipline is also a major issue. While teachers need to be primarily enthusiastic while in the classroom, they also need to be good at policing. Regardless of how well you plan a lesson, there are bound to be disruptive students that need to be dealt with accordingly. Even the best ones are prone to losing respect for a teacher who is unable to control the unruly aspects properly. A teacher is on their feet a lot of the day so supportive shoes are a must.

The demand for ascertaining order in a classroom is one of the major reasons that teachers need high self-esteem. It’s not uncommon to have people who commit their lives to their subjects perform excellently in those disciplines, but have a low level of self-esteem. The unresolved teen issues of mixing with peers can result in a general sense of social insecurity even as an adult. This can be a huge problem, especially when you decide to take on teaching. If you are not confident in unusual social situations, then classroom management can be hard to cope with.

Individuals with social insecurities tend to either keep distance from the students and fail in establishing meaningful communication or do the exact opposite and nervously attempt to befriend every pupil. The latter usually ends in a catastrophe. Teachers should be able to relate to their pupils and present themselves in an approachable manner so that any student feels comfortable asking questions whenever they encounter a challenge. However, the classroom may also turn into a chaotic space if the teacher tries to make an impression that they are all good friends.

Teachers who grew up in closely-knit neighborhoods or went to small local schools are likely to be shocked when they are posted in a huge inner-city school. Nowadays, it is extremely difficult for teachers to inspire a sense of awe in students. Those who engage in sex, drugs, and parties or those who are unable to achieve good grades in school have come to the conclusion that school is awful and the teacher cannot do anything to convince them otherwise. We live in the age of the internet which comes with both ups and downs. While the internet is highly educative, it has also become a huge concern for students that are not realistic about their goals, want to take shortcuts and engage in behaviors that older people in the entertainment industry usually do.  Corporal punishment is not allowed and the student can basically refuse to follow instructions. Pupils that like to be the center of attention can be extremely problematic, making teaching hectic.

A career in teaching can be difficult, but all hurdles can be met with the right strategy and skills. If you are a well-trained teacher, there is no situation that is too hard to handle. However, to become a great teacher, you have to start out with the proper character. It is important to be tough in order to make it in a teaching career.

Published: 2022-06-14 10:47:14