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[quote=Anonymous]I switched to teaching mid-career. My old corporate job was much easier. There are times I miss my old work/life balance and the flexibility.

Be prepared for long hours, especially the first couple of years. They aren’t easy hours, either. You’ll be directly responsible for every student in front of you, whether they are interested or directly defiant. The classroom is sensory overload and you will be exhausted. You also won’t get a lot of time alone to recharge… maybe an hour total throughout the school day, broken up in 20 minutes here and 15 minutes there.

The other thing many people don’t realize at first is that half the job is done in the evenings and weekends, and that you can’t cut corners at first. If you fail to plan, the following day may be disastrous.

You’ll also have to deal with a ton of disrespect, from students and from parents and administrators. It will hurt at first because you’ll be pouring your heart into this and you still can’t make all the parties happy. You’ll run into parents, like one who has already posted on this thread, who harbor low opinions of teachers and will assume the worst in you. You can’t take what they say personally.

Still: choosing to teach is the best thing I’ve ever done. It’s extremely hard, which makes me proud of what I accomplish each year. I know what I do matters, and I know the impact I make on the lives of others.

If you do it, just remember to find your support early. That may be other teachers, etc. They’ll get you through the first years.
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