Is it a bad Idea to go into teaching?

nanotechnology
Mon, 18 Nov 2013 05:14:47 +0000

Sadly, it is not uncommon for people in the corporate/academia/industry world to look down on those who become teachers with the attitude of “those who can’t do, teach.”
This is crap. Teaching is seriously undervalued in our society. Think about the fact that all those people looking down on teachers were educated by them 7 hours a day for at least 12 years. Being a teacher can be stressful; it’s not a 40 hour work week with 3 months of free time, and you have to learn how to deal with students AND their parents. But most students and parents really do have respect for teachers and the work that they do. You won’t earn as much as in the corporate world, but I definitely feel like it’s a much better job to contribute to the good of society.
There is also concern with the job security. Once you have seniority and stay put, then your job is quite secure. However, it can be difficult to get there. Budgets are still often uncertain, and if you are at the bottom of the totem pole seniority wise when there are cuts, you will be the first to go. It can also be difficult to get the job in the first place. Like a lot of fields there is the catch-22 that prospective employers want experience, but you can’t get experience without having the job.

Sorry for the rant. But I think if you want to go into teaching, go for it. We always need good teachers. Don’t let corporate types discourage you because of their messed up attitudes toward educators.