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During the final year of High School (Year 12 in Australia) many of my friends were working out what they would do the following year, and a lot of them were considering university. I hadn’t really considered it. I had a couple of teachers ask me to think about becoming a teacher; something to do with my personality, and a short project I did in a Primary School where I (apparently) did well. I wasn’t keen. The time came for us to fill out forms for university and again I received some strong advice to put down teaching as a preference. I did so, but gave it no credence. Before the end of the year I was offered an apprenticeship as a Wine Maker, and gladly took it. I had been working for about 4 months when I received an offer from a university about 250km from my home town to sit an interview for…you guessed it, teaching. I didn’t actually consider it until a friend got excited about his offer. When I asked why he was so excited he explained that the university life was like a big party, and that there were lots of girls, bands and holidays. I was sold on it. In a nutshell I went to the interview and got in. I left the winery and began my Bachelor in Arts (Education - Primary). So as you can see I started for some pretty sad (if not popular) reasons. Why do I stay in teaching? I began to get passionate about teaching after the birth of my daughter. I was in a Korean International School in Jakarta, Indonesia and until Phoebe was born I went through the motions. Her birth was like a Vail being lifted. I became crazy about each and every kid I taught. I watched the Master Craftsmen and modeled them as well as I could. I started to attend workshops and participate with vigor. I stay in teaching because I have become very good at it, and I want to keep having a positive impact on young peoples lives. I also believe that we can do a lot better at getting kids what they want/need in education and will continue to work towards this. Why did you become a teacher? and Why are you still in the game? The above photo is owned by Wicks Industries P/L 4 Responses to “How Did You Get Into Teaching?”Leave a ReplyYou Are HereTim Wicks is an educator and NLP Master Practitioner who craves interesting conversations. He has started Time2Blog for people who want to engage in conversations and arguments about education,and those who seek self improvement. Vote for this Blog here! PagesTag CloudWP Cumulus Flash tag cloud by Roy Tanck requires Flash Player 9 or better. Recent PostsRecent Comments
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The day after writing this post I received an email from a friend I used to teach with. She has the same surname as me, so we used to trick the kids about being cousins, married, siblings, you name it. Here is the email, I will put it into better context once you read it:
“Hello Tim.
I had to email you Tim. I hope this email reaches you. I was relief teaching at a school yesterday in a grade 4. After I had introduced myself, a boy named Michael asked me if I knew Mr. Wicks from Gray Primary School. He said that you taught him in Transition at Gray. What a small world it is!! After that, we became best buddies. I promised I would email you to let you know that I had met him, and, say hello to you from him.”
I taught a Transition (4 & 5 year old) class at Gray PS in 2005 (Michael was in that class), and in 2007 taught with ‘Mrs Wicks’.
What a small world indeed. I got goosebumps when I read it.
Hi Tim,
I enjoyed your post on why you became a teacher. These are my reasons for taking up a career in education and why I stay.
At the end of year ten, we were sat down by the careers officer and told to think hard about what we might like to do after we finished school. It was the usual conversation explaining that the subjects that we choose in year 11 and 12 would have an impact on our university entry etc. For me, I either wanted to enter a career in aviation or teaching. The deciding point of my career path came down to having to choose between senior music (I was a self confessed band geek!) and physics which was a prerequisite to the aviation course I wanted to do. I chose music and hence decided to go down the path of teaching.
My decision was also influenced by my own personal circumstances at the time. As I was at a point of confusion with aspects of my own life, I wanted to set myself up in a career that was stable. Basically, I wanted to be able to support myself regardless of other impending factors that were in play in my life. Also, education in my mind has been the only constant that I really have had. For me it was challenging and forever changing but it was the one thing that I knew if I put my mind to it, it would never disappoint me and hence, my decision to continue into a career as a teacher.
I had also done some tutoring work in year 12 which also added fuel to the fire which would be my career. I loved it! I loved sitting down with students and being able to help them using my knowledge. I found it very rewarding and fulfilling.
After my first year and a half as a teacher, I have found working in this profession to be very challenging. For this reason, I stay teaching. I find that everyday I am learning something new and am bettering my practice by learning from others around me. I currently teach students with severe/ profound intellectual disabilities which has thrown a great number of new challenges my way. The satisfaction that I receive when students make small milestones is overwhelming. It is this feeling and knowing that with every small step forward a student takes, I am improving their quality of life. It is also for this reason that I stay in teaching.
Cheers,
John
Wow John,
You really found yourself at a crossroads? Great decision I say!
The stability you mention was one of the first things about the job that actually had an impact. That sounds shallow, and it is. I started pretty shallow. Then I realised the holidays rocked, then the money did the biz! At that early stage of my life, just out of uni, I was totally me, me, me. I am glad that you have seen the side of teaching that inspires us and motivates us, and that you saw it so early in your career. Keep up the good work mate.
Nice post!
Why I choos want to become a teacher?
The first. I want to tell about my education now. I am third years of student in Indonesia University of Education, Bandung in Elementary school teacher program.
Honestly, I got this course was not my choose. My father forced me. But, in the middle of my study I am awake about how important education is. And teacher is one of the important part.
In developing country like Indonesia, Education is one of factor of development. And I looked the fact that most of teacher here didnt do their job as well. I am very disapointed.
But now, I can be calm down because the government is strating to give more attention in education. And I looked good effort from any institution.