Why did you become a teacher?

Question

I’m a secondary school teacher currently teaching seventh graders. Teaching was all I ever wanted to do – I remember my secondary school teachers as being passionate, inspiring, knowledgeable and encouraging and I grew up wanting to be that for other kids. I wanted to make a difference. I’ve been teaching for about two years now and I’m feeling so incredibly disillusioned. I feel like I’m not making a difference at all – the kids in my class don’t want to be inspired! I’m seriously considering giving up teaching and pursuing a different career path. For fellow educators out there, why did you become a teacher?

Answer 1

If you’re feeling like your inspirational motives for becoming a teacher are going unfulfilled, then perhaps try and focus on the practical positives. Being a teacher offers job security, weekends off work and twelve weeks of paid holiday time every year. These practical things are the reason why I became a teacher – anything else I consider a bonus.

Answer 2

The whole point of being a teacher gets the students inspired. You are there to guide to reveal their potential. Unfortunately, not all students will succeed in your class. However, this should not be what keeps you from believing that every student could have the potential for success. Think one of the main drives for being a teacher to see this success in the student that you taught, those that didn’t understand the concept that of the lesson and those that have learned it with your help. That is rewarding. When you eventually reach to a student that was considered a “failure” by others, then that is the true worth of your guidance. Think of how of your secondary school teacher manage to get one of his students to follow his path, that is what you should aim for, a person that tries his best to make every, if not one student succeed in the end.

Answer 3

If you ask me, teaching is probably one of the easiest ways you can leave an impact in the future. As cliche as it is, teachers are essentially responsible for molding the future in class, each and every day. You are more likely to be with them than they are with their parents. You can make that difference in a student’s life. Raise them to be a positive force in the classroom as well as in the real world later. You will be there to support them every step of the way while you can. You taught them to open their eyes to the endless possibilities and to make the impact when they leave. Knowing that your teaching leaves an impact is what I think matters most to me.

Answer 4

Why did you become a teacher... I'm a teacher and I think there is probably no other profession that is more important and satisfying than teaching. Every child can and will succeed with the right teacher and life mentor. The circumstances that they are born into should not dictate their chances for success. A Strong education is what matters (and a little luck). There is nothing more fulfilling than professionally and personally giving the child the tools they need to excel in both social growth and academic.

Answer 5

You may not inspire your students to greatness. You may not even be responsible for starting any of them off on illustrious career paths. But because of you, they are going home each day having learnt something they didn’t know before. Whether it be English, mathematics, physical education, or even just some basic common courtesy like saying “please” and “thank you”. The sad fact is that many of these kids will spend more time with you during the week than they will with their parents. No matter how cooperative or uncooperative your students may be, you are exerting a positive force into their lives at a very difficult age. If even just a few of them turn out to be good and respectful citizens of the future, then I think you should be able to congratulate yourself on a job well done.

Answer 6

I found answer 2 and 3 are so encouraging. And if you feel like losing the point in teaching when you found you are “not” making a change, how about give some thought to “not to make a change”, or how is teaching changing YOU rather than your students? If you found teaching is changing you towards a good direction, then I say it’s worth all the efforts.

Answer 7

If you ask me “why did you become a teacher,” I’d say I decided to be a teacher because I wanted to inspire young students…however, I also found myself questioning why I became a teacher. For me, the key was focusing on smaller goals. Rather than hoping in vain for a “‎O Captain! My Captain!” moment (a la ‘Dead Poets Society’), I focused on smaller goals: getting my class to settle down in under a minute, helping everyone to understand a new concept, encourage the more “difficult” students to work together as part of a team assignment…I’ll be the first to admit that it was a long road, but by achieving little goals, I felt like I was making a tiny difference and that helped me to rediscover my joy in teaching. Remember, its “slow and steady who wins the race”!