So You Think You Want to Be a Teacher?

For anyone that aspires to enter the teaching profession, it is my sincere hope that all of you wide-eyed, bushy-tailed prospects thoughtfully consider what your job will invariably entail. Having the ability to teach reading, writing or arithmetic are not the only tools that you need to be equipped with to enter the highly respected profession of teaching.

Common sense tells us that you have to be pretty smart to be a teacher with all of the growing requirements (Bachelor's degree, appropriate teaching credential, and subject matter preparation and/or CSET testing), but what they don't tell you is that your personality, temperament and behavior management techniques are equally important. I have been a high school teacher for four years, and I realized immediately that my relatable, easygoing personality, coupled with my fortitude, was going to determine my effectiveness and success in the classroom.

You can have a B.A. from Harvard, but if you can't relate to students of all ages and gain their trust and respect, your teaching career will be short-lived. You have to at least be aware of some of the things that they love like electronics, music, clothing, shoes, television shows and movies. Learning can be fun! You have to present innovative, engaging lesson plans or students will think that you don't value their opinions by ignoring relevant issues and topics.

The truth is, many teachers recycle the same lesson plans year after year, or borrow stale plans from their colleagues. You have to stay fresh and cutting edge, willing to do extra research to impress your students. Personally, I enjoy rap music, sports and the latest fashions, so the majority of my students feel that I can relate to them and their world because we share similar interests. Students are more likely to do the work that you assign and never cut your class if they feel you have a vested interest in them.

In addition to "getting along" with students, prospective teachers must understand that temperament and mental fortitude are paramount with regard to verbal outbursts, physical altercations, and oppositional defiant behavior. In my short career, I have been called a "bitch" a couple of times, but I have never cried or even taken it terribly personal. I have heard about many teachers that have been reduced to tears right in front of students!

Honestly, I feel that it is important to show students who the boss is, and I will never shed a tear over a disrespectful or unruly student; however, for teachers that are not emotionally prepared for these kinds of situations, a meltdown is quite possible. I have heard so many stories from teachers that have had balled up paper, chairs and desks thrown at them, students spitting in their face, tires being slashed, money, purses, cell phones and keys being stolen, and students verbally assaulting (sexually harassing) teachers by attacking their sexual orientation.

Unfortunately, teachers' hands are effectively tied; you can call a parent and wait with bated breath for them to return your call, refer them to the office for them to enter the revolving door that brings them right back, or suspend them from your class for a maximum of two days only for them to return with a smirk on their face for beating the system. I don't mind raising my voice in a very stern, motherly way, and in four years, I have only referred about four or five students for disciplinary action (fighting and suspicion of drug or alcohol abuse) because I realize that, ultimately, I'm going to have to deal with them for the remainder of the year; therefore, I handle everything right in the classroom-agonizing the students with long speeches about respect, reducing participation points, calling parents immediately during class, lowering citizenship grades and submitting non-complimentary comments on report cards.

One popular statistic asserts that 75% of all teachers burn out of the profession in 3-5 years. Last year, the first-year teacher next door to me never smiled through the entire school year; she always appeared to be downtrodden and overwhelmed, but one day I saw her in the hallway and asked how she was getting along. She burst into tears and told me that a student had just thrown a desk at her! On many occasions, she had written referrals on him and several other students that intimidated and taunted her to no avail. The administrators continued to put the students back in her class because it was their right according to the Education Code, but her issues were never truly addressed. Needless to say, she resigned after the year ended and pursued a career in interior design.

The aforementioned teacher was fresh out of college, full of aspirations but lacking the gumption that is required to be a teacher, from preschool through high school. As citizens of the United States, students have rights that seemingly supersede the rights of teachers, and when administrators are backed into a corner, they diligently side with irate parents and the intrusive school district. Armed with the knowledge that you are the only one fighting your battles, prospective teachers must truly recognize the shortcomings of the nationwide educational system and decide if they are willing to take on the challenge.

Classroom behavior management systems and personality compatibility are two aspects of teaching that don't get much airplay, but without them, summer break will seem farther away than it is in reality. If you are passionate about becoming a teacher, keep in mind that teaching is not a profession for the soft at heart or the easily agitated because students can smell fear from their lockers, and the weak and vulnerable are manipulated and mercilessly taken advantage of. You cannot rely on anyone to fight for you...but you.