Hi Mother Goose!

I'm a Senior Secondary teacher (Home Ec/Technology) and it can be a really good job and can be very rewarding. When you have a class who are interested and want to learn and appreciate the time and effort you put into planning a class, it really is a great feeling. BUT, it can also drive you crazy as it involves lots of work in your own time planning classes, marking, as well as managing a sport/extra curricular activities, etc.

I love having structure to my day - I like knowing where I have to be and when and it keeps me organised, so if you can handle being told when to have lunch and go to the toilet, then teaching is definately for you. I love teaching older students as they know what they want to do and don't tend to have too many discipline issues. (They also choose most of their own subjects which means they are choosing ones they want to do!) I am at a Catholic school which helps as we have really good support in place to deal with 'problem' students.

On the down side - people who are not teachers and have never lived with one think that we are so lucky because we get so many holidays. What they don't see is that many nights we come home with a stack of work to do and that we really need those few extra weeks holiday we get to 'recharge the batteries'. I constantly dream of changing careers (especially now I have a family) so that I can go to work and then come home and forget about it till the next day when I get there.

Last year I was part-time for the first time and trying to juggle childcare hours with a timetable was a challenge. I only wanted to be 0.5 load (2.5 days a week) but with our timetable it meant that I had to work 4 part days which meant my husband had to stay home one morning a week, otherwise childcare would've almost cost more than what I was getting paid.

My tip (which I try to always keep in the back of my mind when I go to work!!) Think about the BEST teacher you had at school and why that teacher was so good. If you can achieve all of those things that your best teacher did well, on a daily basis and be happy, then that is what will make you a good teacher. It is pretty easy to be a 'nice' teacher but not so easy to be a 'good' teacher unless you really put in a lot of time and energy. Some days I love my job, and others I really can't stand it. It also really depends on where you work (every school is different and has different politics, etc.) and if you are lucky enough to get one where they will give you lots of help and encouragement in the first few years, you will do really well.

Sorry, I don't want to seem all negative or put you off, but I figure you want to know the truth.

Good luck with making your decision.