1. Teachers have all the answers: Growing up, I believed that teachers knew everything. However, once I became a teacher, I learned that they are constantly evolving and learning themselves, always seeking knowledge to better educate their students.
2. Summers off: As a child, the idea of having summers completely free seemed dreamy. But in reality, many teachers use this time to prepare lesson plans, attend professional development courses, and plan for the upcoming school year.
3. No homework: While students stress over their homework assignments, it seemed like teachers had it easy. Little did I know that grading work and planning classes often mean long hours spent working outside of school.
4. Strict disciplinarians: Before teaching, I imagined teachers as stern rule enforcers. However, being in the classroom showed me that many rules can be flexible and that enforcing them is about creating a safe and inclusive learning environment.
5. Teachers are only experts in their subject: As a student, it’s easy to assume that a history teacher only knows about history or an English teacher grammar. But teaching has taught me that educators often possess a wealth of knowledge on various subjects.
6. They don’t care about every student: Before becoming a teacher, it was hard to imagine genuinely caring for each student’s success. But standing in front of my own class proved me wrong – it’s nearly impossible not to feel connected and invested in their achievements.
7. Teaching is all about lecturing: I envisioned teaching as primarily delivering expert information from a podium every day. However, having my own classroom has shown me the value of engaging activities and meaningful discussions over strict lecture formats.
8. Teachers have short workdays: With school ending around 3 PM, it appeared teachers have short days compared to other professions. However, after-school responsibilities include grading assignments, attending meetings, and preparing for the next day’s lessons, leading to just as long workdays as any other job.
9. Teaching is a monotonous job: As a student, one might think that teaching is merely repeating the same topics year after year. But once I started teaching, I realized how each class was unique, providing diverse perspectives and always pushing me to innovate my lesson plans.
10. Teachers aren’t human: As kids, we may have thought of teachers as otherworldly beings with little connection to our experiences. However, becoming a teacher revealed just how human they are, filled with emotions, responsibilities outside the classroom, and living lives similar to everyone else.
