As many of you know i'm now a qualified teacher, commonly referred to as an NQT, this was one of the proudest achievements of my life and filled me with hope and excitement for the future....for about a month. Then reality set in, and the prospect of having no full time job or travelling a long distance for minimal hours became heartbreaking. I failed to understand how I had put in all this time and effort to be consistently told No, due to my lack of experience. Age old cycle i suppose. Which brings me to here...I had long been told about the amount of teaching positions in England and so decided to take the leap, what did I have to lose really?? So I interviewed, taught a class, got offered the position and took it. Just like that! Finally a system that judged me on my ability to teach rather than my ability to answer ridiculous questions about made up situations in a room of 6 people who stare and you and make you feel about an inch tall. It honestly reignited my passion for teaching.
But what's it been like so far you ask? Well i'm glad you did! Life isn't rosy in England, nor is it at home. I've become an adult with bills and responsibilities. I've to plan for the welfare of children even single school day. I have to deal with children who think the rules don't apply to them and also the ones who simply want to be ignored. I have to care for every single student in my care, regardless of their feelings and behaviour towards me, I've had stuff thrown at me, I've been knocked over and I've had students try and intimidate me in my own classroom. Yet i've had students thank me, hold doors open for me and choose to work with me because of how I treat them as individuals.
I can never comprehend those who think teaching is a simple job, short days and long holidays, we've all heard the jokes. Don't these people know that its us teachers who stay awake until midnight finding out how to best help your child understand a theory, or how to differentiate a lesson so that even the student who doesn't speak English as a first language can feel included. Teaching is mentally and physically exhausting work....and i've only had limited experience of it so far.
I love my job, and as far as i'm concerned the good will always outweigh the bad in my opinion. We must realise that our school system does not suit every student, some people learn in different ways. I as a teacher have to try and help that student just as much, if not more, than the other students in my class. It's not an easy job working with teenagers, nor did I even believe it would be, but I think the common misconception among people is that teachers have an easy life. Well let me just say this....the next time you are having a row with your teenager and they refuse to do what you say, try imagining that happening with 30 teenagers at the same time, not because you can't control them but simply because it's last lesson of the day or they don't particularly like you or your subject, because when are they ever going to use it in real life?
We need to teach our children the value of a good education, and why we learn subjects such as Maths, RE and PSHE, its helping to produce well rounded individuals who can function respectfully in society. Children who will grow up to respect differences in individuals and appreciate them. This is why I chose to be a teacher...not for a simple life....but to try and make a difference in even one other life.
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