Teaching can be a rewarding career

By René Hill (contact)

Wednesday, May 20, 2009 | 4:14 p.m.

Rene Hill

It's graduation time again and high school graduates are deciding on what college to attend as they think about future careers. I hope many of them are considering a career as a teacher. Teaching isn't for everyone, so I would like to mention some things to keep in mind if you are thinking about joining our profession.

Teaching is very rewarding, but it is also very demanding. The time commitment that teaching demands often surprises people. The school day must be spent with the kids. This means that all of the other work teachers do, such as grading papers, writing lesson plans and decorating the classroom takes place during non-school hours. Most teachers spend an additional 2 to 3 hours doing this other work. They spend many Saturdays in the classroom getting ready for Monday. Teachers also must continually keep up to date on their own education. Educational research is always changing. Teachers often attend classes during their vacation time to update their skills.

If you're looking for a challenge, then teaching may be the right choice for you. Teachers have to meet the academic, social, and emotional needs of all of their students. You will have students from many backgrounds and on many academic levels in one class and you'll be expected to individualize their education as much as possible. At times you will feel like you're being pulled in a million different directions.

For the most part, teachers do get a lot of respect from others in our community. People tell us that they couldn't do our job when we say what we do for a living. They like to tell us that we don't make enough money and we are often thanked for what we do. It is a very satisfying feeling knowing that we are making a contribution to the community.

Most importantly, the emotional rewards that come from watching a child become a reader, a mathematician or a scientist are beyond compare. There's nothing more fun than watching a student realize their talent and develop a love of learning. Most people believe that their access to a good education correlates strongly with their success. It's very fulfilling to know that you made even a small contribution to someone's education and their future.

So if you have the desire to become part of a profession where you have the potential to make a lasting impression on the lives children, teaching may be for you.

Rene Hill is an English teacher in the Clark County School District. She can be reached c/o The News, 2275 Corporate Circle, Third Floor, Henderson, NV 89074 or editor@hbcpub.com.