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School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Career: "I was and am consistently surprised by how different education is from when I attended elementary school. The ways teacher interact and are allowed or required to interact with students is so much different. The roles parents play in their children's education is much different now as well. In short, the demands placed on teachers are considerably greater, while the demands on parents are less and teachers are so much more limited in how they discipline or work with students."

Career: "When I graduated from college, I didn't feel prepared to teach school. I had taken mostly classes in child development and theory which did not give me much groundwork for the in-classroom experience. I found I had no interest in teaching at that time, so I got an office job just to help pay the bills. I didn't become confident enough in my teaching abilities until I was 50 years old and had spent a number of years as a para in a classroom. Then I felt I knew enough to be an effective teacher."

Career: "I was surprised at how much being organized helped in this career. By copying and clearly organizing units the first year, it freed up time to be more creative and improve each year after. I was surprised at how important the first two weeks were in setting the tone for the class behavior-wise for the rest of the year."

Career: "I was surprised as to how much freedom I'd have. Before I started teaching, I'd always hear about how you are constantly being watched. I was worried, but once I got in the classroom, I saw this wasn't the case at all. Teachers do get freedom."

Career: "Although I had plenty of experience in the classroom and even with student teaching, I was quite surprised at how running my own classroom did not come with as many freedoms as I had expected. There are many rules and regulations in curriculum that make it so that almost anyone could be a teacher because you are merely a robot being told what to do. I was also surprised by how political the education board is, which isn't something you can really experience in a classroom setting while getting your degree."

Career: "I was surprised at how much value and a role I play in each child's life. As a teacher you prepare to teach but you don't realize until you see your progress first hand."

Career: "What surprised me most was how important classroom management would be. Without good management skills, the job becomes nearly impossible."

Career: "Through my years of teaching I found it surprising that I had to give more and more parental tips. Many of the parents needed a lot of help with organization, discipline, reward and punishment skills. I started with one thin file on these ideas and ended up with a whole drawer full. I ended up taking two classes on parenting and I have no children of my own!"

Career: "I was surprised at how hard teaching can be. No school can prepare you for the amount of paperwork that must be done each day and each week to ensure the success of your class and your school."

Career: "I learned that much of what was taught to me to prepare for a career as an elementary school teacher did not help me in my first few years of teaching. For example, one of the most important aspects of my job is communicating with parents. Through my on-the-job experience, I learned that how you say something can be more important than what you say. I wish that was taught to me when obtaining my Master's degree!"

Career: "I was surprised how little importance one's actual ability to teach has in the rewards you reap in a career doing just that. I routinely see people who can't teach their way out of a paper bag getting raises and promotions I don't just on the basis of having advanced degrees (I just have a bachelor's). It's one of the few areas where that meaningless piece of paper isn't all that meaningless, but in this case, sadly, that's often for the worse."

Career: "I was surprised that I could get certified through alternative methods to become a teacher, because I was not an education major in college."

Career: "It's rewarding to feel happy at my job and come home still satisfied. I didn't believe it would be this rewarding, but it is every single day."

Career: "I was surprised to find that being a teacher requires good interpersonal skills. As a teacher, I need to be able to gain the trust of the class to do my job effectively. That's something they don't teach you in college."

Career: "I was surprised to find out how difficult it is to work with other teachers and faculty."

Career: "The thing that surprised me most, was how much I like it. I am amazed every day that I am for having so much fun, and being so rewarded."

Career: "What surprised me about a career in teaching is that one has to have very good public speaking skills to be able to talk to the children in front of the class and also it takes a lot of patience to work with young children. Each child is an individual and learns in a different way and I as a teacher have to adjust my teaching style to cater to the child to learn in his or her own way."

School: "I was surprised out how much boring reading would be involved. I also found History fascinating, but the professors found a way to may it tiresome. There is a lot of what I consider basic history that a lot of people don't know. I am surprised by this and by the fact that my education has made me memorize and remember these seemingly common knowledge historical facts."

Career: "I teach younger kids and am surprised by how many of them occasionally call me mommy by accident. I am very surprised and amazed how much than can learn in one year's time. They really do learn a lot about social skills as well."

School: "I was surprised to discover how much teaching theory I was required to study, how many gen ed classes I would have to take, and how little practical education I actually received. During my four years at UNI, I saw very little of actual classrooms or even children, and I had very little opportunity for hands-on learning until the actual semester I student taught. Then I taught in an unrealistic school environment which showed me nothing about what to expect in the real world."

