What made you want to teach?

[Shannanigan]

I know everyone's got different reasons for teaching...or at least everyone in my education classes do, teehee. What are your reasons for wanting to teach?

The first time I thought I wanted to be a teacher was in the second grade, when my teacher took me into the teacher's lounge during lunchtime and I saw all the teachers sitting around tables just like us students outside....lunchtime was my favorite time of the day back then, and I thought, "if my job let me still had a lunchtime like this, then I want to be a teacher!"

Of course, later on I realized that many jobs have lunch lounges...and I went through a lot of other ideas of what I wanted to be, architect, director, writer, copy editor, psychologist, and then I settled back towards teaching. I had been a tutor for my four younger siblings and took personal joy in helping friends understand scoolwork, it seemed that it was just something I was meant to do. My science teachers has always been some of my favorites, so I at first wanted to teach science. I held on tentatively to this idea until I got to college....

I hate lab classes. To major in science at the University of the Virgin Islands is to spend every Friday and Saturday morning from 9-12 for 4 years in a lab. I can't sit still for one hour let alone 3....I'm just too energetic for that. Plus Thursday and Friday nights are party nights on this island! I don't wanna have to be up at 9 the morning after a party! lol

But, since I'd always loved reading, and writing, and my 12th grade literature teacher had reformed my veiw of literature, and my writing instructor had revolutionized my writing, I decided to focus on an English major. I got offered a job at the Writing Center and it just further solidifies the fact that I like to help students understand and learn...I love to hear them go "ooooh" when they finally get something. It's wonderful...I started taking Education courses so that I can get certified to teach upon graduation, and I look forward to that year every day...

[IrishCanadian]

I have only completed my first year of university but I am dead set on being a teacher. This was a fairly new revelation for me: I went to uni planning on having a good time and getting smart. But suddenly I realized (about four months ago) that I need a career if I want to get married. All my interests, both academic and otherwise, point me to a career teaching. I would love to teach in an elementary school but at thgis time in my life any teaching role interests me.
My Dad was a teaching/principal for over 30 years. He loved it so much. He retired about 4 years ago and still has stories from the classroom.
He also tells me that it was a very stressful job because of the stresses of peer pressure and personal "polotics" especially within the Catholic scool board (which is not really Catholic, only so by name: hence the stress).
Any suggestions for me from vetren teachers or older students with similar goals??

[byquist]

Obviously if ya' want to teach, you have to enjoy being around "youth," although since I now mainly teach Jr. College I encounter adults as well, and from many nationalities which makes it also very interesting. Lately I taught a Yemen-American, an Iranian-Afghanistanian-American, Vietnamese-American, Phillippino-Americans, two Bangladesh-Americans, both a Nigerian an a Liberian (not Americans yet), as well as recent Chinese-Americans, and several ex-Russian satelite and ex-Yugoslavian-Americans. Talk about your variety and lively class talk!

Back to teaching: the degree of spontaniety is so large that anything can happen. Also, you feel like you are assisting others in their life-goals and achievements. I've seen grown people cry when they have passed the Department tests that allows them to go on to the next advanced course.

If I had a current choice and was going to college for the BA and credentials, I'd advise looking into Elementary Ed, esp. for men who are much needed there (note, for instance, what Mr. "Sneebley" did for the class in "School of Rock" -- tremendous film). Not being certified there, I have only done plenty of substitute (which I'd urge you to experience if possible), but it can be a major delight' but you must bring much energy. Still, getting paid well for sitting in a rocking chair and reading a book about a caterpillar to 20 little listeners is my kind of job! On the other hand, I've seen it all and was once considered highly capable at breaking up fights.

Teaching is a "calling" and I'd urge folks to consider it; but, do homework first since some of the statistics you hear such as "We need 2,000,000 teacher in the next 5 years" is fabricated. Much of that is heresay, so be careful, it's no automatic job. Teachers.net provides some interesting background on the profession.

