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Is teaching really that stressful/hard?
I hear such mixed things about being a teacher.
Two of my teacher friends say people exaggerate about how tough teaching is. They say it's super fun and rewarding and you get long holidays.
Others say its so tiring and exhausting and the most miserable job ever.
Two of my teacher friends say people exaggerate about how tough teaching is. They say it's super fun and rewarding and you get long holidays.
Others say its so tiring and exhausting and the most miserable job ever.
Scroll to see replies
Original post by ad3ny0ung
Like all jobs it has its up and downs, I mean the real reward should be the memories you make and the experience you gain by helping others. Teaching is a hard job I respect anyone who can teach good. (I believe its gonna be tough but in the long run its worth it)
Also, all jobs are hard and have their stresses.
Not just teaching
Depends on the teacher.. and the students.
I've taught a lot of the past 6 years, although its rarely been the main focus of my work. I'll just focus on the actual teaching aspect, as I've never worked in a UK school, so I can't really comment on the marking/admin/paperwork side of things.
In terms of teaching itself, sometimes its a joy and the best thing in the world. If you are a good teacher, and that's a big if, and you get a great class of students, its a brilliant job. Equally if you get a tough class of students who you slowly engage with and help progress, it can be much more demanding, but even more rewarding.
The problems really come when you get someone who isn't comfortable teaching. I've evaluated/observed many of these. Great people, really nice, but they just can't command attention/respect/admiration from students, and as such the students just don't give a **** about them. Those teachers can be fooled into thinking they are great teachers, by having great easy classes of placid students, but give them a challenge and they crumble away. Partially this can be learned, but partially its about personality. If your not comfortable taking control of situations, managing large groups, standing and talking in front of big groups etc. then teaching in schools probably isn't for you. Other types of teaching, smaller group tuition, university lecturing, workshops, etc. Might be far better suited, but large-class teaching, probably isn't going to be your thing.
There are always some students, or groups of students that give even the best and most experienced teachers a hard time, but generally speaking if your a confident, quick on your feet and can lead pretty well, the actual act of teaching isn't that stressful.
Its my understanding, that its everything outside of teaching itself, that's driving many away from the profession.. not actually teaching.
I've taught a lot of the past 6 years, although its rarely been the main focus of my work. I'll just focus on the actual teaching aspect, as I've never worked in a UK school, so I can't really comment on the marking/admin/paperwork side of things.
In terms of teaching itself, sometimes its a joy and the best thing in the world. If you are a good teacher, and that's a big if, and you get a great class of students, its a brilliant job. Equally if you get a tough class of students who you slowly engage with and help progress, it can be much more demanding, but even more rewarding.
The problems really come when you get someone who isn't comfortable teaching. I've evaluated/observed many of these. Great people, really nice, but they just can't command attention/respect/admiration from students, and as such the students just don't give a **** about them. Those teachers can be fooled into thinking they are great teachers, by having great easy classes of placid students, but give them a challenge and they crumble away. Partially this can be learned, but partially its about personality. If your not comfortable taking control of situations, managing large groups, standing and talking in front of big groups etc. then teaching in schools probably isn't for you. Other types of teaching, smaller group tuition, university lecturing, workshops, etc. Might be far better suited, but large-class teaching, probably isn't going to be your thing.
There are always some students, or groups of students that give even the best and most experienced teachers a hard time, but generally speaking if your a confident, quick on your feet and can lead pretty well, the actual act of teaching isn't that stressful.
Its my understanding, that its everything outside of teaching itself, that's driving many away from the profession.. not actually teaching.
Original post by fallen_acorns
Depends on the teacher.. and the students.
I've taught a lot of the past 6 years, although its rarely been the main focus of my work. I'll just focus on the actual teaching aspect, as I've never worked in a UK school, so I can't really comment on the marking/admin/paperwork side of things.
In terms of teaching itself, sometimes its a joy and the best thing in the world. If you are a good teacher, and that's a big if, and you get a great class of students, its a brilliant job. Equally if you get a tough class of students who you slowly engage with and help progress, it can be much more demanding, but even more rewarding.
The problems really come when you get someone who isn't comfortable teaching. I've evaluated/observed many of these. Great people, really nice, but they just can't command attention/respect/admiration from students, and as such the students just don't give a **** about them. Those teachers can be fooled into thinking they are great teachers, by having great easy classes of placid students, but give them a challenge and they crumble away. Partially this can be learned, but partially its about personality. If your not comfortable taking control of situations, managing large groups, standing and talking in front of big groups etc. then teaching in schools probably isn't for you. Other types of teaching, smaller group tuition, university lecturing, workshops, etc. Might be far better suited, but large-class teaching, probably isn't going to be your thing.
