3 answers
Mallory
Student
Big Lake, Minnesota
6
Questions
Asked
405 views
What is the easiest part of teaching, hardest part of teaching, and best part of teaching?
I am a sophomore in high school, I am trying to see what age range/grade, subjects, and things that are pros and cons.
Login to comment
3 answers
Maeve Cannon
CareerVillage.org TeamPartnerships Manager
45
Answers
Ridgewood, New Jersey
Updated
Maeve’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team
Hi Mallory, this is such a great question! I could talk about this question for hours, but I will try to be brief. For context, I taught kindergarten and first grade.
Easiest part: There are some administrative tasks such as grading or paperwork that (although not exciting) are easy to do. Especially for early childhood classroom teaching, grading was a straightforward task. I would imagine this may differ a lot depending on the age/subject you teach.
Hardest part: Teaching can be very challenging emotionally. I took the success of my students personally, and would be very hard on myself if I couldn't find a way to help them improve. Another part of teaching early childhood that I found really challenging was classroom management. Being able to manage different personalities in a room, deliver lessons, and also keep everyone on time and organized is NOT easy. If you study education in college (and especially for elementary school education) you will spend a lot of time learning classroom management techniques. Students can't be successful if their teacher does not create an organized environment with consistent rules and systems for them to follow. You would be surprised at how important strong classroom management skills are.
Best part: Seeing your students grow! There is nothing better than watching a student learn or improve and take pride in themselves.
Easiest part: There are some administrative tasks such as grading or paperwork that (although not exciting) are easy to do. Especially for early childhood classroom teaching, grading was a straightforward task. I would imagine this may differ a lot depending on the age/subject you teach.
Hardest part: Teaching can be very challenging emotionally. I took the success of my students personally, and would be very hard on myself if I couldn't find a way to help them improve. Another part of teaching early childhood that I found really challenging was classroom management. Being able to manage different personalities in a room, deliver lessons, and also keep everyone on time and organized is NOT easy. If you study education in college (and especially for elementary school education) you will spend a lot of time learning classroom management techniques. Students can't be successful if their teacher does not create an organized environment with consistent rules and systems for them to follow. You would be surprised at how important strong classroom management skills are.
Best part: Seeing your students grow! There is nothing better than watching a student learn or improve and take pride in themselves.
Michelle Tenam-Zemach, EdD
Teacher/professor
4
Answers
Pompano Beach, Florida
Updated
Michelle’s Answer
Hello Mallory,
You ask what may seem like a simple question but in fact is quite challenging to answer. Like anything in life, what one finds the best and worst part of something is subjective. I have been an educator for over 30 years and have taught almost all levels, including doctoral students. So your point about what grades you may want to teach is a good one. I began as a middle school teacher, taught undergraduates later, then high school, and then all college levels. There were wonderful aspects to each level. For me, the most important part of teaching is loving WHAT you teach rather than WHO you teach.
If you find a subject area (or several as I have) that you are passionate about, find relevant, can learn the subject deeply, apply it in your own life, and keep challenging others to love it as well, then that for me is the first step. I have worked with teachers, particularly elementary school teachers, who love working with kids, but even they have a favorite subject (e.g., teaching math rather than reading). Unfortunately, when you teach elementary school (and sometimes this is true at other levels), you do not always get a choice of what you teach or even how you teach it (yes, there are scripted curriculums some teachers have to follow to the letter).
Similar to other responses, I can go on and on. Instead, what I recommend is that you start researching the teaching profession. There is an organization called Phi Delta Kappan. They have a program called Educators Rising. Look it up. Contact them about starting a chapter at your current school if one doesn't exist. Also, talk to your teachers, school counselor, and anyone else you know in the teaching profession. Being a teacher is a bit different for everyone, so the best you can do is learn about the profession.
Also, if you want to learn about yourself and your capacities, passions, interests, and what you can stay focused on and pay attention to, you can complete a self-assessment survey called CP2R Role-fit https://www.droptheknowledge.com/resources/tools. Good luck.
You ask what may seem like a simple question but in fact is quite challenging to answer. Like anything in life, what one finds the best and worst part of something is subjective. I have been an educator for over 30 years and have taught almost all levels, including doctoral students. So your point about what grades you may want to teach is a good one. I began as a middle school teacher, taught undergraduates later, then high school, and then all college levels. There were wonderful aspects to each level. For me, the most important part of teaching is loving WHAT you teach rather than WHO you teach.
If you find a subject area (or several as I have) that you are passionate about, find relevant, can learn the subject deeply, apply it in your own life, and keep challenging others to love it as well, then that for me is the first step. I have worked with teachers, particularly elementary school teachers, who love working with kids, but even they have a favorite subject (e.g., teaching math rather than reading). Unfortunately, when you teach elementary school (and sometimes this is true at other levels), you do not always get a choice of what you teach or even how you teach it (yes, there are scripted curriculums some teachers have to follow to the letter).
Similar to other responses, I can go on and on. Instead, what I recommend is that you start researching the teaching profession. There is an organization called Phi Delta Kappan. They have a program called Educators Rising. Look it up. Contact them about starting a chapter at your current school if one doesn't exist. Also, talk to your teachers, school counselor, and anyone else you know in the teaching profession. Being a teacher is a bit different for everyone, so the best you can do is learn about the profession.
Also, if you want to learn about yourself and your capacities, passions, interests, and what you can stay focused on and pay attention to, you can complete a self-assessment survey called CP2R Role-fit https://www.droptheknowledge.com/resources/tools. Good luck.
Sametta Taylor
Corporate Trainer
2
Answers
Charleston, South Carolina
Updated
Sametta’s Answer
Hello, Mallory. I hope you're having an amazing day!
I am currently a trainer at Verizon, so I teach adults. I teach classes about customer service, technical support, customer retention, and leadership development.
Before training at Verizon, I taught adults at the University of Delaware in Newark.
Here are some things I enjoy about training: I like that I can work from home, so I save money on gas. And I save money because I don't eat out every day like I used to do when I worked in a call center. I also enjoy making learning fun by incorporating games in my classes. I especially enjoy the gratification I get from knowing that I made a positive impact on someone's day, life, or even their career.
Here are some things I don't enjoy as much about training: It can be challenging to train someone on something that you don't really understand. So I find it hard to deliver really technical trainings, which typically have dense material.
I hope this information helps. I wish you nothing but the best in your career search.
I am currently a trainer at Verizon, so I teach adults. I teach classes about customer service, technical support, customer retention, and leadership development.
Before training at Verizon, I taught adults at the University of Delaware in Newark.
Here are some things I enjoy about training: I like that I can work from home, so I save money on gas. And I save money because I don't eat out every day like I used to do when I worked in a call center. I also enjoy making learning fun by incorporating games in my classes. I especially enjoy the gratification I get from knowing that I made a positive impact on someone's day, life, or even their career.
Here are some things I don't enjoy as much about training: It can be challenging to train someone on something that you don't really understand. So I find it hard to deliver really technical trainings, which typically have dense material.
I hope this information helps. I wish you nothing but the best in your career search.