Are you considering a career in education? Careers in education appeal to a wide range of people, and it is easy to see why as the work can be so rewarding. However, in addition to shaping the future and having a huge impact on the lives of today’s youth, there are many other perks to a career in education, and it can be a field that pays well and offers flexibility amongst other perks. However, while there are many perks to a career in education, there are also a few drawbacks and challenges that you need to be aware of before embarking on a career. With this in mind, keep reading to discover all that you need to know about a career in education.
It Is Rewarding
The main benefit of a career at any level of education is that it is hugely rewarding. Helping students on the pathway to success and a brighter future is a tremendous feeling that will stick with you for life, so this is a career that can provide immense job satisfaction and should make you feel proud. The world needs great teachers, and everyone has teachers that changed and influenced their life, so you will want to do all that you can to be these teachers that people always remember fondly.
It Can Be Competitive
As such a rewarding career and one with many other perks, you will also find that a career in education can be competitive. Many people have aspirations to become a teacher, so you will face competition, and you will need to find ways to improve your abilities and be the best possible teacher that you can be.
There Is Always Demand
While it is competitive, you will also find that there is always a demand for great teachers, so by developing your abilities and gaining experience, it should not be too hard to find work. Additionally, it means that you can find work in education no matter where you go, so you can move around if this interests you. On top of this, it also means that teachers have excellent job security, which everyone can benefit from.
No Two Days Are Ever The Same
Another perk of teaching is that no two days are ever the same. Every single pupil and every single class is different, so even teaching the same lesson plan to a different group will be a completely different experience. This is also true for teacher assistants who work alongside teachers in primary and high schools to deliver learning programs to a range of students. They usually require the completion of a teaching aide course or a social science program. This does make teaching unpredictable, but it is also part of what makes it so exciting and an enjoyable way to make a living. The key is to make sure that you have planned and understand exactly what needs to be communicated in each lesson, but also, you can adapt and have flexibility with your approach.
It Can Interfere With Your Personal Life
You will find that a career in education will inevitably interfere with your personal life. This is because it can be hard to avoid taking work home with you, and you will often spend time reflecting on how you can improve, how you can help certain students, and upcoming challenges that you have. This is not a job that you can simply switch off from at the end of the day, and you will find that it has an emotional impact, but this is also part of what makes teaching so special. So, while it will interfere with your personal life, it is still important to try and keep your work and home separate and make the most out of your time off.
You Will Benefit From Extra Time Off
Leading on from this point, you will also find that you will benefit from extra time off as a teacher. You will usually finish earlier than most other lines of work, plus you get the benefit of having half-term, Christmas, Easter, and summer holidays to enjoy. This is a major perk to teaching, and although you will find yourself marking, developing lesson plans, and reflecting on your work often, you should also be able to use this time off effectively and make the most out of it. In addition, you should use your time off to relax and recharge, socialize, exercise, pursue hobbies, and generally do things to improve your physical and mental wellbeing.
You Need Excellent Communication Skills
Few professions require communication skills as strong as education, so you need to make sure that you have excellent communication skills in terms of verbal, written, presentational, and listening skills. These are all essential for communicating and engaging with students, so if any of these are not strengths, you need to develop these skills; otherwise, it could be hard to find success as a teacher at any level. Fortunately, it is always possible to improve your communication skills, which will also help in many other aspects of your career and personal life.
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You Will Encounter Difficult Students
If you work in education, you will encounter difficult students in every age group, and this is always one of the biggest challenges of teaching. You need to understand that every student is different and has their own unique personalities, challenges, and circumstances, and what works for one will not work for another. These difficult students can cause a great deal of stress and disruption, but you will also find that helping them to find success is one of the most rewarding aspects of the job, and most can be helped.
It Can Be Easy To Get Attached
From this point, another challenge of teaching is that you will develop strong relationships with your students only to see them go off and often never know what they do with their lives. It is hard to see students constantly coming and going, which is why you need to try not to get too attached while still developing positive and productive relationships with your students.
There Are Many Career Progression Opportunities
Another major benefit to a career in education is that there are always ways to progress your career, earn more money, and make a difference. A doctorate of education (EdD) is a qualification that is certainly worth considering as this will develop the skills and knowledge required for leadership roles in various education systems and help you to make a change at the highest possible level. You can also earn an online an online EdD, which will make it easier to fit into your schedule and allow you flexibility with your studies. Upon completion, there are many different careers that you could progress to, including leadership at K-12, administrative roles at colleges, curriculum design, and much more.
You Can Earn A Good Salary
Following this point, you can also earn a decent salary with a career in education. Again, it will depend entirely on what level you teach, your role, and whereabouts you teach, but it can provide a healthy salary that can provide for a comfortable lifestyle, and the career progression opportunities means that there is a high ceiling with a career in education for those that want to earn more and climb the ladder.
It Can Be Emotionally Draining
While there are many perks to a career in education, you will also find that it can be emotionally draining. Dealing with students daily, classroom challenges, and developing your career can all take its toll, and stress is something that every teacher needs to learn how to manage. As mentioned above, you need to try and avoid taking work home with you and finding the best ways to de-stress, including exercise, socializing, hobbies, or simply relaxing at home after a difficult day.
It Will Keep You Young
Another aspect of teaching that is often overlooked is that it can help you to stay young. Not many people spend most of their time with young people, so you will want a career in education to help you feel connected to today’s youth, which can bring many benefits to your life. Of course, you will find that some things never change, but there will also be plenty of other things that you will have to learn about, and it is important to make an effort to stay current without coming across as trying too hard.
It Can Be Fun
Leading on from this, you will also find that teaching can be a fun career and more so than many other types of work. Although there are certainly challenges, it can be emotionally draining, and there are sure to be difficult days; you will also find that teaching is often good fun, and you can create a positive atmosphere in the classroom that everyone will benefit from.
These are a few of the main things that you need to know about a career in education. As you can see, it is a unique area to work in with many benefits along with a few drawbacks to consider, but for many, it is more of a way of life and hard to imagine doing anything else.