There are always some students, or groups of students that give even the best and most experienced teachers a hard time, but generally speaking if your a confident, quick on your feet and can lead pretty well, the actual act of teaching isn't that stressful.
Its my understanding, that its everything outside of teaching itself, that's driving many away from the profession.. not actually teaching.
I've taught a lot of the past 6 years, although its rarely been the main focus of my work. I'll just focus on the actual teaching aspect, as I've never worked in a UK school, so I can't really comment on the marking/admin/paperwork side of things.
In terms of teaching itself, sometimes its a joy and the best thing in the world. If you are a good teacher, and that's a big if, and you get a great class of students, its a brilliant job. Equally if you get a tough class of students who you slowly engage with and help progress, it can be much more demanding, but even more rewarding.
The problems really come when you get someone who isn't comfortable teaching. I've evaluated/observed many of these. Great people, really nice, but they just can't command attention/respect/admiration from students, and as such the students just don't give a **** about them. Those teachers can be fooled into thinking they are great teachers, by having great easy classes of placid students, but give them a challenge and they crumble away. Partially this can be learned, but partially its about personality. If your not comfortable taking control of situations, managing large groups, standing and talking in front of big groups etc. then teaching in schools probably isn't for you. Other types of teaching, smaller group tuition, university lecturing, workshops, etc. Might be far better suited, but large-class teaching, probably isn't going to be your thing.
There are always some students, or groups of students that give even the best and most experienced teachers a hard time, but generally speaking if your a confident, quick on your feet and can lead pretty well, the actual act of teaching isn't that stressful.
Its my understanding, that its everything outside of teaching itself, that's driving many away from the profession.. not actually teaching.
I wanna be an English teacher.
I want to read more of the classics before I do my PGCE.
My original plan was to do more freelance writing and get married and read all of the classics and do the course when I'm 35
but due to the crisis freelance jobs have gone and I need to get a job tbh.
Do you thnk I'll have time to do lots of reading in my spare time and also be an English teacher?
Original post by stickylikehoney
I wanna be an English teacher.
I want to read more of the classics before I do my PGCE.
My original plan was to do more freelance writing and get married and read all of the classics and do the course when I'm 35
but due to the crisis freelance jobs have gone and I need to get a job tbh.
Do you thnk I'll have time to do lots of reading in my spare time and also be an English teacher?
I want to read more of the classics before I do my PGCE.
My original plan was to do more freelance writing and get married and read all of the classics and do the course when I'm 35
but due to the crisis freelance jobs have gone and I need to get a job tbh.
Do you thnk I'll have time to do lots of reading in my spare time and also be an English teacher?
I mean, as I said in my last reply - I'm not a teacher in the UK, so I can't comment on specifics, but about half of my family are teachers, and they seem to have plenty of time to read. It just comes in more concentrated spells. So in term time they are reasonably busy, similary to many demanding jobs. Towards the end of terms they can be really busy, but then they get nice long holidays, which are far better than you would get anywhere else.
So I'd wager that in the holidays you'll have plenty of time to read, and in term-time it will just be a case of how you prioritize your time. If your the sort of person who would rather read than watch TV, you'll never have trouble fitting it in.
Original post by fallen_acorns
I mean, as I said in my last reply - I'm not a teacher in the UK, so I can't comment on specifics, but about half of my family are teachers, and they seem to have plenty of time to read. It just comes in more concentrated spells. So in term time they are reasonably busy, similary to many demanding jobs. Towards the end of terms they can be really busy, but then they get nice long holidays, which are far better than you would get anywhere else.
So I'd wager that in the holidays you'll have plenty of time to read, and in term-time it will just be a case of how you prioritize your time. If your the sort of person who would rather read than watch TV, you'll never have trouble fitting it in.
So I'd wager that in the holidays you'll have plenty of time to read, and in term-time it will just be a case of how you prioritize your time. If your the sort of person who would rather read than watch TV, you'll never have trouble fitting it in.
Do teachers do a lot of marking and lesson planning in the holidays too.
Also, jobs are meant to be hard. Teaching is meant to be hard.
All jobs are stressful. Not just teaching.
Original post by gjd800
Teaching itself is usually pretty easy, it's the bureaucracy that makes things harder.
Do teachers work a lot during holidays?
Original post by stickylikehoney
Do teachers work a lot during holidays?
There is always stuff to do in the holidays, so the answer really is 'sometimes'. If you are organised it is easier
Original post by stickylikehoney
I hear such mixed things about being a teacher.
