Teaching is one career that has a reputation for being rewarding, but also very hard work. While there are many perks like union protections, decent job security, and reasonable time off, there are also stories a lot of stories about teachers who are overworked, underpaid, and poorly supported by their school districts. What draws people to teaching, then?
One of the primary things that draws people to education is that it allows them to give back to their communities while still earning a steady paycheck. If you’re the kind of person who needs to feel like their life’s work is really and truly making a difference, you could do far worse than teaching for a career. People don’t often thank their dentists in their Oscars awards speeches, but there are always a few teachers who make the cut every year. Having an impact on young students is a powerful thing, and your work as a teacher can pay benefits for generations.
Another reason people are drawn to careers in education is because it allows them to focus on a particular area of study that interests them. Everyone always says you should do what you love, but how do you know what that is before you’ve actually got the job? With education, you can take your own particular interest, whether that be literature, physics, history, or any number of other subjects, and turn it into a long-term career.
Job security is another reason people turn to teaching. While budget cuts and tax funding can occasionally cause problems, generally speaking being a teacher means having of the more secure jobs a person can find these days. Thanks to teachers unions, benefits are generally protected and you have a strong ally in your corner if you ever have a dispute with your employer. And while the median salary is perhaps not spectacular, high school teachers earn $60,320/year and elementary school teachers earn $57,980/year.
Time off is another great incentive to consider when it comes to teaching. While teachers don’t get as much vacation time as students do, and they are required to continue with their own professional development and education in their off time, they do get more time off than the average U.S. worker. Working parents also find teaching schedules to be easy to work with when it comes to raising a family, as their school age kids share the same schedule they do.
Ease of access is another reason many people consider teaching careers. Anywhere with a population needs teachers, so you can work almost any place you’d like. Degrees in education are also readily available as night school or online courses through many colleges and universities, so they are an easy choice for those looking to switch careers. Is teaching the right career for you? There has never been a better time to find out!