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School and Career Surprises: Tips From People on the Job

Career: "I was surprised in the amount of patience needed to work with kids. Also by the lack of education possessed by other teachers."

Career: "I was surprised to find out that the training they give you for being a teacher is not really that helpful - it's all about thinking on your feet. Preparation is great, but you have to be flexible!"

Career: "I was surprised that my career entails working with primarily Middle Eastern students."

Career: "I was surprised to find the tremendous changes that have transpired in the high school setting, since I graduated high school. The highest degree of surprise came from the students' interactions, behaviors, and attitudes. I am, on a daily basis, rendered speechless by a majority of the students' complete lack of respect or disregard towards authority. Using extremely vulgar and offensive speech is an everyday, unpunishable offense. I do not sense, from the general population, any fear or worry about being suspended or sent to the principal's office. The biggest surprise is the high rates of females fighting. Twenty years ago, it was a rarity. These days, it is almost as common as males fighting each other. In contrast, I have been pleasantly surprised at the students' positive attitudes towards gay students, parents, and the population in general. They are very progressive, much more accepting, and more informed on the topic than ever before. They amaze me every day with their forward-thinking stances."

Career: "What most surprised me about the teaching profession is how fast my day goes by. I teach three classes a day with one planning period. With the constant stream of students and the constant change in activities, I feel like my day is over before it begins. It is definitely a job that is never boring and never the same."

Career: "I was surprised to find that teaching is as much about making the students interested in what you're teaching, not just getting across your lesson. In addition, I find it surprising how much social media impacts students and faculty."

Career: "I was surprised at how little time teachers are given towards professional development. It is very important in any career to continually improve your skills. Teachers are not given that training and support that they need for a job that is extremely important."

Career: "I was surprised at the lack of student apathy in regards to assignments and long term projects. I thought that many would care more about their grades and learning."

Career: "I was amazed at the amount of paper work that is required of a teacher outside of grading papers. That much was expected. However, there is a lot of red tape that must be taken care of several times throughout the year."

Career: "I was surprised at how much time and energy being a teacher takes. I figured I could just go into the classroom for 6-8 hours, teach, and go home, but that's not it at all. I was also surprised how many rules there are, particularly in dress code and language."

Career: "Being a High School Teacher is not a good job choice for many. You are stuck in a classroom of 30-40 students for 7 hours per day. When you have to go to the bathroom, you have to wait for a 5 minute passing period. You cannot just leave your classroom. When you have to pass gas, you have to do it in your classroom. You cannot leave. You are surrounded by school employees that never went to college and make almost as much money as you. Custodians, Groundskeepers, Maintenance, Secretaries. None of them went to school, yet they are making $40-$50 thousand dollars a year. Here you are, a first year teacher after taking out student loans and going to college for 5-6 years... And you earn a salary that is less then theirs."

Career: "I was surprised at how conservative education is. I don't mean this is a political sense, but rather as a group that is mindful of the past and resistant to change. Most of the teachers I know are politically liberal, but have a very strong respect for how things have been done before. Teaching is fabulous career for helping individual students, but not so much for changing the world."

Career: "I was very surprised when I started to work in an actual school after being in college for two years. Many of the things that we do everyday are things that were not even mentioned when I was taking college classes. One thing is the way that we plan our lessons, we use an entirely different format in the real world. Another thing that was surprising was the first time that I had to deal with a parent conference. It was nothing like the simulated ones that we did when we were in class."

Career: "I was surprised that my field involves a significant amount of communication and understanding of the technology you are using on a day to day basis. Having a good knowledge of how computers function has assisted with solving the foundational problems encountered with technology."

Career: "What surprised me most about teaching was just how political it is with administrators and other teachers. I went into the profession very naive and idealistic about wanting to help and make changes, but the reality is they don't want teachers to question current trends and policies even if they do not think it is in the students best interest. The second surprise I had once I started teaching was the enormous amount of faculty meetings one had to attend. The third surprise I had was how data driven teaching has become instead of wanting students to just learn, administration is more concerned about how the school is performing overall. The public doesn't understand that even if one is teaching high school many of the students are still functioning at a 4-6th grade level. I was surprised that teachers are pressured into giving passing grades even if the students are not performing at passing levels. If the teacher has too many students not passing the teacher will be called into the office and disciplined as if they are not working hard enough."

