Last Updated on August 7, 2023 by Vishnu Nambiar
Do you want to become a teacher? If yes, this article will be of help to you. In this article, I’ve listed some major pros and cons of being a teacher. I’ve basically analyzed this profession and pointed out the advantages and disadvantages associated with it.
Teaching is a very noble profession. Good teachers are respected by students, parents and the society in general. It is a very rewarding and satisfying profession. Teachers are responsible for teaching and nurturing students. They not only provide formal education, but are also responsible for the overall development of students (their character, personality and moral values). It is safe to say that teachers, directly or indirectly, contribute towards the growth of the society and the nation. They nurture students, who then become responsible citizens and human beings! But like all other careers, teaching also brings with it a fair share advantages and disadvantages. You will be reading about this set of pros and cons in this article.
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Special education programs in India
To become a teacher, one must have relevant qualifications. Here is a list of teacher training courses in India. Depending upon the qualifications, teachers may teach at levels such as – pre primary, primary, secondary, higher secondary etc. Here’s the list of levels in Indian schools. Let us move to the meat of the matter – pros and cons of being a teacher. Let us start with the list of pros (advantages) –
Pros of being a teacher –
- Respect and status in the society: Good teachers are revered by students and their parents alike. Teachers have their own status in the society. In some countries, they are treated like gods! Very few professions can provide this sort of respect and status in the society.
- Job satisfaction: As I mentioned before, teachers, directly or indirectly, contribute towards nation building. They develop students into knowledgeable, smart and morally sound citizens and human beings. A good teacher positively enriches the life and future of his/her students. If this doesn’t provide you job satisfaction, I wonder what will!
- Decent amount of holidays and vacation: Teachers usually get to enjoy almost all public holidays. Apart from that, they also get to enjoy vacations (that comes after exams, with festivals etc).
- Chance to uplift the lives of others: Teachers are capable of improving the lives of the poor and needy. The economically backward folks rely on government schools for their kids’ education. Teachers working at these schools may teach and interact with such kids and uplift them through education.
- Fixed working hours: Almost all educational institutes (schools, nurseries, junior colleges etc) have fixed working hours.
- Decent pay and perks: This fact is true especially in case of government school teachers. They get to enjoy decent pay and other perks. Reputed private schools are also known to pay their teachers well.
- Self-employment opportunities: Apart from working at educational institutes, teachers may also become self-employed. Starting tuition classes is a well known source of additional income.
Let us check out the disadvantages now –
Cons of being a teacher –
- Limited job opportunities outside teaching: Teachers have very limited job opportunities outside the world of teaching. If a teacher suddenly decides to change his/her profession, it will be very difficult to find a new job (other than teaching).
- Dealing with students can be frustrating: A passionate and skilled teacher will have little difficulty in dealing with students. But in general, dealing with students is not an easy task. There will always be trouble seekers and students who are not interested in learning! Dealing with them can often become a frustrating task.
- Deadlines and work pressure: Teachers are supposed to cover huge syllabus in the stpulated amount of time. Well, dealing with massive syllabus is not an easy task. The necessity of meeting deadlines often creates work pressure and tension.
- Work outside of school hours: Okay, work hours at schools are fixed. But teachers also have to deal with work outside school hours, such as – evaluating papers, preparing notes, preparing reports, preparing for the next day’s classes etc.
- Inadequate pay: While government school teachers get to enjoy decent pay and perks, their private sector counterparts are not well paid! Majority of teachers teaching at private sector schools get relatively low salary and perks.
I am Vishnu Nambiar a career and educational blogger from India. I am also a full time educational consultant having more than 12 years of experience in the educational sector.
I share articles related to courses, colleges, careers, exam tips and more here.