Are you happy being a teacher?

Dub63

I've noticed there are quite a few teachers on here.
I've been interested in becoming a teacher for a while now.
I'm in college doing a different type of course, but one that could lead me to it. But I wanna know, is it worth it?
Are you happy being a teacher?

Gluteus maximus

Found myself on this thread by accident - as a sibling to 4 teachers, how can you guys countenance the de facto apartheid that are the reduced terms for new entrants??? Where is the solidarity?

Are you happy being a teacher? Surely this is going to foster poor morale as new entrants mature in the system..?

Just interested, not trying to be hostile.

Lord TSC

Surely this is going to foster poor morale as new entrants mature in the system..?

I think the inability to even get into the system in the first place is what's going to murder moral....

Feeona

Hey OP. I'm happy being a teacher (although I'd be happier if I had something long term instead of months of work here and there!). In teaching, no two days are the same, the kids are great craic for the most part, and it's also a nice part of the job to encourage students to believe in themselves and their abilities. If you really want to get a good idea of what it's like to work in a school, talk to friends who are teachers, get some experience/observation in a school (you probably wouldn't get subbing due to the high numbers of qualified teachers looking for the same however)

Dub63

Feeona wrote: »

Hey OP. I'm happy being a teacher (although I'd be happier if I had something long term instead of months of work here and there!). In teaching, no two days are the same, the kids are great craic for the most part, and it's also a nice part of the job to encourage students to believe in themselves and their abilities. If you really want to get a good idea of what it's like to work in a school, talk to friends who are teachers, get some experience/observation in a school (you probably wouldn't get subbing due to the high numbers of qualified teachers looking for the same however)

Thanks Feeona. I understand from teachers that I've spoken to, it's extremely hard to get a permanent job. I know my old school of a few years ago went through sub teachers every month or so for subjects like English and Irish. Made it very hard on students and the teacher. Nobody had a clue what was going on.

Feeona

Well you're in the right place at the moment...college. Hopefully things will have picked up by the time you come out. Even if things aren't so good then, you could always do a teaching postgrad after a few years working in other areas.

byhookorbycrook

Yes, I'm happy, I love it. Like any job, there are upsides and downsides, but I wouldn't do anything else.I do think doing some observation work in a school is essential. Teaching is a lot different from what you may think it is and has changed totally even in the space of five years.

NoelleTh

I am only in my second year as a qualified teacher so I may still be very naive but I have to say that I love my job! Financially its not very rewarding especially considering the amount of work that you put in outside of your contracted teaching hours BUT it is worth it, I am lucky I'm in a school where the teachers are made to feel very valued by the principal and her management team. The students are another story now but they are the ones that make the job worthwhile! The most frustrating thing for me is that being a NQT I do feel like we were the lambs to the slaughter with the Croke Park Agreement and I'm actually lucky enough to still get my allowances but I think that if teaching is what you want to do you don't plan on getting rich! Like previous posters have said try and get into a school and do a bit of observing and try and avoid the pessimistic older teachers (no offence to older teachers who are full of optimism and sunshine) in the staff room who'll tell you your making a huge mistake!!

SCOOP 64

Im not a teacher ,i think its one of those jobs you have to love doing, regardlesss of pay.

chippers

It definitely has its ups and downs. For example I didn't sleep great last night and went to school today tired and having to face 32 energetic teenagers. It's one of these jobs that regardless of how you are feeling you have to put your teacher mask on and persevere.Today was a tough day and I was happy when the final bell rang. In teaching every day is different and it is impossible to predict how the day will go. I love that side of it, the spontaneity and unknown of what will happen on any given day.

It's also great to be able to teach the students about the subject that you are passionate about. Since graduating this is something that has really been important to me in assessing whether teaching was the right profession for me. I have received great satisfaction in the pupils responses to my teaching. I feel that teaching without a passion for your subject/s would be a painful experience.

flatbackfour

nig1 wrote: »

Im not a teacher ,i think its one of those jobs you have to love doing, regardlesss of pay.

not regardless of pay.

I want a fair days pay in line with my experience and qualifications, and if i have shown I can do the job well, to be guarenteed job stability.

dory

First year out, love the job. I work in a great school and although there is pressure for grades, it's a very enjoyable place to teach.

dukedalton

flatbackfour wrote: »

I want a fair days pay in line with my experience and qualifications, and if i have shown I can do the job well, to be guarenteed job stability.

You won't get that in teaching if you are a recent graduate. And I'm speaking from experience.

Miss Lockhart

Yes and no.

