Best and Worst Parts

The best part of my job is also the worst part: the children. It is an awesom

responsibility working with sm all children who can be so easily crushed, but not

necessarily so easily motivated. The sum total of their needs is a heavy burden.

Yet when one of them really gets something (the "ah ha!" moment), there is not a

better feeling in the world. It is too bad it comes infrequently. We have more and

more curriculum to teach each year, with little or no assistance; often I feel like it

is me against a big indifferent world. I com pete with quick bursts of high

stimulation (e.g. video games) and must be accountable for the fact that real

learning is not like that!

Tips

1.) Spend as much time in the classroom as possible before you begin your

teaching career. Make sure it appeals to you, choose the age level that seems to

"fit", and be sure you love children and academics.

2.) Do not accept the current philosophy that teaching is an easy job of "only" six

hours a day and 9 months of the year! Do NOT become a teacher for the

summer vacation!

3.) Do NOT give up after your first year. It is a very strenuous and frustrating time

that you just have to get through. It is MUCH better with experience! Try not to

give up ANY year, though many may be difficult. Believe in what you do, and try

to make it better each time.

Additional Information

It is very difficult but rewarding to take the academic content you wish to teach,

filter it down to the age and ability level of each of your students, and then say

and model and show it as many different ways as necessary for the students to

get it. However, we do it constantly, and successfully!

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