So, if you are still reading this after all of the bad news, you must still
be interested in teaching. Congratulations! There is good news about this crazy
profession as well.
Location, location, Location
One great thing about teaching is that you can do it in any town in America.
If you love the hustle and bustle of an urban neighborhood, you can get a job
in a school in your city of choice. If you prefer the quiet pace of small town
life, you can teach in a rural school district. If you are a parent, you can
seek out the best place to raise your kids and more than likely, you can get a
job in the area. Should you decide you want to live in a different part of the
country at some point, you will probably be able to find another teaching
position in your new city.
Schedules
Everyone says that teachers have it made because they get summers off and
it’s true. Most schools operate on some version of a 180 day a year schedule,
so whether your school is traditional or year-round, there are going to be extended
times when you don’t have to work. Unlike other professions that may net a week
or two of vacation time a year, teachers traditionally get at least two months
off in the summer, as well as two weeks for Christmas break and one week for
summer break, plus all of the usual national holidays. Of course, as discussed
before, there are some times that school activities will cut into your time
off, but teachers really are lucky to have the time to recharge on those
breaks.
Creativity
One of the best things about teaching is the opportunity to be creative.
Yes, there are those administrative directives to follow and standards to meet,
but within those, teachers get to create wonderful new ways to impart learning
in their students. Every day there are ample opportunities to try something
new, take a risk or make something up. Teachers are freaks about reinventing
the wheel. They love to find a way to do something in a new way. Because every
kid learns differently, teachers are always coming up with different ways to
reach each student.
Kids
It may seem obvious, but certainly, the most important and best aspect of
being a teacher is getting to work with kids. Teachers love kids and kids love
teachers. Elementary students even hug their teachers. Getting to share in the
learning process with young, innocent minds is incredibly exciting. Kids are
wild, unpredictable, sometimes incorrigible, but they are always beautiful
beings who are just learning about the world. They will make you laugh, scream,
gasp, think, grieve, cry, and love.