Career: "College actually prepared me very little for the realities of the classroom. I never realized how difficult the job would be, how much of a commitment I would have to make for the relatively small amount I was paid, and how much I would be required to further my education if I wanted to retain a current teaching certificate."

School: "I was surprised at the lack of love for knowledge among most students even at a school as good as mine. I was a terrible student in high school. It took me some time to get to university, first going through community colleges. While I was at community colleges, I was a rarity in that I loved my classes. But I assumed that when I went to UT (where most students are from the top 10% at their respective high schools), everyone would be like me. Attitudes were somewhat similar to the community college where students only grudgingly used their brains."

Career: "I was surprised to find out how much I enjoy working with children. I was also surprised to find out how a great many problems at American schools aren't money problems, they are system problems. If teachers and administrators would just change practices, student performance would improve greatly without additional money."

Best & Worst Things About This Career

"The best part of my job is being able to adjust my plans to what the children want to learn about. Since the program is very flexible, I don't have to worry about testing the way that school teachers do. I also love being able to use my art education degree and do a lot of fun art projects. The worst part of my job is the hours, because I don't get off at 3 or 4 like I would if I taught in a school. I also don't get summers off and much holiday time, because that is when all the kids need to come."

"Without doubt, the best part of my job is the time I spend with students. To them, everything is new and exciting and their excitement is contagious. Sometimes, when I've done a lesson a million times and think I've seen it all, a child will present an absolutely new twist as a solution to a problem. The worst part, without doubt, is the time constraints -- only being able to see the classes once every fourteen days. This is way too long a gap for small children to have any recollection about the project they may have been working on. They may not even remember me at first!"

"The best part of my job is the students. I also love to read, so spending my day sharing this love is a great treat. The most difficult part of the job is being able to meet regularly with classroom teachers to discuss students individually. Also, there are times when the classroom teachers change the skills being covered but neglect to let me know, so we are working out of sync."

"The best part of my job is working with children and seeing them succeed. I love to see them laugh especially when I have said or done something silly. The worst part is not having enough time or resources to do a better job."

"The most difficult part of my job is the planning. As a self-contained classroom teacher (teacher of all subjects) I have to prep for six subjects each day. A good teacher tries to create meaningful and interactive lesson plans and to do that is very time-consuming. The best part of my job is working with young students. They constantly amaze me with their kindness and compassion. I work hard to make them stronger students but they remind me of the goodness and potential of people. I wouldn't trade this for any other job!"

"The best parts of my career are the students. There is nothing like seeing the light in a student's eyes when she gets what I have been teaching. I know that I am making an impact, and it is awesome! The worst part of my career are the parents. I have my own children, so when I see a parent acting in a manner that I don't like, it is hard to be diplomatic towards them, even though I have to be. Sometimes the way that parents treat their children breaks my heart."

"I love how rewarding my job is. Witnessing the joy and pride on a student's face when she masters the four-times tables or reads a page without missing a single word is so important to me. It makes my job worthwhile and helps me see where I make a difference. There is no worst part! The job is stressful at times, it's true. Modifying curriculum is not easy, and watching a student's frustration mount as he has more and more trouble understanding is discouraging. I also run around all day. But the rewards outweigh the stress by a million to one."

"I enjoy the enthusiasm of first year band students. Band is an elective so the students who get involved have done so by choice and are normally fully-motivated. Progress at the beginning is very dramatic, from the first squeaks and squawks to the first song, first performance, etc. The most challenging part of the job can be persuading the parents of the importance and value of music education. Communicating with parents is often a challenge."

"There are certainly advantages and disadvantages to every job and mine is no exception. For one, I work with a great staff which is a big perk. Working with people who are your friends is very important. My colleagues are a great support both professionally and personally. Another challenge is the amount of paperwork. There is a lot of correcting and data recording which I have to do and it consumes many hours of my time. In addition, there is just not enough time during the day. There is always another student to help and a parent to call. But I suppose this is true of most jobs."

"As I said above, the best part is the thrill of hearing a child say, "Oh, I get it!" The worst part is trying to please everyone all the time. You have to deal with demanding and unrealistic parents, entitled children, and unrealistic expectations from the school's administration. As at any job, the people you work with can make it or break it for you. With teaching, the more positive and optimistic I can be, the more I enjoy my work. Some teachers tend to be complainers. That is an easy road to take, and I try hard to turn off of it as soon as I find myself on it. The more upbeat I am, the more fun it is for me and for my students."