Career: "I was surprised to find out how many students just don't care to do well in school. So many of them do not study whatsoever and yet act surprised when they fail. I'd say about ten percent of each class is like this."

Career: "I was surprised that teaching was so political. I have been working as a substitute teacher (both short-term - day-to-day - and long term - more than 2 months) and have been unable to find a full-time classroom of my own at a grade 6-12 level. The number of jobs are limited, yet the classrooms are overcrowded. It is nearly impossible to secure a job (be it full-time teaching or long-term substituting) without knowing someone in the know and securing their services (administrators, HR people, council members) to secure a position. Given that our (the US) education is falling way behind the rest of the world's, particularly in math and science, it seems like an enthusiastic, engaging, and capable teacher such as myself should have more opportunities, but in my experience over the past 3 years, that hasn't been the case."

Career: "The low quality of continuing education surprised me. Another aspect that was surprising was the lack of accountability, in terms of teachers and administrators."

Career: "The thing that surprised me most was finding out that I dislike 9th graders because they are evil incarnate. I do kind of like being able to set my own hours (though some days I want to work, I don't work due to no assignments being available)."

Career: "I was surprised at how much I learn from my own students, rather than just teaching them things. They have been a source of knowledge on everything from history, to popular culture, to deep introspections on life."

Career: "I was surprised that being a teacher just doesn't mean to teach but to learn also so that you are better able to understand the nature of your students and able to share knowledge in the best possible way."

Career: "I was surprised to find that being a teacher doesn't end at 3 o'clock every day. There are many aspects which carry over after hours, like parent conferences, planning meetings, tutoring. It is a job which requires many hours of work outside the classroom."

Career: "I was totally surprised by how well I would click with my students and how much I would relate to them. Being that I am still in my 20's, but especially more so right when I got out of college, my students were so close in age to me (18). Going into high level teaching you forget that it was not to long ago you yourself were just walking those same halls and can relate to and really be there for your students."

Career: "I was surprised how close I grew to the children in my classes. Many have graduated from High School and often I see them in the community. They always thank me for helping them. It is very rewarding. One of my students is in Seattle doing Alzheimer's research, several are nurses or teachers."

Career: "I was surprised that Art Teachers get little respect in the school setting. We are viewed as superfluous. I was also surprised by the number of students who excel in Art are also often labeled as trouble or disobedient in the eyes of the other teachers. Art is dying in our schools and until it is recognized as a valuable teaching tool, we are all in trouble!"

Career: "A lot of the things I learned in college are not relevant to my career. Although I'm a language teacher, the most challenging parts of my job are managerial and not technical. Even though I have training in grammar and pronunciation, I usually spend my time teaching very elementary English. I also waste a lot of time making lesson plans and in meetings that are unnecessary. I'm also surprised by how unprofessional a lot of people can be in the workplace. A lot of my coworkers have very different work habits. I am very studious and professional, but there are cliques at work that center around our social life. I thought I would be making more money than I am. I work park time in addition to my full time job to supplement my income."

School: "I was surprised that Towson State University was such a renown teaching school. I went here because I live in Maryland and it was easy for me, but Towson State really has a remarkable education department that is very much sought after by those who want a career in teaching."

Career: "I was surprised that I would feel more like a babysitter and hand holder rather than a teacher. The kids for the most part don't seem to care about learning and the educators for the most part don't seem t care about teaching. It's all about moving the kids forward without whether they have full understanding of the materials at hand or not."

School: "Although it may sound like a difficult or strange field to study, this world is in bad need of more leaders. I was surprised to see that so many of our leaders that we look up to today are not that good at what they do."

Career: "I have been surprised about the amount of leadership I actually do use in this career. The students are looking for and need a leader even though they may not actually admit it."

Best & Worst Things About This Career

"The best part of my job is helping people learn. The best thing that a student can say is, "Will you help me with this?" That makes my day! I am also very happy to be a positive influence on someone. My students are "at risk" for not graduating so when they do graduate, I feel that a part of me is graduating also. The worst part of the job is that I wish I had more time to spend with individual students."

