Secondary Thinking about becoming a teacher

[alex_is_on_fire]

Ive been teaching for a few years and in this short span Ive noticed the amount of non-teaching duties has gone up considerably.

My advice to a young teacher is to focus on personal time management. Put class management, lesson planning etc on the backburner. That will come with experience and reflection.

A teacher has to learn to say "No- I won't do that". I made the mistake of going in and trying to do everything. Almost burnt me out. It's quite possible fr a teacher to come home everyday and work till midnight every night. That's not good. You've got to find ways of reducing the workload while not detracting from the quality of your teaching.

Schools provide PD on everything, but not this issue. It's something a young teacher has to figure out for themselves.

It just depends on the school you at I guess. If you have supportive colleges, they will help you. They will share their personal experiences, planning and some ( if you are lucky) resources.

The thing I've learn; switch off as you drive home. Don't take it home with you and you won't relive the negative experiences each day.

Switch off and start again the next day. Have a positive and fresh attitude every day.

 

[pepsi]

Ive been teaching for a few years and in this short span Ive noticed the amount of non-teaching duties has gone up considerably.

My advice to a young teacher is to focus on personal time management. Put class management, lesson planning etc on the backburner. That will come with experience and reflection.

A teacher has to learn to say "No- I won't do that". I made the mistake of going in and trying to do everything. Almost burnt me out. It's quite possible fr a teacher to come home everyday and work till midnight every night. That's not good. You've got to find ways of reducing the workload while not detracting from the quality of your teaching.

I've also been teaching for a few years now and have found that I work longer hours now than I did in the first couple of years. I'm the Sport Co-ordinator at my school and it takes up a huge amount of time. I only get 1 period a week time allotment for the position, but I can tell you now it takes up nearly all my planning time each week. But it is a position I absolutely love, giving students the opportunity to try new sports they might not have played before, as well as giving them the opportunity to represent the school.

I enjoy teaching more now than I did when I first started.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

I've also been teaching for a few years now and have found that I work longer hours now than I did in the first couple of years. I'm the Sport Co-ordinator at my school and it takes up a huge amount of time. I only get 1 period a week time allotment for the position, but I can tell you now it takes up nearly all my planning time each week. But it is a position I absolutely love, giving students the opportunity to try new sports they might not have played before, as well as giving them the opportunity to represent the school.

I enjoy teaching more now than I did when I first started.

I don't know about your school but in my experiences, the first session or two are so painful as the students (primary) don't understand the sport. Then the third and fourth session are much more enjoyable as they can actually play the game, they have improved their knowable and coordination. That's when it becomes enjoyable as they stop complaining g and enjoy it.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Only 1 period? Have you checked the award? That doesnt seem right.

Under the SA CBA - teachers are supposed to receive 250 minutes of non instructional time (NIT) a week.

 

[pepsi]

I don't know about your school but in my experiences, the first session or two are so painful as the students (primary) don't understand the sport. Then the third and fourth session are much more enjoyable as they can actually play the game, they have improved their knowable and coordination. That's when it becomes enjoyable as they stop complaining g and enjoy it.

Do you mean in PE class or Interschool Sport training?

I agree that it can test your patience when teaching kids a new sport. Showing them a couple of videos of the sport at the start of the unit can help sometimes.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

yep hugely important. The worst thing a teacher can do sometimes is take work home. Turn the email off, stay back at work...but dont take it home.

Teachers should not be carrying suitcases of work to and from home.

Marking sometimes has to be taken home but yeah - switch off.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Do you mean in PE class or Interschool Sport training?

I agree that it can test your patience when teaching kids a new sport. Showing them a couple of videos of the sport at the start of the unit can help sometimes.

Yeah - PE.

But some kids hate PE, just as others hate literacy, numeracy or history. It's how you engage them and challenge their learning.

Used the You tube clip before to show the rules and how to play the game before.

 

[Tzatziki_Man]

My girlfriend has almost finished her degree in Interior Design, this is her 5th year in the design field. She thought she loved it but not so much anymore. Her passion is diminishing even though she does loves being creative. She is thinking about becoming a teacher, which I think might work for her as she has so many skills that would be suitable. She wants to be a teacher, problem is she doesn't like kids very much. Has a passion for learners and likes to teach people how to do things.

Thoughts? Can you be a teacher and enjoy it if you don't particularly 'enjoy' the company of kids?

I'm a teacher myself and I can't really answer that question…thought you guys could shed light.


As for the job and others who want to do it?

The money is great for a graduate, I'm making more money than all my mates from high school and all my mates who are working now. In 10 years however, it will equal out or they will probably surpass me. But with good money management, I'll set myself up in my 20s so I'm not going to stress as much about money in my 30s/40s.

