7 Reasons Why Teaching is the Best Job
Teaching doesn’t just allow you to change the lives of young people, it also provides you with a number of other benefits as well. While there are many careers that can help you make money and provide you with respect in your community, few are able to offer the same amount of fulfillment that teaching does. You can learn more about the reasons why teaching is the best job by reading this article!
1) There are endless opportunities to gain experience
Want to learn how to manage a business? Teach a class. Want to know how to lead people? Teach a class. Want to get kids interested in physics? Teach physics. Want to start your own software company? Start your own software club and mentor high schoolers on coding fundamentals. The possibilities are endless! In teaching, you can be yourself. Too often in college you may get stuck with professors or managers who have outdated methods of instruction or management, making it feel like learning has become more about regurgitating information than understanding it at a deeper level. With teaching, you have total control over what happens in your classroom – so you can run it however you’d like it done! You won’t always be bored: It might seem like teachers just sit around all day waiting for students to show up, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Teachers are constantly planning lessons, grading papers, attending staff meetings and professional development sessions, meeting with parents, etc.
2) Great for making new friends
Teachers often share and collaborate with other teachers to improve their craft. This means that if you’re a good teacher, you’ll find yourself making friends easily. Many teachers also love working with students who are of different ages and grade levels, so your kids will get to make new friends, too! If you need some help forming new relationships in your life or want to meet someone special, teaching might be just what you need! After all, one of these kids could turn out to be your next great friend. Plus, having such young people around can give you more perspective on how you would like to spend your free time when they grow up—it may even inspire you to join an adult activity club for fun! So go ahead and take advantage of those opportunities while you have them. And don’t forget to introduce your children to some new faces as well! They’ll appreciate it later in life.
3) Teachers get a unique insight into raising children
When you’re raising a child, you might get advice from your relatives, friends, or your peers. You might even take parenting classes to learn how to raise your baby. However, teachers see children—and parents—every day for years on end. Not only do they witness first-hand how different families handle challenges in child rearing; they also help many kids deal with challenges such as bullying and other emotional issues that can have an impact on their mental health and development. Teachers are often sought out by parents for advice about their children. This gives them a unique perspective on what it takes to raise happy, healthy children who grow up into successful adults. With all of these advantages, there’s no wonder why teaching is considered one of the best jobs!
4) There’s something rewarding about sharing knowledge
As a teacher, you get to share your knowledge with people who are hungry for more. One of my biggest pleasures in life has been watching young people grow from I don’t get it to Wow! I get it. That moment of sudden clarity as they make a breakthrough—it never gets old. It makes me feel like I’m giving something back to society and making a contribution through teaching. Plus, being a teacher means that every day at work is different. There’s no such thing as routine when you have an ever-changing cast of characters whose lives are changing every day. You can never be bored when you have to keep up with your students’ growth spurts (and sometimes regressions). And even though I know that nothing worthwhile comes easy, seeing someone figure out how to solve a problem or conquer an obstacle feels really good.
5) The hours are great
Teachers in elementary school work from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and high school teachers can schedule out their days as they wish (it’s not uncommon for them to take an hour or two during their prep period to attend an extra-curricular activity). Of course, there are plenty of times when teachers must be at school before or after those hours, but nine-to-five is generally accurate for most teachers. And, if you like to sleep in on weekends, teaching allows you that luxury. As long as you get your work done by Friday afternoon, it doesn’t matter what time you clock in on Monday morning—you won’t have any meetings to rush off to. In fact, many teachers use Sunday nights to prepare lessons and plan activities for their classes.
6) Flexible hours help you maintain a social life.
Teachers have great flexibility in their schedules. If you’re a morning person, you can teach in the afternoon. If you need to make dinner and spend time with your family, you can teach in the morning. And if you like to sleep-in on weekends, most districts give teachers off on Saturdays. Most importantly, teaching hours are based around what works for YOU! So whether you want to be an early bird or a night owl, there’s likely a school out there that will work with your schedule. (Most of them!) Even better: It may not matter as much as you think. Studies show that having consistent work hours (and not getting too many days off) is more important than total number of hours worked when it comes to maximizing productivity. Regardless of how much time you spend at school, being able to pick up where you left off each day allows students and teachers alike to build consistency in their routines—which leads to greater engagement over time.
7) Lower stress levels
Some people find their career stressful. As a teacher, you will never have to face serious stress levels because of your job. If a student gives you trouble, you simply deal with it and move on without having to worry about it too much. This means that even if your day was difficult, there won’t be any serious stress hanging over your head at home. You can come home after work and relax in peace and quiet instead of dealing with tense or difficult situations. Being a teacher also helps you avoid certain kinds of office politics. Because teachers are usually only evaluated once every few years, it is very unlikely that you will ever feel pressured by an overly demanding boss or need to do anything unethical for fear of losing your job. Teachers typically enjoy great flexibility when it comes to working hours as well as days off, so long as they get their work done. All in all, being a teacher offers plenty of advantages when it comes to reducing stress levels.