"My job can get stressful when there are a number of troubleshooting calls going on at once. Since I have many responsibilities, it can be hard to juggle all of them in a timely manner. Teaching also requires many hours of work in the evenings and often on weekends. However, I am fortunate to have the 2 summer months in which to regroup. The best parts of my job are all involving the satisfaction of teaching new skills to the students. It is a great atmosphere where I can share my skills and knowledge and feel like I'm making a difference in the future of the students and other teachers at our school."

"Worst? Too much paper work, too many demands made on teachers by the city and the school administration. Some of those demands lead to new and interesting teaching techniques, and challenge teachers (including senior teachers like me) to find other ways to learn and teach. The best thing? Watching students go, "Oh!" or "Aw!" or "Wait, is that because...or is that why?" and begin to see what's going on. I love that, it makes it all worthwhile."

"The best part of my job is working with teenagers. I love their idealism and energy. I love when they read a novel and fall in love with the characters. I also love using technology to increase student knowledge. I constantly create PowerPoint presentations to show on my Smartboard. The worst part of my job is the timing. I have to wake up each morning at 6AM. I wish school could start at 8AM."

"For me the worst part of teaching is dealing with demanding parents. While the vast number of parents are supportive and easy to deal with, one demanding parent can take up an inordinate amount of my time. The best part of my job is the actual teaching. I love getting students excited about French and am always amazed at the progress they make every year. I also love coming up with new activities. It's wonderful to see the students having fun in the classroom, using the language that I love."

"The best parts of my job are working with the students and engaging them in the learning process. I truly love working with learners who want a "second chance". I enjoy working with the staff throughout the State of NH and seeing how all of the programs work together for the common benefit of all learners in NH. Worst part: The lack of programming to meet the needs of all students. Our program meets two nights a week, and that is great, but some students would love to come more often, but budgeting constraints do not allow for this."

"Best: the best moments are when I see the look on a students face as they transition from confusion to clarity on the topic we are studying. It is especially rewarding when dealing with less prepared students. Worst: Trying to motivate students who don't see the value of education and are too apathetic to actively participate in their own education. Lazy is the worst four letter epithet."

"Every day is different. For me, this is a great thing! We have the opportunity to get to know each child's unique differences and needs, but have the freedom of teaching different topics every day. We repeat this every year, of course. The hours that a teacher puts into his work can be deceiving. Although we have school hours from 8 to 3, we work at home every day and spend most weekends designing new lessons and tests. That may seem like a drawback, but I see that as a fun part of the job. I can change things from last year that did not work so well and improve on them. The bad part is that parents sometimes seem to believe that we have all the time in the world to focus on one child. Contrary to other grades, high school teachers have around 180 to 200 kids they are teaching and have a host of responsibilities before and after school that people are unaware of. It can be frustrating sometimes that parents are blind to this. We also have 25 minutes for lunch - and also have lunch duty occasionally!"

"The best part of my career is the satisfaction gained from teaching students skills and knowledge that will benefit them in college or in their future careers. I know I am helping them to become informed, productive citizens of the world. I also feel that I am a significant role model in students' lives. I know I make a difference in how they feel about themselves and how they behave and interact with each other. Also, you can't beat having all summers and holidays off! The worst parts of my job include the high stress environment. I always have to be on my toes and aware of what is going on in the classroom at all times. Also, parents are sometimes critical of teachers, especially when their children aren't doing well. Outside of the classroom, I spend a large amount of time grading, sometimes six hours per day or more. Finally, there is the unfortunate fact that high school teachers are no well paid. This is not a job where you can expect to earn a lot of money."

"The constant variety of experience, especially the live interpersonal interactions that characterize most of my workload, is the best part. The worst is the amount of paperwork (grading student work, writing comments and letters, numerous e-mails, filling out various forms that) come with the academic territory."

"The best part of my job is the schedule. I work from 7:40-2:35 each day. I have July and the first 4 weeks of August off. Also, we have three weeks off throughout the school year. I have great benefits that come with this job: good pay, insurance, holidays, pension. I love following the flow of the school year, watching my students grow and learn over the course of the year. I love reading, and I love sharing ideas and knowledge with these students. The worst part of my job is the lack of parental interest/support. It would be difficult for the school's students to imagine this concept. But the majority of my students (and they are low level) speak English as a second language, have special learning difficulties, and have never been read to (in English) as a child. Thus, they have a very tough time succeeding."

