Teachers, on average, are not likely to recommend their profession to a loved one.
Just 21 percent of teachers say they are likely to advise their own children鈥攐r the children of close family members or friends鈥攖o pursue a career in K-12 teaching, according to EdWeek鈥檚 The State of Teaching survey, which drew from a nationally representative sample of nearly 1,500 teachers. Teachers say they work long hours for low pay and little public respect and that they鈥檙e expected to tackle a wide variety of student needs without adequate support.
But when Education Week reporters asked five teachers from across the country what they would say to someone who鈥檚 interested in becoming a teacher, they gave a more nuanced perspective of the job.
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Yes, the job is time-consuming, challenging, and overwhelming at times, the teachers said. But it鈥檚 also rewarding, fulfilling, and interesting.
Read on for the teachers鈥� advice for those considering the profession. Their answers have been edited for length and clarity.
鈥楾here鈥檚 going to be ups and downs鈥�
鈥淗ow do I explain this roller coaster in a way that highlights how wonderful it really is? I just feel like teaching gets such a bad rap. It鈥檚 so difficult in a lot of ways, and I feel like those difficulties are the main thing that people hear about. But it鈥檚 so beautiful in a lot of ways.
鈥淭oday I spent how much of my day laughing? These kids are goofballs. [It鈥檚 rewarding] even just having a conversation with them, getting to see who they are as individuals. And what I鈥檓 now starting to get to experience is, as they start to grow up a little bit, continuing to be a part of their lives. The way that they light up whenever they see you, because you hold a special memory for them, too. It makes it so, so, so worth it.
鈥淎nytime those lightbulbs go off, anytime they invest in the lessons that you鈥檙e putting together, it feels like you hit the lottery鈥攍iterally. You feel like you鈥檙e making such a difference in the world.
鈥淚f I had advice, it鈥檚 just鈥攂e prepared for that roller coaster. There鈥檚 going to be ups and downs. You鈥檙e going to get frustrated. You鈥檙e going to get rip-roaring mad. Sometimes personal boundaries will be crossed, but for the most part, you鈥檙e going to have a really wonderful time, and you鈥檙e going to meet some of the best people that you could ever meet鈥擺I鈥檓] talking about the students, but also my colleagues.鈥�
鈥擲ofia Alvarez-Briglie, a 7th grade science teacher at Alcott Middle School in Norman, Okla.
鈥楰now when to stop working鈥�
鈥淎lways try to tie in what you find interesting into your job. Everyone has a niche. Some people are very creative; some people like to do the arts. They want to tie in what is special to them; it鈥檒l keep things interesting, motivating.
鈥淭his job is very taxing. It could really drain all your energy. It could be an around-the-clock job. It鈥檚 difficult for many teachers to separate personal and professional lives because we deeply care about our students. They are a part of us, and we want them to succeed. It鈥檚 important for new teachers to set boundaries for themselves and know when to stop working, a skill I am still honing.鈥�
鈥擧elen Chan, a 4th grade math teacher at South Loop Elementary School in Chicago
鈥榊ou can鈥檛 be a perfect teacher鈥�
鈥淚 would say pursue it. But be aware of the many different flaws and difficulties that exist.
鈥淎re you going to be able to financially support yourself? Is that something that you鈥檙e going to be able to do, given the restrictions that are placed [on salaries]?
鈥淲hen teachers talk about having too much to do on their plate, it鈥檚 because there aren鈥檛 enough people paid to be in the profession. One teacher is asked to fulfill so many roles. We鈥檙e asked to be educators, certainly to plan curriculum, of course, to instruct students. But increasingly we鈥檙e also asked to be things like counselors, to be guards.
鈥淏efore last year, there was a state-mandated training, ... the same kind of training that Navy SEALs do. We had to learn how to stuff bullet hole wounds with gauze. The fact that I had to learn how to do that as a 7th grade and freshman and senior year English teacher is horrifying to me. It鈥檚 so strange. It鈥檚 surreal.
鈥淭eaching offers the ability to work with kids, and the ability to have a positive impact on the world around you. But it comes with the politicization, the overwhelming pressure that I think teachers are under.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not for the control freak, it鈥檚 not for the perfectionist. You can鈥檛 be a perfect teacher. I don鈥檛 think that鈥檚 possible. You can be better than you were the day before. You can be better than where you were a year before. But it鈥檚 got to be something where you鈥檙e always trying to seek improvement, because there鈥檚 always areas for improvement to exist.鈥�
鈥擣rank Rivera, a middle and high school English/language arts teacher at Chaparral Star Academy in Austin, Texas
鈥業t can be very rewarding to see that growth鈥�
鈥淵ou have to love it. It can be very overwhelming when you have behavior issues in the classroom, the amount of paperwork鈥攜ou have to keep on going, and it is time consuming. You have to have the passion. But it can be very rewarding to see that growth. It doesn鈥檛 matter how many months鈥攋ust to see that growth from one aspect of the kids to the other.鈥�
鈥擥riselle Rivera-Martinez, an English-for-speakers-of-other-languages teacher at Enterprise Elementary School in Enterprise, Fla.
鈥楶ut the kids first鈥�
鈥淒o it for the right reasons. Make sure you have a love of young children. I put the kids first. They are someone鈥檚 sunshine. These are someone鈥檚 children. You have to be mindful of that.
鈥淭eaching is a passion, it鈥檚 not just a paycheck. You can鈥檛 fake it. I love what I do. It鈥檚 more than just a job to me. I want to be the best. You have to commit to that.鈥�
鈥擩acqueline Chaney, a 2nd grade teacher at New Town Elementary in Owings Mills, Md.
