So You Want To Teach?

Think of the many reasons you have to quit.

1. Bad students
2. Bad administrators
3. Bad curriculum
4. Too much paperwork
5. Too much negativity
6. Too much responsibility
7. Not enough time
8. Not enough credit
9. Not enough PAY

Face it, you are not as good of a teacher as you could be. You’re not living up to your potential. Nobody is.

Where am I?
Seth Godin says that you are in The Dip (What’s The Dip?). This is that place where it feels like nothing you do matters. Things were going so well until you hit The Dip. It’s when you get to that point where you realize that indeed, the honeymoon is over. When the tide has turned and things are not as easy as they once were? The Dip is where both champions and quitters are proven. The picture shows you where The Dip is.

I wrote about The Dip previously, but never really sat down and applied it to education directly. I was thinking about this today and realized that it would be a great thing to address.

So just how does The Dip apply to teaching?
Many teachers spend their entire career in The Dip. They say that most teachers quit before their sixth year of teaching. Those who quit felt that they were either in a Cliff or a Cul-de-sac, as demonstrated in this picture.

I would suggest that most people who begin teaching are in The Dip. The question you must ask yourself is, Am I ready to get through this thing? If you are, then there’s some good news!

You can get through it. It simply takes hard work, great classroom management skills, and a desire to be the best teacher in the world. Look around this site for some ideas of how to push through to success. I suggest going to The Total Teacher Transformation or Questions That Will Save Your Career.

So why should we stick with this education thing anyway?

1. Because children are worth it
2. Because you are passionate about your subject matter
3. Because there is more personal satisfaction in this field than any other
4. Because giving of yourself is truly living
5. Because you have something valuable to share
6. Because you enjoy learning
7. Because you need to make a difference in lives
8. Because there are too many teachers who don’t want to be teaching
   If you’re one of them, then maybe you should reread the list at the top and find a new profession that won’t allow you to make a negative difference in lives
9. Christmas Break
   
10. Summer Vacation

Has this article helped you to decide to stick with teaching? Please leave a comment below and let me know? Has it helped you decide to quit teaching? Also comment and let me know.