AlexKing

ProfessorCaesar
WRA140
1April2015
TheDisciplineofTeaching:Couldthisbetherightjobforyou?
AtagetenMrs.Harrodwouldcomehomefromschooleveryday,andheadstraighttoher
roomwhereherstuffedanimalsawaited.Shethenwouldpretendtoteachthem,handingoutfake
worksheetsandtalkingaloudasiftheywereherstudents.Therewasnoquestioninhermind
then,whenshewasinstructedtopickamajorlateronincollege.Sheknewwhereherheart
belonged,backinherchildhoodroomamongherstuffedanimals:shewasborntobeateacher,
andsoshewas.Perhapsyou,too,alwaysdreamedofbecomingateacher,butforothers,like
myself,itmaynothavebeensoobvious.Thereareafewkeythingstoknowaboutteachingif
thismaybeajobyoureconsideringforthefuture.Acareerasateacheroffersconvenienthours,
goodbenefits,satisfyingrewards,andhasanequalgenderdistributionatthesecondary
educationlevel.Howeverattimes,itcanbedifficult,underpaid,andcompetitive.
Onemainreasonpeoplearedrawnintotheteachingprofessionisbecauseof
its
relativelyflexiblehoursespeciallyforthosewhowishtoraiseafamily.Notonlydomostpublic
schoolsoffermaternityleave,butthegeneralhoursthemselvesappealstomany.Mostschools
runroughlyfrom83.Forthosewhowanttopursueafamilythisworksoutwellbecauseonce
yourchildrenareoldenoughtoattendschoolthemselvesyoucandropthemoffonyourwayto
work,andpickthemuponyourwayhome.Thismakescaringforthechildreneasy,notto
mentionmoreaffordable.Besidesflexiblehours,teachersdonothavetoworkinthesummer
likemostworkingadultsdo.Thisway,theycanspendtheirsummerwiththeirchildrenwhich
appealstomanyparents.AlthoughMrs.Harrod,ateacheratOkemosHighSchool,doesnotyet
havechildrenofherownsheadmitstofeelingrelievedknowingthatwhenthetimedoescome
shewillbeabletospendplentyoftimewithherchildrenwithouthavingtogiveupwhatshe

loves(Harrod).Teachingisagreatprofessionifyou'reinterestedinraisingafamily,butyoure
notwillingtosacrificehavingacareer.Throughteachingyoucanhavethebestofbothworlds.
Anotheraspectpeopleenjoyabouttheteachingprofessionisthatitprovidesgood
benefits.AccordingtoarecentpaperwrittenbyJasonRichwineoftheHeritageFoundation,and
AndrewBriggsoftheAmericanEnterpriseInstitute,teachersenjoylavishbenefitsthatare
morevaluablethantheirbasepayandtwiceasgenerousasthoseofprivatesectorsworkers
(Richwine,Briggs).Retirementandsavingsbenefits,workyearleavebenefits,andretiree
healthcarebenefitsarethreeofthemosthighlynotedbenefitsofteachers.Itisestimatedby
RobertCostrellandMichaelPodgurskyfromEducationNextthatbenefitsadd32percentonto
teacherssalaries(Costrell,Podgursky).So,althoughthepaymaynotenticeyou,thebenefitsare
strong,andareonlyincreasingforfuturegenerations.
Additionally,accordingtoHelenWatt,afacultymemberofeducationatMonash
University,oneofthemostcommonlyreportedreasonsastowhyoneseeksajobintheteaching
professionisbecauseitsrewarding.Manyofthosewhogoontobecometeachershavea
historyofvolunteering,andhelpingothers(Watt).AsIlldiscussfurtheron,teachingisnot
typicallyacareerpeopleseekoutforitssalary.Instead,youmusthaveaninnatelovefor
childrenandyoungadultsandapassionforhelpingotherssucceed.Teachingtakeshoursof
preparation,andevenmorepatience.AsMrs.Harrodtoldme,Althoughitcanbedifficultat
times,seeingtheprogressofstudentsandknowingyouwerealargereasonfortheirsuccessis
oneofthebestfeelings,andoneofthereasonsIfellinlovewithteaching(Harrod).Ifyouhave
aloveforchildren,teaching,andformakingadifferenceintheworld,teachingcouldbethe
careerforyou.
Lastly,atthesecondaryeducationlevelstheratioofmaletofemaleteachersisalmost
even.AccordingtoMenTeach,anorganizationthataimstoraisethenumberofmeninteaching
professions,amere19percentofteachersinelementaryandmiddleschooleducationaremale,
whileinhighschoolthisnumberincreasesto43.3percent(MenTeach).Ifyoureconsideringa
jobinelementaryeducationitsimportanttonoteyouwillbesurroundedprimarilybyother
femaleteachers.Perhapsifyouinteractbestinthissettingthiscouldbethejobforyou.Mrs.