[mono]

For a very long time, I desired to work as a teacher, particularly in literature and creative writing, but the science-geek part of me compelled my career choice to the medical profession.
Currently, I tutor people in a few subjects, volunteering for my college, helping in writing, and, on the science side, human anatomy and physiology, microbiology, and organic chemistry, which have nearly erupted into full classes (to my great discomfort, while standing in front of up to 20 faces).
I love the feeling of teaching, however, knowing that I have helped someone in their learning process, perhaps explained things better in a one-on-one situation to aide their understanding. I also love that bright look that erupts from some people, saying "oh, now I understand," not to mention the statistic that one learns more thoroughly up to 95% of what one teaches.

[Shakira]

I just love kids. Their innocence & honesty is something that made me choose montessory teaching over middle school. I also conduct private tuitions for junior college literature students. I can proudly say that I have a capability to make things look less hard & this helps me to help those who find literature tough.

************************************************** **********
Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, today is a gift, that's why we call it the present!

[IrishCanadian]

Thanks for the advice freinds ... I'm really ecited for teacher's trainging and career.

[Petrarch's Love]

I think I've always wanted to teach. I'm someone who just naturally starts telling people about things, passing along information and trying to find ways to help people understand concepts, and I find I always learn things when I teach others. When I was a kid my friends nicknamed me "the professor" (well, either that or "grandma," depending on how kind they were feeling :lol:) because I was always lecturing. While I was on study abroad in college people volunteered to pay my entrances into museums and/or buy me drinks in exchange for my teaching them about the art in the Italian cities where we were staying (I would have gladly given tours for nothing, since it's a subject I love). I figured since this was something I loved to do and seemed to be doing all the time anyway, I might as well turn it into a profession. I've done some tutoring, but I get to actually start teaching in a classroom next year in the college as a part of my graduate program (mostly composition courses and a course assistantship in Shakespeare), and I'm incredibly excited. I would love to hear any tips from experienced teachers on the forum especially those who have taught at the college level, but really anyone who's taught English and has some words of wisdom.

[byquist]

I get to actually start teaching in a classroom next year in the college as a part of my graduate program (mostly composition courses and a course assistantship in Shakespeare), and I'm incredibly excited. I would love to hear any tips from experienced teachers on the forum especially those who have taught at the college level, but really anyone who's taught English and has some words of wisdom.

You have a great story, and something to really look forward to -- way to go at getting the grad program position! I would suggest being yourself, but with high energy, asking questions a lot including about their lives, goals and interests as well as the content, and employing humor. Also, there are sources and educ. journals around, and summer educational meetings. Heinemann.com is a book publisher and take a look at Lucy Calkins and Randy Bomer. I had a workshop with Randy (U. of Texas but he was in NYC) and it was the best. They, and I assume others, give workshops at different locations. I also like the pleasant info at memoirwriters.com which shows how excited about a few million people are about writing. Also, selecting spunky essays for them gives a lift to the class -- like "Why I Want a Wife", "The Ways We Lie," and "How to Escape a Bad Date" (with/pictures). Also, xerox some of their good work and distribute it to the others (makes 'em feel really proud).

[Petrarch's Love]

Thanks for all the suggestions Byquist. :) I'll have to look up some of the sources you suggest. I might look up "How to Escape a Bad Date" for my own personal use. :D I'm really excited about teaching. I'll be studying for my doctoral oral exams at the same time, so I'm looking forward to having the teaching as more productive work where I can interact with people rather than being cooped up full time in the ivory tower. :lol:

[lavendar1]

"Way back when," I was a young aunt with many nieces and nephews to entertain, and me playing teacher worked wonderfully for all of us. As time went on and life intervened, I needed to support a family... and teaching just wasn't in the picture.

But a few years ago, I had the opportunity to expand my credentials, and so I did. I think what really got me going was that after years of hearing my own children complain about how much they hated English and how boring it was, I (lit and writing lover that I was) was determined to do something to change the horrors of high school English. Whether I'll accomplish it or not remains to be seen. I'm a novice teacher -- I consider myself a female Don Quixote of sorts -- my quest is to make English something that will enlighten my students to what it means to be a human being (along with various curriculum necessities...of course).

I feel so fortunate that I can 'sample' teaching at several different levels; I teach both high school and community college students. I love it! And an anterior benefit is that I get plenty of fodder for the fiction I also love to write!