"The best part of teaching grade one is watching the children change before my eyes. Nothing can quite compare with a six year old's excitement when he realizes he can actually read. The worst part is trying to meet every individual's needs. Children come in at many different levels. Their social, emotional and academic skills vary widely. To meet those needs is a daunting task."

"I love the teaching part of my job. I love to work with students. It is especially rewarding when I have been working with a struggling student and the student suddenly gets it! The rewards in this job are definitely not monetary but the worst parts of the job are the paperwork and all the additional responsibilities. I love my job but would love it even more if I could just teach! This job would also be better if I was paid more."

"The best part of my day is working with children and helping them unlock a new skill. It is so rewarding to see the "light bulb" go on in their heads and the smiles on their faces as they figure something out. Helping children is a great reward. The worst parts of my job are all of the paper work and the meeting we have to attend. These can be exhausting and they take me away from my students. All of the required testing of students takes so much time -- time that could be better spent working with students."

"The best part of my job is getting to work with a variety of students. All of my students have great potential and getting to see their faces when they finally grasp a concept that they have been struggling with is such a great feeling. The worst part of my job is that it frequently changes. Students are frequently pulled from my groups because they are doing better on exams or added to my groups because they are struggling. It can be difficult to keep things consistent for my students when the people around them keep changing."

"There are amazing things that come with being a teacher. As a teacher, you have a responsibility to educate the youth of our country. It is very rewarding when students have that "Aha!" moment, when they suddenly understand what you are teaching them. Watching my struggling students experience success is one of the best parts of my job. I enjoy having summers off to spend time with my family and friends. The worst part about teaching is that there are always going to be students you can't reach, and that is frustrating. Also, there are some students who misbehave."

"The best part of my job is when I find an activity that excites my students and helps them to learn something new. The worst part of my job is the pressure I feel to make sure all students are learning despite what their home lives may be like."

"The best part of my job is seeing children better able to communicate with their peers, teachers and family because of the speech-language services I have provided. I enjoy working as part of a team. I'm constantly interacting and collaborating with other professionals. I suppose the worst part of my job is the increased requirement for written documentation in the way of progress notes and record-keeping for Medicaid reimbursement. However, one of the skills I've developed over time is the ability to organize and manage several different responsibilities. I enjoy having more than one aspect to my job."

"I LOVE working with the students in small groups. I firmly believe small group instruction is best for all students. I feel like I can make the greatest impact by working in small groups with the kids. They enjoy the personalized attention they receive from me. The worst part of the job is that I am often pulled in so many directions. I have the desire to help out in so many different ways. However, there is just not enough time to get it all done. That is frustrating to me, because I want to help everyone!"

"The best part of my job is when a student trusts you and looks forward to meeting with you daily and finally catches on to what you are trying to teach. The worst part is when the student is struggling, trying to understand, and he or she still cannot get it. When teachers are busy or their classrooms are so large they don't have time to give you the proper paperwork to help the student, that's also bad."

"The best parts of the job are getting to see children make progress and watch the pride that they take in their accomplishments. They love music and generally look forward to coming, and that makes me happy. They enjoy performing. They look forward to concert night. I find most of my colleagues to be supportive and professional, and very interested in the progress of the students. We talk a lot during breaks about kids and how to do things better. The worst parts of the job have to do with politics and paper. I don't like all of the things I must be accountable for on paper. I set goals, write reports, check that I am following plans for children with special needs and fill out endless forms. None of these things makes me a better teacher, but it is all set up so that I can prove that I am competent. While it may be useful for a newer teacher to do some of these things, experienced teachers see these things as silly hoops to jump through so that someone else can fill out his or her report to prove he or she is competent."

"The best part of the job is that I am able to have an impact on the lives of students every day. I am involved in their development and get to help them on the road to becoming teenagers. There are times when a student has an "aha!" moment, and those times are the best. The worst part about the job is that there is almost never enough time to get everything you want to get done, done. We are always trying to find ways to stretch an hour into two, and would always be happy if there was more time for us to get our work done. That is a welcome challenge."

"The best part of my day is seeing students who are excited and engaged in a classroom lesson or activity. I love to see students apply a skill we've worked hard to master. Hearing all of the stories and connections students make to topics we study is rewarding and puts a smile to my face. Daily correcting and record keeping can be time consuming but valuable in learning the strengths and weaknesses of individual students."

