3 Essential Truths Everyone Going Into Teaching Needs To Know
If you are considering going into teaching, then you are on the precipice of a major career and life-altering decision. Indeed, there are many benefits to such a rich and rewarding career. Although, before you make the leap, there are some things that you need to know. Read on to find out what they are.
It’s not a 9-5
If you are looking for a career where you can roll up at 9 am and be done by 5 pm teaching is not the choice for you. Instead as a teacher, you can expect lots of evenings and vacations spent working on marketing and planning as well as revision sessions, summer schools, and extracurricular activities.
Many teaching staff also find it hard to shut off, even when their working tasks are completed for the day. One reason for this is that in teaching there is always something that can be improved and made more effective, so there is always another task that can be done. Secondly, many teachers find themselves worrying about their students, and do not find it easy to simply shut off from this at the end of the day.
With that in mind, learning relaxation skills such as meditation and yoga can help. Also, be sure to set yourself realistic limits and goals of what you can be expected to do in a specific period. After all, you will be no good to anyone if you burn out.
It’s up to you to create a positive learning environment
While you may be more interested in the content of the lessons you offer to students, it’s also crucial to remember that the learning environment you create matters. This means that they need to feel comfortable in a space where they can be themselves and voice their opinions, where they feel free to try new things and fail without shame. To that end fostering a culture of kindness, and having clear behavioral expectations is key.
Additionally, even the aesthetics of your classroom can make a big difference in how comfortable your students feel in your class. Unfortunately, many teachers are already so busy that spending hours making displays is a task that gets shunted to the bottom of their list.
The good news is that there are products like these bulletin board sets that come pre-printed and cut. Something that means is all you need to do is put them up and you will have a fun and engaging display that’s ready to go.
Kids will act up
Lastly, what everyone needs to know before they get into teaching is that most kids will act up from time to time. However, that doesn’t mean they are ‘bad.’ Instead it’s important to remember that challenging authority and pushing boundaries is a vital part of any person’s development. Although that doesn’t mean that you have to put up with bad behavior. Instead, setting standards and giving consequences when these are not met is the fastest and most effective way to foster a long term behavioral change.
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