They say that it takes a certain type of person to become a teacher, and there are also all sorts of phrases doing the rounds such as “those who can’t, teach”.
Well, today isn’t going to focus on the core characteristics required to succeed in this profession, but rather concentrate on some of the biggest misconceptions that arise from the industry.
One only has to take a look at the umpteen advertisements to see that teaching is a profession which is crying out for people. Bearing this in mind, let’s now take a look at some of the top myths that come from it and debunk them once and for all.
Myth #1 – Becoming a teacher is a long process
There’s no doubt that becoming a teacher requires a lot of training. However, a lot of sources simply blow this completely out of proportion. Sure, you need to obtain a degree, get some experience and have a background check – but this is all quite fast in comparison to some other careers.
It will take a few years to go through, but considering the fact that some professions like architects and doctors need nigh-on 10 years, some would suggest that it’s actually quite seamless.
Myth #2 – All teachers are extroverts
This next myth is something that most people think, and it’s for good reason. After all, the general consensus is that teachers stand at the front of a classroom – demonstrating immense confidence the entire time.
Well, here’s a newsflash, not all teachers are like this. A lot most certainly are, but you don’t have to be an extrovert to succeed in this profession. Some people don’t teach because they like the noisy classroom environment, they do so for the quieter side of the job. This involves one-on-one tuition with students, as well as the deep thoughts which are sometimes required when mulling over course material or even marking. Nowadays, standing in front of a class is just the tip of the iceberg – and introverts are certainly welcome additions to the party.
Myth #3 – Teachers work from 9 until 3
This is probably the biggest myth that most of us are used to. Like a lot of misconception, there are almost good intentions behind this one as most people look at a typical teacher’s day and see that class starts at 9, and concludes at 3.
However, there is more to it than that. Let’s not forget that there is lots of marking to get through – and this has to be done around those hours in which they aren’t teaching. Not only that, but this isn’t a profession which doesn’t have meetings – there will be weekly meetings and again these have to be held outside normal teaching hours.
When you also consider the extra events, including sports day, parent’s evenings and so on – the typical working week suddenly gets longer. In fact, some studies have suggested that the week is around 50 hours in length.