"Being a teacher is a highly rewarding career. You are a witness to every child's growth over a year. It is a challenge to explore the various ways to allow each child to develop to his potential. Teaching can be overwhelming sometimes. It's a job that you take home with you at night and during the weekends and summers. At night teachers are correcting students' work, assessing and evaluating, checking students' progress in the curriculum, writing reports and newsletters and creating activities for the next day, week, month. It is a never-ending responsibility."

"Most of the time, teaching is so rewarding. For example, I have a student who in the first nine weeks of class, had five N's on her report card for behavior. Now, at the end of the second nine weeks, she has zero! But as rewarding as this job can be, it can sometimes be frustrating too. For example, maybe you have a concern about a student, and the parents are not on board with you, insisting that there there isn't a problem. And I had another student who hadn't received as much help as he required, and I had to stand by and watch as his grades plummeted, and because our psychologists and counselors were overworked, he just got pushed to the side, and nothing was done to help him until the end of the year."

"The worst part of the job is actually having to sort through all the paper work for assessments. There are so many new ways to keep track of students' progress but our school system has not kept up with current technology. It is also very difficult to teach large groups of children with significant learning disabilities or emotional needs. There are many students in our classrooms with Individual Education Plans but we do not have adequate support in our classrooms to make sure these students are receiving the help they need. Also planning is difficult when you have limited resources and you have to teach and develop the curriculum at the same time. Each day is about 12 hours and I also work throughout the year and summer to improve the program and to prep for it."

"The best part of the job is working with the children. Every day is unique. You never know what a child will say or how (s)he feels. Therefore, lessons can quickly change and head in new directions depending on the class's perspective. The children are also loving, caring, and naive. Did I mention that you never know what they will say? The worst part of the job is all the paperwork and the overbearing parents. The school day doesn't end when the children leave. There is paper work to complete, papers to correct and preparation for the next day to be made. There are also e-mails to answer, phone calls to make and conferences to schedule to discuss a child's progress with his or her family."

"The best parts of my job are witnessing the progress that my students make throughout the year and watching as their confidence improves. It is rewarding to make a difference in a child's life. The worst part of the job is working with children who have little home support. It is sad to see some children who start out at a disadvantage when compared to students who come from a loving, stable, supportive home."

"The best part of teaching is that every day is something new! There is NEVER a dull moment. If you do get a particularly challenging group, you get a fresh start each school year. The worst part of the job is occasionally feeling that there's not enough you can do to help a child who comes from a dysfunctional home. You really have to instill in them at a young age that they are responsible for their actions and only they can make certain changes."

"One of the best things about teaching is that it is never boring or stagnant. Even after teaching second grade for almost 10 years, each September feels new. One reason is that children are all different. Their academic abilities vary, personalities change and combinations of students can alter group dynamics. Depending on the group, the physical layout of the classroom can also be different. Another thing that makes things different is that the there are often new units to teach in social studies and science. The materials for math and reading have changed several times and with the changes come new ideas and new planning. There are some frustrating parts of this job. Teachers are being asked to be responsible for more and more tasks. You may also feel like a secretary, nurse, psychologist, or parent."

"The best part of my job is that I get to meet so many different students. Also, I have the chance to experience how different teachers manage their classrooms. I have learned many teaching strategies from the many different teachers I have worked for."

"The best parts of the job are being able to work with children. Being able to see them learn and listening to their thoughts is always interesting. You get a good idea what people their age are thinking about when you spend time with them. I also enjoy the flexibility of being with different classes and groups of children that substituting allows. The worst part of the job is having to be ready at a moment's notice, and deciding what to teach if the teacher did not leave directions as to what to do that day."

"I would say that the best part of my job is just being able to teach something new and enjoyable to students who want to learn. It is always exciting when you have a class that wants to learn and pays attention with every subject. The hardest part of my job is keeping up with all of the correcting, running off of papers and grading students. Correcting work is like doing laundry...it is never done!"

"The best part of my job is helping children to become happy, productive, engaged students. They make incredible progress and to be a part of that is very rewarding. Young children are very positive people! They are loving and excited about the most basic experiences. They allow me to continue to see the world "through the eyes of a child." The worst part of the job is that I feel like my job is never over. I work a lot at home; I can never say I am completely caught up with my work. There is always something I need to be working on that I haven't done."

