That brings me to my dislikes. There is a ton of paperwork, meetings, and other jobs that must get done and given to the administration. With most states having standardized testing there is always some kind of paperwork that needs to be completed that takes time away from your class. There’s a lot of red tape to get the least littlest thing accomplished, and there is a lot of pressure to “teach to the test” so test scores improve or remain high. Unless you want to become an administrator there is little room for career advancement, and the pay is low compared to other jobs that you can get with a college degree. And last, but not least, with parents wanting their children to always be the best you will always have at least one parent who is a royal pain, because their child isn’t perfect.

With that being said, I left teaching to start a family, not because I didn’t like my job. You just have to love what you’re doing and not expect a lot of rewards beyond knowing that you are helping your students and you’re an integral part of their lives.

I dislike the paperwork, the meetings and other teachers who try to be buddies with the kids. They make it tough on other teachers who try to do what’s right for the kids.

Teaching elementary takes stamina and lots of energy. Teaching high school can be stressful. Each level has its own pros and cons.

What I hate: There certainly seems to always be political clashes between teachers and administrators. The head honchos seem to forget what it is like to be in our shoes (and most of them were at one time).