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[quote=Anonymous]I wouldn't say it is "bad", but it is every bit as challenging as you are probably hearing.  I'm a veteran and military spouse to a senior officer, and I often work longer hours than my spouse.  When I have had years where I have had 3-4 different classes to teach as a secondary teacher, I have had to work 6 days a week to just keep my head above water in terms of planning and grading.  Education is in flux now, and some things that can be frustrating is student accountability for completing work, as well as behavior.  I spend a lot time chasing students down to complete work.  Parents can sometimes be adversarial, and there is an increasing load of both IEPS and 504s, which require a lot of documentation in addition to designing the accommodations. 25% of my students have either a 504 or IEP.  Being a teacher is much more stressful for me than being a junior officer in the military was, with the exception of my deployment.

With all of that, I wouldn't want to do anything else.  It's meaningful and creative work, and I find the camaraderie with my fellow teachers as strong, if not stronger, than I experienced in the military.  You are in a position to make a difference, as cheesy as it sounds, and I know that there have been times where I have been the adult to get a student the support they needed.  Despite what some may say about administrators, I have experienced some of the best leadership of my professional life in school buildings.

If you are looking at teaching history, I would recommend getting certified in an additional area.  Believe it or not, secondary social studies positions are pretty competitive and people often have to get their foot in the door by teaching another subject, often English.

Best of luck on your decision. [/quote]

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