"The best part of the job is that you are constantly running around and helping students, that the day goes by so fast. It is also amazing to watch the progress of students from the beginning of the year to the end. The worst part of the job is the amount of work it takes to be a good teacher. You are always researching different activities and ways of doing things. There are also so many assessments nowadays that there is always something to take home and correct on your own time, without pay."

"The best part of my job is working with and getting to know kids. They make it fun to come to work every day because they get excited about learning new things. I like helping kids understand something academic or social that they are having a hard time with. Kids can also be very funny, or say some funny things. The worst part of my job is all the paperwork. As a teacher, I have to maintain records on grades for reading, writing, math, science, social studies and an elective; behavior; and many more things."

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"Pursue a degree in Education. It could be art education, music, physical education, or just an elementary education degree. You would also probably need to move to an area with year-round schools where such jobs are available. Otherwise the only similar jobs would be available in summer camps. At the center I work for there is also a lot of room to grow with the company and move from being a teacher to lead teacher to program coordinator, and even a center director."

"Get ready to be flexible. Try to network with colleagues for ideas and support. Be ready to deal with all sorts of students. Many children who are not academic stars excel in the arts."

"Children are very honest, and they will tell you if they don't like what you are doing, or if they are "bored. At first, this can be somewhat disheartening, especially to a new teacher who's spent hours preparing a lesson only to see it flop. My advice would be to continue planning these lessons and have the students give some input as to 'how they learn best' so you will feel more successful. Also, learning to share with other teachers is a great benefit to new teachers who are beginning with minimal supplies."

"Never stop learning and reading. Keep an open dialogue with staff and parents. You learn so much about why students behave in in certain ways by maintaining a positive relationship with parents. Never be afraid to speak your mind no matter how unpopular it may be. Stand up for your students."

"Spend time in several classrooms to be sure that teaching is what you truly want to do. Teaching is not a job, it's a vocation. You will have to get your master's degree once you get your teaching certification. If possible, find a job first. You may be more marketable in this economy if you start at a lower pay scale. Find a mentor who has a compatible teaching style. Beginning teachers can feel overwhelmed and you will need support in your first year(s)."

"1. Get as many endorsements as you can if you plan to teach in Middle Schools. The market is tough out there, so be the best applicant they get by being the most qualified and diversified. 2. Ask to student teach in a district in which you aren't known. This broadens your scope of contacts, which you will need when you look for a job. 3. When you interview, be sure to bring in examples of lesson plans and ideas that you would use with your class. Principals hate it when you come in empty handed. 4. If you don't land a job right away, sub or work as an aide. It gets your foot in the door and helps you show your skills before they have an opening you want."

"1. Patience is a virtue. Just because a student doesn't understand a problem the same way you do, doesn't mean it can't be taught. You have to persevere and find the way they learn best. 2. Be willing to be flexible; changes in your schedule, changes in their schedule, and having to change the way you teach to reach all the children is always going to happen. 3. Love what you do. You have to love children and teaching; it's not as easy as it looks, but at the end of the day, you have to find the positive."

"Learn how to play all the wind, percussion and stringed instruments. If you cannot demonstrate the proper sound, how will the students know what they are aiming for? Learn how to sell while in college. Be a telemarketer or some other kind of salesperson. If you are an instrumental music teacher your job security depends on how many students you have in your program. Think Harold Hill, the con artist at center of "The Music Man." Learn how to create schedules. Administration will often look for your advice when scheduling. A schedule can make or break an instrumental music program."

"1. Work hard in college. I learned so much from my professors who all had many years in the field of education. Read the required assignments and apply what you've learned when you have the opportunity to be in a classroom. 2. Take early morning classes. Regardless of whether or not you are a morning person, school starts by 8:30 and you have to be ready to go. Taking early classes prepares you for the real world. 3. Spend as much time as you can in classrooms and ask questions. The more classrooms you visit, the more you will know what you want yours to look like and be like. 4. Start collecting children's books. As an elementary school teacher, you need many books. You will often need to buy these yourself. Go to library sales or ask around; maybe you can find someone who is willing to donate them or give away books they aren't using any more."

"Take your college classes seriously and learn as much as you can about the subjects you will be teaching. The deeper and broader your understanding, the better job you will do communicating it to students. Make sure you take a class in child development and brain-based learning. You need to understand cognitive development and basic psychology."