Two of my teacher friends say people exaggerate about how tough teaching is. They say it's super fun and rewarding and you get long holidays.
Others say its so tiring and exhausting and the most miserable job ever.
Two of my teacher friends say people exaggerate about how tough teaching is. They say it's super fun and rewarding and you get long holidays.
Others say its so tiring and exhausting and the most miserable job ever.
Teaching secondary school kids must be the worst thing ever, I had a placement at a infant school and that was nice because all the kiddies were so cute, but if you want to teach English I’d say go for a college or sixth form, because the people you’re teaching most likely actually want to be there
my sisters an eng lit teacher and works abroad, but when she worked in England she was over worked and had no spare time.
I'm 30, I really wanted to get married and do lots of reading and then do my job aged 35.
But, now cos of the crisis all the freelance jobs have gone so might have to try PGCE sooner.
But, now cos of the crisis all the freelance jobs have gone so might have to try PGCE sooner.
Original post by Jessica03
Teaching secondary school kids must be the worst thing ever, I had a placement at a infant school and that was nice because all the kiddies were so cute, but if you want to teach English I’d say go for a college or sixth form, because the people you’re teaching most likely actually want to be there
It's pretty straightforward if you aren't a pushover who is afraid of your own shadow
Original post by gjd800
It's pretty straightforward if you aren't a pushover who is afraid of your own shadow
Mmhhmm some of those kids can be really abrasive, only because they don’t want to be there which is fair enough, esp with English, a subject they have no choice about taking.
I hear so many mixed things.
Everyone except training year told me the PGCE/SCITT was very stressful. Apart from one girl who said she thought the PGCE was OK.
But some people said they enjoyed their PGCE year despite the stress.
Then some people said it was super difficult and they got on their placements/quit/nearly quit.
As for being a teacher... more mixed things.
Most people say it's hard.
Then some people say they think it's fine and people exaggerate how stressful it is.
The really positive people say they love. They say it's fun and rewarding and you get good holidays where you chill. And the pay goes up after a few years so it pays well too.
Other say it's hard but they like it. They say it's tough, but rewarding. They say it's a hard job but worth it.
Others say it's terrible. Horridly stressful and tiring. So much pressure. And the opposite of rewarding as you spend hours working hard and the children don't care.
Everyone except training year told me the PGCE/SCITT was very stressful. Apart from one girl who said she thought the PGCE was OK.
But some people said they enjoyed their PGCE year despite the stress.
Then some people said it was super difficult and they got on their placements/quit/nearly quit.
As for being a teacher... more mixed things.
Most people say it's hard.
Then some people say they think it's fine and people exaggerate how stressful it is.
The really positive people say they love. They say it's fun and rewarding and you get good holidays where you chill. And the pay goes up after a few years so it pays well too.
Other say it's hard but they like it. They say it's tough, but rewarding. They say it's a hard job but worth it.
Others say it's terrible. Horridly stressful and tiring. So much pressure. And the opposite of rewarding as you spend hours working hard and the children don't care.
Original post by Jessica03
Mmhhmm some of those kids can be really abrasive, only because they don’t want to be there which is fair enough, esp with English, a subject they have no choice about taking.
I find them pretty easy to deal with, but my employment background includes a stint on a dock so some bolshy kids don't even feature on my radar
Original post by stickylikehoney
I'm 30, I really wanted to get married and do lots of reading and then do my job aged 35.
But, now cos of the crisis all the freelance jobs have gone so might have to try PGCE sooner.
But, now cos of the crisis all the freelance jobs have gone so might have to try PGCE sooner.
To answer your other questions - yes there are lots of stressful aspects to the teaching profession and in particular the training year. The profession is subject to a huge amount of accountability for results and for pupil progress. And the extent and level of research being put into teaching and learning means that if the pupils aren't doing well, often the mantra is that it is your fault. Often that's not true in the slightest but as teachers it's very easy to believe that you are the one controlling everything, because you control your own classroom.
Different people deal with this stress in different ways, and the more experienced teachers often have ways of dealing with it better because they have a larger volume of resources and prior experience to draw on to help them in day-to-day stuff. That isn't to say experienced teachers don't struggle, many do, but this may go some way to explaining why you have heard varying accounts about stress levels.
The school and the school leadership also has a big impact. A lot of assistant/deputies and head teachers supply atmospheres that aren't pleasant owing to this accountability culture. Therefore, this is another factor that produces these varying accounts.
It also depends on how good you are at dealing with stress, at saying no, at remembering you're a human being. It's very easy throughout the week to just plough through the days and see yourself as more of a machine. Some teachers keep their own rules about managing workloads and stick to them, it's a difficult thing to balance for sure.
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