[SleepyWitch]

I have only completed my first year of university but I am dead set on being a teacher. This was a fairly new revelation for me: I went to uni planning on having a good time and getting smart. But suddenly I realized (about four months ago) that I need a career if I want to get married. All my interests, both academic and otherwise, point me to a career teaching. I would love to teach in an elementary school but at thgis time in my life any teaching role interests me.
My Dad was a teaching/principal for over 30 years. He loved it so much. He retired about 4 years ago and still has stories from the classroom.
He also tells me that it was a very stressful job because of the stresses of peer pressure and personal "polotics" especially within the Catholic scool board (which is not really Catholic, only so by name: hence the stress).
Any suggestions for me from vetren teachers or older students with similar goals??

maybe you could do an internship at a school during your holidays? over here, we have to do this as part of our studies (although we could use far more internships than we have to do).... or do some youthwork in your free time. I've done youthwork for a couple of years now and it's really helpful.. you gain a lot of experience with kids and build up a lot of confidence....

what made me want to teach? Those who can do, those who can't coach :)
heheh, nope, dunno really.. it just seems natural.... back in school, my class mates used to ask me to explain stuff to them and they'd tell me how good i was at explaining stuff... dunno what makes them think that.. i mean, i don't have any sophisticated method of explaining stuff, i just seem to get it right intuitively, so....

[muhsin]

Loving teaching profession is just like a mouth, hand, leg etc of my body, which I am initially created with. Sincerely, for me to say "WHY/HOW" this is so? It will be a little bit difficult-it's absolutely an ineffable experience within me. ok?
So, I want to teach, be it in formal, religious or traditional teaching class.
.........I thank God for that.

[IrishCanadian]

A lot of my friends are going to university to become docctors, nurses, poloticians, engineers, and lawers.
I sometimes feel like an odd one out as the aspiring teacher-student. Having said that, I'm so glad t see so that so many peopl that I respect on this forum are, or are headed for, the same goals as me. It is a noble profession! But at this point the main drive for me is a fun career that lets me comfortably raise a family. Not so much think ing of the $$ but more of the routine and time.

[muhsin]

Great, that is nice experience.

[Shannanigan]

A lot of my friends are going to university to become docctors, nurses, poloticians, engineers, and lawers.
I sometimes feel like an odd one out as the aspiring teacher-student. Having said that, I'm so glad t see so that so many peopl that I respect on this forum are, or are headed for, the same goals as me. It is a noble profession! But at this point the main drive for me is a fun career that lets me comfortably raise a family. Not so much think ing of the $$ but more of the routine and time.

I know exactly how you feel.

When I graduated from the private college-prep high school here in the Virgin Islands, all of my classmates scattered into the States to pursue careers as doctors, lawyers, engineers, architects, businessmen and women, and even pilots. I, on the other hand, stayed on the island and attended our humble local college, which serves as community college, 4-year university, and graduate school. I stayed because I got a scholarship to attend there, and didn't have money to go anywhere else, and because I knew that I could get what I wanted at te University of the Virgin Islands...the knowledge and credentials to teach. A lot of my classmates have come back for the summer now after our second year oIut of high school, and they all look at me and say. "Shannon, you were one of the smartest kids in our class, why are you still at UVI?" and I tell them "because it was a smart choice for me." People all tell me that if I plan on teaching, I better not give up my waitressing job, but I'm not concerned about the money...and if it does turn out to be a huge problem, I'll open a tutoring service (really popular down here for the rich parents to get private tutoring for their kids).

But enoug jibber-jabber. It's okay to have been the geek of the class and not become Bill Gates....I have admired teachers from when I first started going to school, and I admire even more those whose career goal is to become a teacher (as opposed to it being a back-up plan). Hurrah for us! :banana:

[adilyoussef]