"The best part of my job is sharing my love of literature with the students. It is wonderful to watch them grow in their ability to read on their own, interpret, analyze and form their own opinions about the literature read. It is also great to hear them articulate and become more secure in their ability to handle some of the difficult works that they encounter. It is also a joy to watch their writing improve over time and hear them using the vocabulary words which they have studied. The worst part of the job is all the papers that need to be corrected. Fortunately, I have a smaller student load of about 80 students. Still, if every student writes an essay each week and takes a test and some quizzes, it adds up to many hours of correcting papers."

"The best part of my job is being about to interact constantly with my students in a variety of settings. I have many opportunities to get to know my students through both formal and informal meetings/interactions. I also enjoy being able to act as a role model for my students and demonstrate positive behavior for them. In addition, I feel as though my job keeps me young. I also enjoy working with a diverse and dynamic guidance department and a terrific staff at the high school. In a nutshell, I have a lot of fun working with students and a great staff on a daily basis. The worst part of the job is that as a guidance counselor, we are asked to take on an increasing amount of administrative tasks (i.e., paperwork). This reduces the amount of time spent with the students. Direct service to the students is why I became a guidance counselor, and since the time with students is being reduced gradually, I am not happy about this part of the job."

"The best part of my job comes from the interaction with the students. The girls have so much energy and enthusiasm, and by living on campus, I get to know them outside of the typical classroom experience. I also enjoy being able to spend two months in the summer with my family. The worst part of my job comes from the number of hours that I work in a typical week. With a wife and two elementary aged boys, there can often be situations where I am wanted or needed in two places at once and juggling the demands on my time can be stressful. Adults and parents are often more difficult to deal with than the students."

"The best part of my job is the fact that I get to teach a subject that I enjoy and share it with young people. I also have the opportunity to influence young people to go to college and strive for a career they enjoy. Teaching is a very tiring job. I must be teaching or walking around the room and helping during the entire class period. I only have about an hour to grade papers, call parents etc. This means a lot of work gets taken home to be finished. I do not get paid for the time I work at home, and it keeps me from spending time with my family."

"The absolute best part of my job is to see the pleasure in a student's face when they are able to do something that they either thought they couldn't ever do, or had been previously unable to do. It is also great when all the kids are as eager to participate both at the beginning and end of the class. The worst part is when parents try to keep their kid from experiencing consequences for doing something that deserves them."

"I can't say that there is a "worst" part to the job. I really enjoy what I do. I like spending time with my students - either instructing them or working on their service hours, rehearsing their readings, planning the music for a service or planning any number of other activities. I find the students very helpful and also find that if I put them in charge and given them a task, they always come through. And I get great satisfaction when students return after graduation to let me know that something I taught them has in some way made a difference. This is possibly the most rewarding thing happens to me."

"The best part of teaching is watching the kids graduate. The most challenging part of teaching is trying to teach kids who don't care about anything and they make it difficult to teach the kids who really want to learn."

"The best part of my career is seeing growth in the students. I like it when students are unable to articulate themselves well in my writing class at the beginning of a semester and then are able to at the end of the year. I also love graduation and seeing students who worked very hard make it to that point. I also like it when students come back to see me after several years to show me how they've been successful. I like knowing that I was a part of all of that."

"The best part of my career is that I can continue working in a subject I love, and as long as I keep to the curriculum, I can decide for myself what I will do each day. I am also able to exercise a lot of creativity day to day, which keeps it interesting for me. The worst parts are motivating unmotivated students, managing student behavior, and being on the receiving end of a lot of unearned hostility. Also, this job has a set salary and very limited upward mobility."

"The best part of my job is the ability to work for the military. Though the job may not involve fighting alongside them, furthering the education of the military is a passion for me. Coming from a teaching background, I know what skills and study habits the soldiers may need to complete classwork and achieve good scores on test. By being in the positions that I fill, I am able to lend a helping hand to those who may need the help."

"The best part of this job is the fun I have teaching and reinforcing the lessons in the classroom. I love acting out new vocabulary and concepts. I also love the interaction among the kids when they are incorporating what they have learned into dialogues. I love the serendipitous moments when I invent a new way to look at a difficult concept and reap the reward of enthusiasm in my students. I love the smiles on their faces when they really get it. I find the paperwork, especially correcting papers and recording grades, to be time-consuming and tedious. It is especially frustrating when a student is not thriving in my classroom. If a student isn't learning I worry about the reasons why and try to fix it, but I am not always successful."