"1. Entering a room of twenty six and seven year olds can be overwhelming. Courses that teach classroom management and behavior management are extremely helpful. 2. Starting your career as an academic aide can expose you to many different teaching styles and environments. It can give you a feel for the demands of the job without the responsibility. You can also learn and be involved in programs that are new to you and provide you with hands-on experience. 3. Expect to feel overwhelmed. Remember that you learn from your mistakes and that it will get easier over time. Think simple and concentrate on the basics. Over-prepare your lessons, but go slowly. You can always use it tomorrow."

"1. Learn from your peers. Why reinvent the wheel when your colleagues are full of ideas? 2. This job can be overwhelming. Remember why you chose this career and focus on that. 3. Treat each and every child as if he were your own. I thought I did this until I had my son. All parents love their children and they are sending you the best they have. Keep that in mind when you have a child who is driving you crazy!"

"Reading is a key to success as a teacher. I would advise all new teachers to read as many children's books as possible. Acquaint yourselves with many, many children's authors. Be very familiar with all literature. You want to be organized too. Organization will save you a lot of time. Take the time to create files and keep them updated. And always be a good listener. Listen to your students and your fellow teachers too. Your students will let you know what is troubling them and then you will know what to do to help them. Your fellow teachers can often help you through their past experiences."

"1. Spend as much time in classrooms as you can. This will help you figure out if teaching is truly for you and it will help you gather many ideas of what you would like to do in your own classroom and what you do not want to do. 2. Teaching is not a 9-5 job. Once the bell rings and the students leave, a good teacher stays and works on creating inventive lessons that will hold their interest. 3. Get as much experience with special needs students as possible. If you choose to teach in a public school system, every classroom has students with special educational needs. Learning about those needs early will help you significantly when you have students of your own ."

"It is important to get experience in a classroom before you begin teaching. Many undergraduate classes teach you HOW to teach, and are important in learning the curriculum. But there is no replacement for being in an elementary classroom. I think I learned more about teaching in my first year of teaching than I did in all of my undergraduate classes combined. Also, be prepared to work hard. Even though the school day is over in the afternoon, there are many hours after school when you are still working."

"1. Because I chose elementary education, some assignments in college were not very challenging, but the childish activities do provide more of a realistic example of what I do daily. 2. Begin to practice developing lessons early, 'cause doing so will be a daily necessity. 3. Learn as much about instructional technologies as possible."

"Graduate programs in speech pathology are very competitive and getting in isn't easy. I've had two bachelor's-level speech-language assistants, both very capable, with undergraduate cumulative averages of "B," who did not gain admission to a Boston-area graduate program. However, once you've completed your studies, being a speech pathologist requires you to have good "people" skills, flexibility, and creativity, as well as an extensive knowledge base. Be open to the many possible settings you could work in: pre-schools, schools, rehabilitation hospitals, and nursing homes, to name a few. If you're business-minded, you could even open your own private practice."

"Being a teacher is a wonderful thing! Make sure that you take good courses which prepare you in all discipline areas: math, reading, writing, science and social studies. It is also very important that you work with a cooperative teacher when you do your practice teaching. You will learn so much from him or her. Discipline was one thing I struggled with, so make sure you take several courses in behavior management. I also believe it is important to take some leadership courses."

"1. Be patient. Remember you are working with elementary school students. 69% of them here are non-English speaking. 2. Get the training you need to do the job and continue with the training 'cause things change every day. New ways to teach are always being developed and you have to keep your certification and training up-to-date. 3. Love of children. You have to be able to relate to the child and show compassion and understanding."

"Get in the classroom as soon as you can. The only thing that ever teaches you how to teach is doing it. You could take all the courses in the world and know nothing until you get in front of kids. Don't teach if you hate it. It's nice to have a steady paycheck, but you'll hate it more as time goes on. Teaching is too important to treat as a day job. Make time for yourself. When you do leave school, leave it there. It's hard and draining. If you don't learn to shut it off, it will burn you out, and then you may find yourself stuck in a profession you no longer enjoy. Finally, concentrate on the kids. The other stuff is nonsense, and if you start caring too much about it, your time with the kids will be ruined."

"Becoming a teacher is one of the best things you can do. Kids need really great role models and need to hear from teachers with whom they can relate. A good teacher can take a student who may be teetering on the edge and help open him up to possibilities that he had never been aware of. Going to college and graduate school are a must as there is no making up for the hands-on learning that you will be able to do while you are in school."

