Hello!

[teacherelite]

Hi everyone!

I'm a second year college student majoring in secondary science education and was recently thinking about whether I REALLY want to become a teacher. I think it's a great job that brings a lot of good feeling to you at the end of a successful day, but I'm just not so sure about how day to day activities and life is like. I'm also not sure how pay is and how much it varies according to where you work and all that....

I've been doing some research just trying to find some info online about day to day life and I came across CareerCritique's teacher section which made me think about my future job even more...I'm still not sure this is what I want...I was wondering if anyone else on here knows of any other good resources that they would like to share, thanks!

[merrynl]

Teaching can be very rewarding, but it can also be frustrating and a lot of work at times. It is important that you find a school that is a good fit for you... otherwise, you may end up with more frustrating days than rewarding ones.

The best thing you can do right now is to get into a classroom. Volunteer, tutor, coach, do whatever you can to get into a school and see what it's really like day to day. Even if you can't be there all the time, find a classroom where you can go to work with the kids. Many teachers like having an extra adult around to help with special projects. Elementary teachers can often find small group work for volunteers. Ask your professors for help... see if they know of a teacher/school that takes volunteers and uses them well.

Good luck, and remember: nobody can decide for you whether teaching is the right profession. You need to decide for yourself. No matter what you learn in class, it is not the same as seeing what daily classroom activities are like in person.

[SS Rocks!]

merrynl described it perfectly.

I must say that if you truly have a passion for teaching, you need to stick with it. It took a lot of time and effort before I found a job, but waiting is by far the best decision I have ever made. While I have good days and bad days, this has been an incredibly rewarding career. If you don't have a passion for working with kids, you may find yourself becoming frustrated with the job.

Get involved volunteering in schools around you in any way you can.

[Just ducky]

Many years ago, before college, I volunteered in my sister's sixth grade classroom. The teacher had been a former teacher of mine, so that was helpful. He told me that he didn't want to "burn me out" before I ever got started on my career. It was just what I needed to verify that this should be my career! I know that I helped him, but he offered something to me that was priceless.... the opportunity to "test" my career choice before I spent my college career preparing for it.
Get into the classroom NOW in some capacity if you are not totally sure that you REALLY want to be a teacher.