Summary of Findings

What’s in this chapter:

A collective summary of what teachers reported

Best parts of the profession

Worst parts of the profession

Tips on preparing to become a teacher

TEACHER

Tips on teaching

General insights

INSIGHT

Not in it for the money

“Many people think that

whose stories we include here didn‘t see

Most of the teachers

the money as an issue and found rewards in other aspects of

because the school day

the job. Many seemed to see it as a calling

–

a way of making

a difference. It‘s not a job to do for the money, said one

teacher bluntly. You have to

have a passion for what you

ends at 3 PM teachers just

teach. I stopped teaching for several years but missed the

interactions with students, wrote another, who took a better

leave, but, the truth is, we

paying day job in the interim. I don't make more money and I

have less time for myself, but I wouldn't trade any of that. I

stay late and often put in

love m eeting new students every year and… I thrive in an

atmosphere of change and flexibility.

more than an 8 hour day.

Kids are the best

Almost always we take

—

Students emerge as both a blessing and a curse

not a huge

surprise, really. What‘s more surprising is the degree of

work home with us. Yes,

unanimity among teachers about the things that keep them

going: the thing about their jobs that they like best. Summer

vacation? Not even close. For nearly ninety percent, it was

we do have summers off

–

the kids

even, on a couple of occasions, for those who said

they also d

idn‘t like them all that much. Do not become a

but we are constantly

teacher, wrote one hardened campaigner because you think

it will be easy, or because you like kids.‘ It is not easy, and

thinking about the school

you will not like kids when you are finished. The thing that he

bout his work? Watching students make

liked the best a

discoveries on their own –

the kids, in a word.

year to come and working

Others tried to explain this seeming contradiction. A second

on our skills.”

grade teacher from the Boston area wrote: The best part of my

job is also the worst part: the children. It is an awesome