Harrodbelievesthatgenderdoesnotplayasignificantrole.ShefeelsatOkemosHighSchoolall
teachersaretreatedwithequalrespect(Harrod.)So,perhapsyouthriveinafemaleenvironment.
Ifthisisthecaseyoumayseekajobinelementaryeducation.Ifyoupreferamoregender
balancedenvironment,secondaryeducationcouldbeagoodpathforyou.
Asyoucanseetherearemanybenefitsofseekingajobintheteachingprofession.
However,thereareafewfactorsthatoneshouldbewarnedofwhenconsideringajobinthis
field.First,aswithanycareer,teachingcanbeverydifficultattimes.Dependingontheschool
therecouldbeupto30childreninaclassroomatonce,orperhapsworse,30hormonal
teenagers.Eachstudentcomesfromadiversebackground,andeachstudenthastheirown
strengthsandweaknesses,andlikelyalllearndifferently.Becauseofthisitshardtopickone
bestwayofteaching.Tobecomeateacher,youmustbepreparedtobeveryflexibleinyour
teachingapproaches.Somethingthatmayseemeasytoyoumaybehardtounderstandtoa
student.Mrs.Harrodreportedthatthiswasoneofthebiggestchallenges.Shealsonotedthatit
canbeverydifficulttoworkwithparentsattimesbecausealthougheveryparentswantswhat's
bestfortheirchildren,theyoftencantseewhatistakingplaceinsidetheclassroomandthat
politicsplayalargepartinhercareer.Despitethis,manyteacherssuchasMrs.Harrodfirmly
believetherewardsofteachingheavilyoutweighthedifficulties(Harrod).
Youalsomustknowthatteacherswillneverbemillionairesfromteachingalone.
AccordingtoSalary.comwhichtrackstheaveragesalaryofalmosteverycareer,theaverage
teachermakes$54,740(
PublicSchoolTeacherSalary)
.Althoughonecanlikelysupport
themselvesonthissalary,itmaybeaturnofftosome.Toputthingsintoperspective,the
averageAmericanhouseholdmakesroughly$69,000(AverageAmericanSalary).Before
seekingacareerinteachingyoumustaskyourselfHowimportantismoneytome,andDoI
lovethiscareerenoughtogiveupsomeluxuriesinlife.Ifyourewillingtoputmoneyaside,
teachingcouldbeapotentialcareerforyou.Mrs.Harrodfeelsstronglythatteachersare
underpaid.Sheadmittedthat,Ithinkmanypeoplebelievethatteachersendtheirdaysat
2:35...butthatisnttrueatall.Wearealwaysworking.Afterschool,ontheweekends,wetake

everybadorhardsituationhomewithus...Idontknowifyoucanreallyputafairpriceon
teachingourfutureleaders(Harrod).
Thelastfeaturestudentsshouldbemindfulofwhenconsideringjobsinteachingisthat
receivingajobinthisfieldisbecomingincreasinglymoredifficult.AccordingtoKerra
Maddern,reporterfor
TimesHigherEducation,
althoughthejoboutlookforteachersisindeed
growing,soisthedemand.Morepeoplearewantingtobecometeachersthaneverbefore.In
additiontothis,thegovernmentisputtingstrictlimitsonteachingtrainingnumbersleaving
manyqualifiedstudentstofacedisappointment(Maddern).However,thatsnottosayitisnt
possibletoearnajobinteaching.Ifyouareupforthechallengethanteachingcouldbeagood
pathtotake.Mrs.Harrodbelievesitsallaboutstandingoutinyourinterviews.Inspiredbyher
Mom,whoisheadofhumanresourcesatalargeautomotivecompany,sheadmittedtopracticing
beforehandandhighlightinghervolunteerhoursandinternships(Harrod).
Despitethesepotentialdifficulties,manyteacherswillattesttothefactthattherewards
outweightherisks.Thepossibleimpactyouhavetomakeonthesestudentslivesisworththe
pay,andthedifficultiesindealingwithparentsandstudents.Overall,youmusthavetheheartof
passiontobecomeateacher.Thisprofessionismoreabouttheloveofhelpingothersthanitis
makingmoney.Mrs.Harrodnowjokesabouthowherchildhoodstuffedanimalsmaynothave
beenthemostrealisticstudents,andthatyouwilllikelyhavetodealwithsomedifficultstudents.
Despitethisshebelievesyoumustalwaystryandfocusonthegoodineverysituationand
everyperson.Althoughteachingcanbedifficultandfrustratingattimes,Iwouldnttrademyjob
fortheworld(Harrod).

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