Theaching! why choosing this profession? Simply because I love it. I got a diploma in Electromechanics and worked over two years. But at the end, I realised that I don't like that profession. But teaching has been my expectation since my highschool years when I studied English for the first time. I used to have a good, funny, and enjoyable teacher at that time who made me love that course. Unfortunately, the following years, I got a boring and a careless one who didn't, and still doesn't as I assume, love her profession. She made me, as the whole class, reluctant to work and we failed that course, simly by making us hating it. That why I chose my prevous profession before becomeing a teacher, or rather on the way to become one -- just a trainee. Well, as I mentionned, I hated my previous profession and had no further expectations at that time. Then I decided to emmigrate abroad. At that time, my destination was Canada. I had all the requirements but the English language. My counselor advised me to take intensive English courses and I joined the British Center in persuance of my aim. There I've learnt a lot and my interst in English grew more and more. Was it due to the stuff, to the language itself, to the way I've been taugh, or something else, I don't know? But in a period of two years I was competant enough to access university and joined the English department. My first year there was a complete failure and I repeated the year with a great determination to succed this time. I strived very hard and knew no rest till I got a sertifecate that enabled me to access this year the CPR ( Centre Profetionelle Regional) It's in French. This year I'll graduate to become a teacher of English for mid-high school. I'm going to teach basic English for beginners.
I think that if somebody is determined to achieve something in his/her life and has a strong will and loves what s/he is going to do, I'm sure s/he will achieve his/her dreams. If there is a will, there is a way.

[Hyacinth Girl]

Petrarch's Love:
I am so excited for you! Teaching English composition was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, and I miss it terribly.


I would love to hear any tips from experienced teachers on the forum especially those who have taught at the college level, but really anyone who's taught English and has some words of wisdom.

In my experience, Byquist is right on the money:


I would suggest being yourself, but with high energy, asking questions a lot including about their lives, goals and interests as well as the content, and employing humor. Also, selecting spunky essays for them gives a lift to the class -- like "Why I Want a Wife", "The Ways We Lie," and "How to Escape a Bad Date" (with/pictures).

High energy is key, especially if you have an early morning class. One of my courses was a remedial English course at 8:00am - yikes. Keeping active and keeping them talking was the best thing I could do. I tended to look at it a not only a teaching gig, but an acting one as well - not in the sense that there was anything artificial or false in my teaching, but I was "on stage" and had to perform, to entertain, in order to keep their interest. (NOTE: I am not, however, a dancing monkey :lol: ) Also, I was able to create my own syllabus, so I chose essays like the ones mentioned above, short works by Chuck Palahnuik, excerpts from current bestsellers, etc. in order to make the reading more interesting and accessible.

One thing I found I had to keep in mind, and this may not hold true for your students: 99% of my students did not READ. I think at times we overlook that, being readers ourselves. I took a survey at the beginning of each class, and perhaps 1 person in 15 actually read a book, any book, for pleasure within the year. Probing further, that book was likely to be something along the lines of Harry Potter or The DaVinci Code. Magazines were more popular, but minimally. Basically, I had to not only teach writing, but reading and comprehension as well, because the majority of my students were not familiar enough with basic writing to duplicate it themselves.

At any rate, I'm sure you will be wonderful, and it will only reinforce your desire to teach for the rest of your life. :nod:

[Petrarch's Love]

Thanks for all the encouragement and advice Hyacinth.:) It's nice to hear someone with such enthusiasm for teaching. It sounds like you should consider getting back into it somehow. I think I know what you mean about being up onstage. It looks like I'll have mostly evening sessions--though the schedule isn't yet set in stone--so I won't have to worry about getting everyone going at 8 a.m. (thank heavens! :lol: ), but I may have to contend with everyone winding down toward the twilight hours. I'm not sure yet exactly how much control I'll have over the syllabus for my composition class. I know the writing program has certain material and techniques that are required. The material for my course assistantship will naturally be up to the prof. since the discussions I lead will be a supplement to his lectures, but it'll be Shakespeare and the prof. I'm working with is a wonderfully wise and charismatic teacher who I've heard encourages his course assistants to integrate lots of acting and fun stuff into their discussion sessions, so it should be great to start teaching under his guidance. As for whether the students read much, it seems to me the U of C undergrads are a group of unusually well read students (I was quite surprised when I first came here), and most of them have taken a core class based on the "Great Books" program before they get to the course I'm doing, but you're right that it's still a good thing to keep in mind generally speaking when teaching and I think selecting some "accessible" and fun works is probably a good idea for any group. One thing I'm looking forward to about teaching is getting back to basics a bit. You can get so caught up in the fine points as a grad. student that you forget how completely foreign so much of literature is to most people and how much we need teachers that can make some of it interesting for people.