I just tested my grade ones today, the two I did running records on have excelled to Level 14 in their reading when at the start of the year were at level 4 and 5. Basically they're 6 months ahead of where they're meant to be, the thrill of being about to work co-operatively with their families and teaching these two students to see them excel 12 months worth in 6 months is exciting for me. I get a kick out of seeing improvement. It makes me feel good and I take that like I've done my job well. If you would care about about that, then teaching is certainly for you.

Bad stuff about teaching, the politics definitely. Like every workplace, I find I work with mostly women and they're all at each others throats. it's a nasty staff team at times, with tension. Other times it's okay.

 

[Jamezy88]

hi all. I'm currently in my final year of an Agricultural science degree at Adelaide uni, I never really thought about it in the first two years of my degree, but i'm heavily considering doing a Dip Ed, i'd probably teach Ag (rural schools) science and biology i'm from a rural back ground myself so living in the country doesn't bother me. I have a real interest in trying to engage and influence students especially in agriculture because it's what i'm passionate about.

Thanks everyone for the pro's and con's it's been a good read as i way options up.

 

[CrazyDon]

4th year teacher here. I find we are getting more and more work. These holidays I haven't really stopped doing work as demands needed to be done by week 1. I find we do more non classroom tasks than actually teaching.

The thing I have learnt is to do what you can in the time you can. A colleague taught me these things:
- Mark as you rove saves marking at the end
- mark homework during lunch break on Fridays
- getting in early (as soon as gate opens) saves staying back.

I switch off at 5pm. Yes teaching isn't 8:30-3:30 but family matters more in my eyes. Teachers only get paid for 8hrs a day and we are expected to do more than that, but if you work till 7pm each night 5 days a week and some weekends, your going to burn out.

I dont sit in the staffroom at lunch, just so I can get work done

 

[Santoz]

All good advice.

Having kids has made the profession more challenging, especially playing footy too as the club sees you as semi-professional in that sense.

I dislike the days where I work until 5 before coming home, saying "G'day" to the kids, then basically wave them goodbye again before walking out the door for training. I suppose that is like most professions though.

Obviously, the holidays make up for this so the deal is sweetened there.

The worst part of the job is having to plan units of work at the end of semester when there's a truckload of correction and reporting to complete. Being stuck with that, considering others rely on the unit you're planning to teach, is a burden I wish on no one.

 

[CrazyDon]

All good advice.

Having kids has made the profession more challenging, especially playing footy too as the club sees you as semi-professional in that sense.

I dislike the days where I work until 5 before coming home, saying "G'day" to the kids, then basically wave them goodbye again before walking out the door for training. I suppose that is like most professions though.

Obviously, the holidays make up for this so the deal is sweetened there.

The worst part of the job is having to plan units of work at the end of semester when there's a truckload of correction and reporting to complete. Being stuck with that, considering others rely on the unit you're planning to teach, is a burden I wish on no one.

You need that break though.. I dislike people who think it's glorified babysitting.. if it was, I would be paid more...

 

[adelaidecrows]

Ive just completed my first semester studying primary teaching. My goal is to be a year 7 teacher or PE. But my experiences as an SSO have shown me I would easily enjoy teaching students as low as 4/5s. But you have to be able to teach any year I guess.

 

[Gibbke]

I work in a smallish country high school halfway between Cairns and Townsville. I'm the music teacher, and when I started, I was told by the deputy I'd be "autonomous" - the subject hadn't been done at the school since a cyclone wrecked the joint a few years earlier, and I would be starting it from scratch again. Added to that, the load given to HODs covers many subjects, and none are really knowledgeable of performing arts, let alone music, so as long as we can pass an audit we're ok...!

I've had my time as a 12 hour a day coordinator, a HOD aspirant, a new kid on the block, etc. I now get to work at 8, go home between 4-5, spend the weekend on my new boat trying to catch barra and seeing half of my students on the water doing it better, teach a couple of subjects I'm working hard at removing from my timetable (by expanding the music dept to fill it completely), and then I'm basically on my own running my own little empire! Should have done this years ago...

 

[CrazyDon]

I work in a smallish country high school halfway between Cairns and Townsville. I'm the music teacher, and when I started, I was told by the deputy I'd be "autonomous" - the subject hadn't been done at the school since a cyclone wrecked the joint a few years earlier, and I would be starting it from scratch again. Added to that, the load given to HODs covers many subjects, and none are really knowledgeable of performing arts, let alone music, so as long as we can pass an audit we're ok...!

I've had my time as a 12 hour a day coordinator, a HOD aspirant, a new kid on the block, etc. I now get to work at 8, go home between 4-5, spend the weekend on my new boat trying to catch barra and seeing half of my students on the water doing it better, teach a couple of subjects I'm working hard at removing from my timetable (by expanding the music dept to fill it completely), and then I'm basically on my own running my own little empire! Should have done this years ago...

Would love to be able to do that. Our report system makes us write comments every couple of weeks on a subject

 

[Gibbke]

Would love to be able to do that. Our report system makes us write comments every couple of weeks on a subject

We have the "data grab" every five weeks or so. You just have to organise your courses around such things, so you can justify responses if anyone asks (which will only happen at our place if we're being audited...!)...