"The best part of the job is the students themselves. Helping a student learn a new skill and seeing success can be so gratifying. Kids have a lot of energy and this is a great way to spend the day instead of working in an office setting. The worst part of the job is the demands that the district puts on my time. I have to do a lot of paperwork and attend a bunch of meetings that cut into my time with students and my further professional development. Also, teachers have little control over the working of the district as a whole. So budget cuts and monetary constraints really affect what we can and can't do in the classroom."

Tips for Succeeding in This Career

"My advice to anyone starting out in education is to volunteer in a classroom with a teacher who has good classroom control. In years gone by, teacher preparation classes did not include classes in classroom management. (They may not provide them now, but if they do, take them!) Classroom management will either "make you" or "break you." I have found building positive relationships with the students goes a long way toward establishing classroom discipline. My second piece of advice is to learn along with the students. Continue to take professional classes and be willing to grow and learn in your teaching styles."

"Try to expose yourself to as many different technologies as possible. Although technology changes very fast, a broad background will help you adapt and easily learn many of the new features that are introduced."

"Continue to learn and study. Science, like everything else in the world, is never changing, and there are so many things--almost too many--to draw connections from the real world to the stuff in the books... In fact, there are arguments that we can do without textbooks, and only use the internet as a source of information. Some think that's the best way to learn science now, as things are changing so quickly. Pay attention to all of these changes. Continue to learn new ways of teaching and learning."

"I would encourage anyone considering teaching as a career to visit different high schools and observe master teachers. Also, working as a substitute will help you gain classroom management skills. It is also important to have an open mind. Teachers are responsible for many tasks during the day. A high school teacher is responsible for approximately 100 students, whereas an elementary school teacher is responsible for 25 students."

"1. Spend as much time as you can speaking the language. If you have the opportunity to live abroad, do so for as long as possible. 2. Consider your colleagues to be a resource. Other teachers are a great source of ideas and support. 3. Never stop adding new activities to your repertoire. If you do, your teaching will become stale and both you and your students will be bored."

"Believe that all people are capable of learning, despite what they may think, feel, or say. Be creative and think "outside of the box". Don't base your judgments on your students by what others say. Learn for yourself what they are capable of doing. Be willing to invest yourself completely in the learning process and engage with the students in the process. Be willing to change your lesson plans to meet the needs of the students."

"DO NOT take this job unless you really enjoy working with children/adolescents, and are willing to be patient with all of them. Understand that you are a public figure, and will be expected to act as a role model. Accept that you have selected a career that does not engender a great deal of professional respect or monetary reward. Realize that many people will resent you in July and August, and when they pay their school taxes."

"Visit school whenever possible. Volunteer at the school. Make opportunities to visit elementary, middle, and high schools to see which level of student you feel more comfortable with. Visit private schools and charter schools as well as public schools. Ask questions of all teachers and understand that there are many excellent teachers, not just tired teachers who might be a little jaded by a stressful day! Talk to kids about what they like in their teachers and what they do not like about teachers or school. Sometimes you can relate to them and decide to make sure that you give them a different experience than what they might have already experienced."

"Before deciding on this career, work with children and teenagers in a variety of capacities first. Interact with them and lead them so that you can get an idea of how they work and what they care about. Get into the classroom as much as you can before taking a job. Student teach and substitute teach - this job is mainly about how much experience you have in trying to teach kids. Know your subject well. Take courses in grammar, writing, and classic literature. Kids can tell when you don't have a good grasp of a topic. So the more you have learned and read, the better."

"1) Come to the teaching profession prepared to learn continuously--from your students most of all. 2) If you find anything else 2/3 as satisfying as acting, do it, and act on the side. 3) Prepare all material for class or stage so well that you can do it in your sleep, as you'll probably have to. 4) Learn to write efficiently--avoid forms of the verb to be, and choose nouns and action verbs over pronouns and linking verbs."

"I would suggest getting a job as a substitute teacher in the kind/level of school in which you are interested in teaching. I would suggest getting into a 5-year Master's degree program and NOT taking a year off, it is very difficult to get back to school after taking an extended break."

