If you’re soon reaching the end of your school career, you will now be thinking about your future, but deciding what career is right for you is always daunting. We’ve complied a list is question to ask yourself if you are considering a career in teaching to help you with your decision.
1. What are your passions?
When thinking about a career in teaching consider your priorities and what you are passionate about. It is important to have a love of the subject you are teaching as well as wanting to work with children. This seems obvious but teaching is an intense job, consider if you would enjoy working with children every day? If you are looking for a job that will allow you to make a difference and give you the chance to inspire others, then teaching is the right career for you.
2. What skills do you have?
Even if you haven’t specifically completed work experience working with young children, think about any transferrable skills you have gained. For example, think about a time you have demonstrated patience or team work. If you can, try complete some work with children, either paid or voluntary as this is good experience but also will help you discover if teaching is right for you. You can never truly know until you have tried it out for yourself. This could be anything from babysitting or helping out at after school clubs, or more formally completing work experience at a school.
3. Do you have the right characteristics?
To be a successful teacher you have to be equipped to deal with a number of different situation, which you can be taught to deal with but having the right characteristics can be a big advantage. Teachers need to be passionate about their subject in order to inspire students, but also organised and reliable to deliver successful lessons. You will also have to discipline students, so patience is key as well as being fair and have the ability to see situations from different viewpoints.
4. Are you reliable?
Being dependable is a key characteristic in teaching as well as a number of other careers. You will be required to stick to a strict schedule so you must be able to manage your time effectively. You will need to ensure you have time to plan lessons and mark homework. Teaching is a big responsibility and being reliable is very important.
5. Are there other jobs in the sector that would suit you better?
If you are certain you want to work in a school environment but are unsure if teaching full-time is the right path for you, there are other options you can consider. Teaching assistants and supply teachers often have more flexibility and freedom than full time teaching staff. If this is something you are considering then contact your local recruitment agency, search for Teaching Jobs Bedford and take your first steps. You could also consider working in a school office in administrative support.
These are some of the things you should ask yourself when considering teaching. Deciding on any career is a difficult decision but we hope this has helped you towards making a decision about your future. Remember the most important thing is to enjoy what you do.