[Reason is a cow]

heh. I'm 17 and debating a similar situation. College? Profession? My dream is to become an herbologist and a farmer, but nobody agrees with my decision ;). For you, do what will make you happy. That is the sole purpose of this morbid existence. The most important shaper of minds is the teacher, and I wish I had some good ones. By the way, I also work in the New York University laboratory, but far longer than three hours on weekends. Don't get me wrong, I love colons, but science is not my calling. Luck!

[Hyacinth Girl]

One thing I'm looking forward to about teaching is getting back to basics a bit. You can get so caught up in the fine points as a grad. student that you forget how completely foreign so much of literature is to most people and how much we need teachers that can make some of it interesting for people.
I know exactly what you mean. In some respects I found it a relief to leave my Postmodernism class in order to focus on the structure of a balanced argument in excerpts from Woolf's Orlando! :lol:
One thing that made teaching so fun to me was taking a student who would walk in my class the first day and declare: "I hate poetry - I don't understand a word" and have them leaving the class with a favorite poem or poet because they learned that poetry wasn't necessarily a conundrum, or a student who couldn't write a coherent paragraph to save their life leave class with a clear idea of how to formulate a basic essay of complete paragraphs. It was a relief to focus on such simple, rewarding things after arguing in endless circles about Barthes' definition of the novel with the 5 people who actually knew who he was! ;)


It's nice to hear someone with such enthusiasm for teaching. It sounds like you should consider getting back into it somehow.

Actually, funny you should mention that. My boyfriend (although it seems strange to refer to a person of our age as my "boyfriend" . .um life partner? significant other?) was pestering me about it the other day (I am EXTREMELY unhappy with my current employment situation) and made me promise to apply to the PhD program at University of Washington this fall. . . plus, there is a lectureship for the next academic year at the local university that I am supposed to apply for as well.
I was joking about starting a thread: Should Hyacinth go thousands of dollars into debt in order to get her PhD in a rather glutted job market and why. . . :lol:

[Petrarch's Love]

One thing that made teaching so fun to me was taking a student who would walk in my class the first day and declare: "I hate poetry - I don't understand a word" and have them leaving the class with a favorite poem or poet because they learned that poetry wasn't necessarily a conundrum, or a student who couldn't write a coherent paragraph to save their life leave class with a clear idea of how to formulate a basic essay of complete paragraphs.

I hope that I will be able to enjoy similar success stories. It must be very rewarding to watch someone's work improving like that. Maybe some of my crazy enthusiasm for the subject will rub off on a couple of my students. ;)


It was a relief to focus on such simple, rewarding things after arguing in endless circles about Barthes' definition of the novel with the 5 people who actually knew who he was!

I beg your pardon! I think you sadly underestimate Barthes' status as pop icon. I'm sure there are at least six people who actually know who he is. :D

Actually, funny you should mention that. My boyfriend (although it seems strange to refer to a person of our age as my "boyfriend" . .um life partner? significant other?) was pestering me about it the other day (I am EXTREMELY unhappy with my current employment situation) and made me promise to apply to the PhD program at University of Washington this fall. . . plus, there is a lectureship for the next academic year at the local university that I am supposed to apply for as well.
I was joking about starting a thread: Should Hyacinth go thousands of dollars into debt in order to get her PhD in a rather glutted job market and why. . .


Great idea for a thread. Maybe it could be enlarged and entitled "The Place for any and all people contemplating starting a career as graduate student, poet, writer of the next great American Novel or similarly non-lucrative but enjoyable field." I think it would be highly popular around this place. :lol:

Seriously though, the lectureship might be really rewarding, and I think the PhD program's a good idea if it's what you really, really love. UW was one of the schools I was considering going to a few years back, and I seem to recall they had a good department there. I think some of their Ren. people have gone emeritus, but they still have some good active scholars in the field as I recall (don't they have someone there who's done work in connection with revels and drama?--can't remember the name offhand, or maybe I'm imagining this altogether). Anyway, if you're really thinking about doing the PhD thing and would like to chat it out with someone who's recently been through the whole application process and early stages of the journey, feel free to drop me a PM (or start another thread or something) lest we hijack this thread altogether. ;)