I love being in the classroom teaching my subjects and interacting with the students. I don't mind the paperwork and I enjoy my relationship with my colleagues. I am extremely passionate about my subjects but I am also required to teach other subjects I have minimal interest in. How anyone could teach subjects they aren't passionate about full-time, I don't know.

I hate the way teaching has become a part time job made up of hours and the fact that, for new or recent entrants anyway, it does not provide security or potential to progress. This, I think, will have implications for the development of professional expertise of teachers in the future.

Nobody should be in teaching for the money, but at the same time, teaching should provide a comfortable, secure life for the professionals involved. I supplement my income with my own business (not teaching related) and if I could not I would not be willing to remain in teaching. I have supposedly left my previous profession but at the moment I am teaching for the love of it and working in my previous profession purely for the money.

lily09

I'm primary and permanent so coming from a different angle than others but I love my job. Have never dreaded going to work. I love that no matter how tired you are and how crap life outside school is, the kids will brighten your day with their fantastic take on life. I love that you celebrate every holiday like Christmas, Halloween like its supposed to be celebrated. I love that you get to see these cracked little junior infants with snotty noses grow into mini adults./ I love that sometimes the job is surreal eg when you have a half hour inquisition on who wrote the bad word on the toilet door! I love that no two days or ever the same no matter what your plans are.

What dont I love..never feeling like work is done..at the moment am dodging making a power point presentation on the mountains of Ireland.There is always something to do. But its all worth it in the end for the 20% of the class that are actually listening to me at one time:)

flatbackfour

lily09 wrote: »

I'm primary and permanent so coming from a different angle than others but I love my job. Have never dreaded going to work. I love that no matter how tired you are and how crap life outside school is, the kids will brighten your day with their fantastic take on life. I love that you celebrate every holiday like Christmas, Halloween like its supposed to be celebrated. I love that you get to see these cracked little junior infants with snotty noses grow into mini adults./ I love that sometimes the job is surreal eg when you have a half hour inquisition on who wrote the bad word on the toilet door! I love that no two days or ever the same no matter what your plans are.

What dont I love..never feeling like work is done..at the moment am dodging making a power point presentation on the mountains of Ireland.There is always something to do. But its all worth it in the end for the 20% of the class that are actually listening to me at one time:)

Nice post.

electoralshock

Teamshadowclan wrote: »

I think the inability to even get into the system in the first place is what's going to murder moral....

So true, its all about speculation and what if's. The idea of who you know is so much to the fore. As someone that is fully qualified and registered knowing that an unqualified 'teacher' has hours makes me mad. :mad:

However when I get a chance to get into the classroom I love it!

Lord TSC

I'd be along the same lines. Getting into the classroom, working with kids, building that relationship...that's awesome.

Everything else, on the other hand, has left me dealing with depression and a fair level of anger over the last few months...

Dub63

Thanks everyone for the replies! I would love to teach and I'm grateful for you sharing your experiences.

I love that sometimes the job is surreal eg when you have a half hour inquisition on who wrote the bad word on the toilet door!

That had me giggling!

midlandsmissus

I'll be honest.

Sometimes I love teaching, sometimes I hate it, though I've only been doing it at the level I'm at now for about a year.

I just find the worst thing about teaching for me is that I'm naturally a quiet person and some days I can talk through the whole class fine, and other days If I've had a bad day or am stressed I do dread going in and having to be lively and bubbly and confident.
Those days I do actually wish I could just sit in a little office and not have to talk!

But other days I love it. Are there any other teachers that feel like me? It is my first year doing it at a serious level, had tutored on and off before, so I find aswell that I am panicking and spending ages and ages preparing work that they then just fly through.

Hopefully it will become easier after this year.

chippers

midlandsmissus wrote: »

I'll be honest.

Sometimes I love teaching, sometimes I hate it, though I've only been doing it at the level I'm at now for about a year.

I just find the worst thing about teaching for me is that I'm naturally a quiet person and some days I can talk through the whole class fine, and other days If I've had a bad day or am stressed I do dread going in and having to be lively and bubbly and confident.
Those days I do actually wish I could just sit in a little office and not have to talk!

Yes I definitely have days like this. Sometimes facing a class is the last thing I want to do. If I'm in a grumpy mood or pi**ed of about something outside of school I find the transition to automatically being lively and focussed on the lesson sometimes quite difficult.

jonseyblub

chippers wrote: »

Yes I definitely have days like this. Sometimes facing a class is the last thing I want to do. If I'm in a grumpy mood or pi**ed of about something outside of school I find the transition to automatically being lively and focussed on the lesson sometimes quite difficult.

The only conclusion I can come to from this post is that you are in fact human and not a robot.