Can I become a teacher if I have bad bad social anxiety

Only realised I have this, since working in a professional environment :frown:

You would be working in a stressful environment as a teacher. There is nothing more stressful than being responsible for the education of the nation’s children.

Reply 2

Tootles

Original post by Seamus123

You would be working in a stressful environment as a teacher. There is nothing more stressful than being responsible for the education of the nation’s children.

True, but speaking as someone with social anxiety myself, I've found being around kids/teenagers to be surprisingly refreshing/relaxing. Also @Maid Marian might have something to add, she's got more experience than me.

Reply 3

Claire461

Personally, I wouldn’t want anyone teaching my grandchildren with the level of anxiety the OP has admitted to. I would expect her to address her issues before embarking on a teaching career.

Reply 4

tesconyc

why do you want ro be a teacher

Reply 5

maya0798

Sorry should have mentioned, it's not the children that give me social anxiety or trigger it, nor is it the child base environment...I love what I do and the difference i make.
It's strange because it occurs with colleagues. Like showing the other side of me that's not professional. if that makes sense?

Reply 6

PhoenixFortune

Original post by maya0798

Even though it may not seem like it, teachers do interact with other adults a lot as part of the job, whether it be with the class TA, visiting health professionals, or the headteacher to name a few. What exactly happens when you feel socially anxious?

Reply 7

HighwayUnicorn

If it’s your passion I think you should follow it. I’m a nurse (possibly soon a doctor) and when I first started I was so awkward and nervous on the wards. Other nurses/staff would talk about me and it really dented my confidence. Over time I learned how to talk to people (which sounds silly) and now I would say that I’m a really outgoing person. It will take time but you’ll definitely learn how to do things your own way and how to express yourself with the people you work with.

Reply 8

maya0798

Yes!! thankyou, this is exactly how i feel... hopefully it works out within time i guess.

Yup, working on it

Yes, you can, but it won't be easy. Teachers are humans too.

Reply 11

username1339858_

Yes you can
You will have meetings, parents evenings and etc but you can manage even if these things might be hard.

Reply 12

Claire461

If you have difficulty with social anxiety with your work colleagues, there is a possibility that that may spill over into the learning environment, and it is naive to think otherwise. Children will be affected.

Reply 13

XKangaotiCX

Original post by maya0798

Only realised I have this, since working in a professional environment :frown:

It could go one of two ways: 1.) Your confidence grows as you teach children and are able to have a healthy and happy relationship with them, generally. 2.) The class is loud and brash, and slowly grate away at your confidence.

Look, kids are really harsh sometimes, ruthless even. It depends if you want to be a primary or secondary school teacher, or even a proffesor. The good news is, you would get training to deal with the children. As a fellow social anxiety sufferer, I know the struggles, but if teaching is something you're passionate about, I would definitely try it.

Reply 14

ErasistratusV

If your anxiety is that serious then I would strongly urge you to seek some professional help with it.

I was the shyest person you could possibly meet when I was in my teens, seriously: I could not dial the phone to a stranger and even tried to avoid going into shops on my own. In my first job I worked in a small office as the only male in a small office of late career ladies. I was on the phone dozens of times a day speaking to all kinds of people as part of my job. I then gained a position where I was driving from place to place doing a lot of cold calling and consultative work with existing customers who were all new to me. After a while, you live with it and the anxiety goes away.

I can distinctly remember how I would literally sweat, (I could feel the drips out of my armpits) when talking on the phone to people or when I was meeting people for the first time. It becomes habit and you adapt.

If it is your genuine dream to become a teacher then you will find a way to overcome any barrier.

Reply 15

doodle_333

I pretty much stopped attending school completely my anxiety was so severe. I have worked as a TA and teacher. It was tough at first but I got used to it.