| Teaching is not for everyone. It is hard work, has | | | | assessment forms and marking students' books. |
| long hours and pay is only average. What about | | | | A teacher only spends half of his or her time |
| the holidays? Well, yes every job has its | | | | teaching, the other half is spent on these less |
| compensations. The holidays in most countries are | | | | rewarding tasks. |
| fair reward for the hard work during the | | | | A typical teacher spends 20 hours a week |
| academic year. | | | | teaching, 2 hours a week in meetings, 10 hours a |
| Teaching has changed and individual teachers no | | | | week preparing lessons and at least 10 hours a |
| longer have the freedom of action that they had | | | | week marking books - a 42 hour week. |
| thirty years ago. This has benefits as well as | | | | Most teachers in their first year spend 30 hours a |
| disadvantages. No longer do teachers just work | | | | week preparing lessons, including becoming familiar |
| from a syllabus, preparing all their own work | | | | with the school level requirements of their |
| schemes. No longer does the young teacher have | | | | subjects - 62 hour week. |
| to spend hours every night writing worksheets. | | | | Schools usually expect teachers to run |
| Most people thinking of entering teaching want to | | | | extra-curricular activities for students, though |
| know what they are letting themselves in for. | | | | there is rarely a contractual obligation to do so. |
| Hard work, stressful days, short evenings and | | | | Teachers in their first few years should think |
| little free time is the simple answer. | | | | very carefully before agreeing to take part in any |
| Why would anyone want to take all that on for a | | | | time consuming extra-curricular commitments, |
| teacher's salary? Most eachers enjoy their time | | | | because of the already heavy workload that is |
| teaching. The teaching day is structured, but the | | | | unavoidable at this time. |
| fine details are unpredictable. You will never be | | | | Is teaching for you? The best way to find out is |
| bored. | | | | to spend some time in a school with teachers. |
| There can be an enormous sense of satisfaction | | | | The best way to do this is to talk to someone at |
| from communicating parts of your knowledge to | | | | your local school about observing teachers in |
| groups of young people. An experienced and | | | | action, explaining that you are thinking of |
| successful teacher is one of the most skilled | | | | becoming a teacher. |
| communicators on the planet. | | | | You need to do this for at least 2 weeks when |
| There will be rare instances of 100% perfect | | | | the school is in a normal period of activity, rather |
| communication between teacher and students | | | | than the end of term or in exam sessions. This |
| that are worth a lot. These golden moments are | | | | will give you a feeling for what is involved in a |
| ones you will remember all your life and they | | | | teacher's day to day life. Ask if you can spend |
| make up for the day to day grind. | | | | some time following an individual teacher around |
| Every young teachers make mistakes, like in any | | | | for a whole day to grasp fully the pressures and |
| job. It is unfortunate that a teacjher's mistakes | | | | pleasures of teaching. |
| affect others' learning, but they can be rectified | | | | If you do enter teaching you will have to learn to |
| and it is important to recognise your mistakes and | | | | respond intelligently to the many detractors that |
| to learn from them. | | | | the profession has. Many peole will say "Anyone |
| Unfortunately there are other aspects to a | | | | can teach. Those holidays...". |
| teacher's life that are less rewarding. These | | | | "Why don't you teach then?" is the best way to |
| include staff meetings, parents' evenings, | | | | answer. |