Why would anyone choose to be a school teacher? They are underpaid, the job is mentally and physically demanding, they babysit children all day, barely have enough time to pee or make a phone call, deal with parent complaints, and do not have many rights or liberties to protect themselves from, unruly kids or violent behaved students. Plus, statistics show that most teachers work 40 hours or more a week, including school duties outside the classroom. Even with all the negatives there are still plenty of reasons for becoming a teacher. Here are a few…

1. You have the opportunity to help with the youth of America. Today’s children are tomorrow’s decision makers. Educating young people is a serious job and it makes a difference in their lives and for future generations.
2. Teachers can be role models for kids. Especially for those who may not have any at home. Most grown adults can tell you at least one teacher that played a significant role in their life. Mine happened to be my 5th grade teacher. She was always neat, orderly, kind and had high expectations but the students respected her. I looked up to her and always tried my best in her class because of it.
3. The holidays and vacations make it worth it! Considering teachers have summers off, 2 weeks for Winter Break, 1 week for Spring Break, and national holidays it’s a definite plus.
4. Job prospects are good according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics because of the need to replace the large number of teachers expected to retire during the 2008-2018 period. Another reason for the demand is due to teacher involvement in school policy, and greater public interest in education.
5. The job allows you to be creative. You have the freedom to teach the material how you decide. Using your creative side to make learning fun and interesting can be a challenge but it’s one of the best parts about being a teacher. You’ll never be bored and some learning activities seem like play.