"Make sure you take at least one course in classroom management. Learning cannot occur in a classroom that is poorly managed, or where students are not familiar with procedures and routines. If you plan to teach younger students, having a background in reading is especially helpful since learning to read is a major development in a young child's life. It would also be beneficial to have a degree or certification in special education as students in the same classroom have mixed abilities. Knowing accommodations and strategies to help different types of learners will help you reach the needs of all students."

"If considering a career in teaching, consider working with children prior to your college education. During the summer, get involved in summer camp programs, church bible schools, etc. If possible, attempt to volunteer in classrooms as part of a community service project. An educator ought to be happiest when with children."

"1. Get as much field experience as you can in all different grade levels, so that you can see which age group suits you best. 2. A teacher's motto is "Beg, borrow, and steal"! Don't be afraid to ask for ideas. We share ideas all the time. Remember, you don't have to use them, but it's good to have options! 3. Try to get your master's right after you get your teaching degree. It's very hard to go back to college once you've started teaching. You become extremely busy!"

"Teaching is a true art. It is not as easy as it looks. If you truly enjoy working with young children and you are skilled at teaching others, this is the best job there is! I have been teaching for about 22 years now and each year is new. I continue to take classes and to read up on all the new data for 21st century learning skills. No two classes are ever alike and each year has its own unique set of challenges."

"Love children. Be organized. There is so much to be done at once. Remain calm. The crisis will pass and the next moment will be better."

"When pursuing a career in education you need to expose yourself as much as possible to working in actual classroom settings. Working face to face with children is where you can put theory into practice. A special education background would also be beneficial as the information would help a teacher to better meet the needs of all students. It would also enable teachers to differentiate learning to target different ability levels. Working closely with veteran teachers can also be helpful."

"If you decide to go into teaching, find a mentor for those first couple of years. It can be a bit overwhelming. The second tip (which I am still working on) is trying to strike a balance between your professional and personal life. You bring so much work home, it is easy to let it consume you. Last, don't forget to laugh every day, and get enough rest and exercise to keep up with your students."

"If you think this is a great job because you finish at 3:00 and have summers off, think again. You don't. But if you love children and are enthusiastic about learning yourself, you'll find the work very rewarding. Volunteer in a classroom, even if you can only go after your school day. The last hour of an elementary school's day can give you a taste of the atmosphere and you could see what teachers do to prepare."

"1. Take a course to prepare for substitute teaching. These are frequently available at community colleges. If there is not one specifically for substitute teaching, take a few basic courses on classroom management or behavior management in the classroom. 2. Be well prepared and enthusiastic and <I>always</I> follow the instructions that the teacher and the school provide. 3. Cultivate a strong work ethic and do your job well. This will help you build a good reputation with the schools and teachers so that you will be likely to get more calls for work."

"It would be a good idea to take a substitute training course at your local community college. This is a great way to discover what you may be expected to do during a work day. You can get ideas on activities to do if you have free time in class. It also teaches you the rules and regulations of your school system. Sometimes you can have the experience of teaching your classmates too."

"If you want to pursue a teaching career, you have to be energetic and full of life in the classroom. Children respond well to teachers who are entertaining as well as informative about their subject areas. I always thought that teaching was a little bit like acting!"

"You should only go into teaching if you love children, not just the well-behaved and beautiful variety! You will have them all, and they all deserve the best you have to offer. You should not go into teaching with the idea that you will have your summers off and that your hours are better than those of a regular 9-5 job. You will work many hours beyond the regular school day and you will spend time in the summer taking workshops that will help you to become a better teacher. Being a teacher is incredibly hard work but it is very rewarding."

"It is important to observe as many classrooms and teachers as possible. All of my best ideas have come from other teachers. Once you see an idea, you can then duplicate it or tweak it to fit your teaching style. Also make sure to document things because you will probably forget parts when you go to do it yourself. Lastly, make sure when you observe to keep an open mind and realize that teaching is harder than it looks, so try not to criticize. Not all teaching styles are the same, although they may be equally effective with the students."

"1. Volunteer in schools to make sure this is really what you want to do. 2. Never stop learning, and even if your grades are not perfect, keep trying. It is your heart that matters. 3. The more you smile, the more kids like you. 4. The best grades in college do not make the best teacher. (But they do get you scholarship money.)"