"You have to like young adults to do this job. It is also helpful to discover the age level that you work best with. For example, I have no toleration for middle school kids. They just have too much undirected energy, are so silly, and have such a low attention span. However, there are wonderful teachers on that level who would never want to set foot in a high school classroom. So the secret is to find out what age student you resonate with."

"1. Being a guidance counselor is a fun and rewarding job. Consider pursuing this career. The hours and schedule are great, and you can work other part time or summer jobs as well. The pay is not great, but is improving as well. 2. Make sure you have a lot of patience since working with adolescents takes quite a bit of it. 3. Be prepared to take on other roles to supplement A) your professional growth and B) your income. These roles could include club advisors, coaches, group leaders, etc."

"1. Always be professional. 2.If you don't want to be involved or are very protective of your personal time, a boarding school is NOT a good place for you to work. 3. I would encourage beginning teachers to work at a public school first before taking a job at a boarding school. It will provide excellent perspective and allow you to work your way up to the expected workload. 4. Be calm and patient whenever you can."

"If you are hired by a school make sure you pay close attention to the procedures. There is always a "right way" to do things, but they are often different at each school. Be a role model for your students. Show them respect and get them to respect you. Do not be their "friend." If you don't know something, be honest. Don't make something up. Explain that you will get the information for them. This shows that the teacher isn't a "know-it-all" and shows the student that even the teacher can (and should) keep learning."

"1) Don't do this job because you were a good athlete and want only to pay attention to kids with high skill levels. You must want to be a *teacher*! The only difference between you and the Math or Science teacher is course content. 2) Take as many Science and Psych courses as you can. Human movement is all Physics, human behavior and attitude are integral to learning and Health, of course, is very science-heavy. 3) Always try to make interdisciplinary connections both in your learning and teaching. For instance, use both the French and English terms when teaching Fencing. Talk about how the American Indians played the first forms of Lacrosse, etc."

"Find a subject that is the essence of your being. Be passionate about wanting to impart your knowledge to your students. Realize that you have to truly enjoy what you do, regardless of the money!!!"

"If you are looking to go into teaching determine what area(location) you want to live and look at what areas in the teaching profession have a lack of teachers specializing or what is the area of demand. Finish all the certification requirement prior to start working if possible, this allows the teacher more time to concentrate on building their career and dedicating the needed time in the beginning of their career. When considering a teaching career make sure that there is a need for your skills. It can be very disappointing going through all the training and then not being able to find a job."

"1. You must be very knowledgeable in your subject areas. I think that a lot of people think that teaching is easy and that you can get by by just following the textbook. You can't. You need to love and understand what you teach. If you do not, you will wear out and be a poor teacher. 2. You should have a fall-back. Teaching is very difficult. The state in which we work does not support teachers, and really, neither does the culture and parents. You have to do your job while working against everybody. The truth is that many people burn out. I would advise choosing a field that will have additional avenues if you teach for a couple of years and want to move on. 3. Things do get better after the first couple of years. The most difficult thing in teaching is making the lessons, and during the first few years of teaching, that consumes your whole life. After two or three years, it becomes more automatic and much easier."

"1. Develop your organizational skills right away. This job requires a lot of organization and unless you keep track of everything, you can have some major problems. 2. Develop a thick skin. You will have to deal with a lot of adolescent issues and emotions, some of it very ugly, and it can get to you if you let it. Try not to take things personally. 3. It will be very helpful if you love the subject area you teach, because you will never stop learning about it."

"Being a substitute may be hard because of the fluctuation of opportunities to work, but having a love for the Army and how the soldiers can better themselves makes the job well worth it. Working hard as a substitute may lead to a permanent position. A love for education is also a great thing to have. It will help you work harder for the soldiers because you know how important a quality education is in the life of a person, let alone the structure of the United States Military."

"In addition to all your teaching duties you will be required to maintain a level of proficiency in your field of expertise. This means you will have to take professional development classes throughout your career. Your school district may also require you to participate in classes or seminars. Some of these can be rewarding, others a test of endurance!"

"You must really like kids. Loving your subject matter doesn't necessarily mean you will be a good teacher. Learn as much about teaching strategies as possible. Everything in your teacher toolbox helps! Be prepared to work hard. Teaching requires a constant renovation of your skills to keep abreast of changes in technology and culture."