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

Yep, I know what your saying and agree 100%.

Just luck I've got a contract and the South Australian Government and Department of Education are trying to turn the teachers age around by offering retirement intensives.

$50,000 bonus for burnout teachers who are not willing to upskill with T&D.

Ahh teachers, little wonder we pay them so poorly when they don't know the difference between the word 'intensive' and 'incentive'. As a retail manager I find the teaching students to be some of the stupidest and most unreliable people I've ever met, so there is little hope for the future. They often speak of their entitlements but don't want to do any work, a good grounding for their future profession of failing our kids. These people spend years completing their education degrees, failing classes, repeating them, summer catchup, eventually flailing over the line to complete their pathetic effort of a teaching degree. They now teach your kids, having learned all about unions, entitlements and the whinging and campaigning that teachers engage in on a daily basis. Even the teaching students get into it before they've ever led a class, campaigning for 'teachers rights', what a bunch of useless campaigners they really are. Actual stupid people now teach kids.

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Ahh teachers, little wonder we pay them so poorly when they don't know the difference between the word 'intensive' and 'incentive'. As a retail manager I find the teaching students to be some of the stupidest and most unreliable people I've ever met, so there is little hope for the future. They often speak of their entitlements but don't want to do any work, a good grounding for their future profession of failing our kids. These people spend years completing their education degrees, failing classes, repeating them, summer catchup, eventually flailing over the line to complete their pathetic effort of a teaching degree. They now teach your kids, having learned all about unions, entitlements and the whinging and campaigning that teachers engage in on a daily basis. Even the teaching students get into it before they've ever led a class, campaigning for 'teachers rights', what a bunch of useless campaigners they really are. Actual stupid people now teach kids.

Campaigner

 

[raskolnikov]

Ahh teachers, little wonder we pay them so poorly when they don't know the difference between the word 'intensive' and 'incentive'. As a retail manager I find the teaching students to be some of the stupidest and most unreliable people I've ever met, so there is little hope for the future. They often speak of their entitlements but don't want to do any work, a good grounding for their future profession of failing our kids. These people spend years completing their education degrees, failing classes, repeating them, summer catchup, eventually flailing over the line to complete their pathetic effort of a teaching degree. They now teach your kids, having learned all about unions, entitlements and the whinging and campaigning that teachers engage in on a daily basis. Even the teaching students get into it before they've ever led a class, campaigning for 'teachers rights', what a bunch of useless campaigners they really are. Actual stupid people now teach kids.

High username to post content correlation.

 

[BIRDBRAIN]

High username to post content correlation.

I'm still waiting for an intelligent reply from one of you thickies, I guess judging from yours I'll be waiting a while longer?

 

[Gibbke]

Thickies...if you mean thick skinned, then you're wasting your time. We cop this shit all day, but we don't bother getting uppity because we know we're in the right, and always end up winning the argument anyway...

But if it's any validation of your rant, I supervise student teachers regularly and often get ones who really aren't cut out for it. It's a people skills job - you can't understand the concept until you've had a state high school class of Grade 8's, 9's or 10's on a Friday afternoon - and if you're lazy, stupid, prone to excessive whinging or feeling unduly entitled, never mind being competent in teaching your subject, you don't last long...

These are the ones we send back to retail...

 

[alex_is_on_fire]

Thickies...if you mean thick skinned, then you're wasting your time. We cop this shit all day, but we don't bother getting uppity because we know we're in the right, and always end up winning the argument anyway...

But if it's any validation of your rant, I supervise student teachers regularly and often get ones who really aren't cut out for it. It's a people skills job - you can't understand the concept until you've had a state high school class of Grade 8's, 9's or 10's on a Friday afternoon - and if you're lazy, stupid, prone to excessive whinging or feeling unduly entitled, never mind being competent in teaching your subject, you don't last long...

These are the ones we send back to retail...

If anyone wants to know what challenging is - take a state school year 8 or 9 class on a Friday afternoon.

Receptions would even be a better choice on a Friday afternoon.

 

[ron436]

no no no, do not do it you'll go mental in a couple of years

 

[CrazyDon]

One word not used correctly in a sentence and all of a sudden all teachers are stupid?

As a teacher who might "whine" every now and again, I find that teaching is like a 3 legged bar stool.. needs the teacher, student and parents to be on board to succeed or it won't work.

As teacher's we can only do so much. Yes we have the child's attention more than parents during the day, but they need to support and continue the child's learning at home, to help their child proceed.

To blame teachers for poor learning outcomes is hilarious at best as we can only do so much.

 

[CrazyDon]

If anyone wants to know what challenging is - take a state school year 8 or 9 class on a Friday afternoon.

Receptions would even be a better choice on a Friday afternoon.

Or volunteer to help on camps and excursions.