I have been teaching for 8+ years now in our great state of Texas. It has been a rollercoaster of a career forsure. But I have switched grade levels and subjects to where it now works out for my family and I.
Time Off
I was at an appointment a few weeks ago and the nurse asked what I did. I told her and she told me that her partner just switched from being a nurse to teaching.
She said: “My partner actually loves having weekends, holidays, and dedicated time off. She knows exactly when she will be off and it allows her to plan trips that she’s always wanted to go on. Before she could never take off and had to work most, if not all the holidays as a nurse.”
It is really nice being on my kids schedule. We are also able to plan fun trips without being told that I can’t have those days off. I have only worked retail for most of my industry experience. So I never had weekends or holidays off. Being a parent, I could never survive in retail.
Control Over Your Day
I don’t think this gets mentioned at all when it comes to pros of being a teacher. I love coming into work and getting to decide what my class and I work on. If I am feeling well rested and full of energy, we will hit the ground running. But if I am feeling tired and out of it, we will take it easy that day.
When it comes to the private sector your boss or manager set the tone for that day, and from what I have experienced, most of them have been go, go, and go.
As long as you are following the TEKS, there if no specific daily deadline. I do know core teachers have some sort of deadline, but even then, as long as the students are understanding the material, most of the time it is the tortoise that wins the race.
These are my personal top two reasons. Granted I have one of the highest paying districts, I have a principal who cares, and I really like my students at my school. I also like the elective subject I teach. It could be different for a lot of other teachers. But when you move around and adjust as an experienced teacher, you can eventually come across a school you really care for, with a position you enjoy daily.
I hope this helps.
Best of luck!
E
1st Year Texas Teachers 