Pros
- Pay - Colleagues - Some work perks
Kontras
LONG WORKING HOURS - I admit that I mostly taught high school. However, I had no idea that school systems were allowed to have teachers instruct four periods straight, stay with them for snack, attend both lunch and recess, That's six hours straight with no break. That is straight up ILLEGAL! - Students are groups in three sets by cohorts. Thus, expect to teach classes of 30-33 students with little-to-no-support. Because of this, many students not only distract themselves but disrupt the lesson and the learning environment. (I even overheard a teacher mentioning about a student vaping in class! An eighth grader!) Most students are behind and demonstrate lackadaisical approaches to their own learning and development, while some families are combative as well. - Copy machines are constantly going haywire. - Large numbers of students are rude, and some will even call adults by their first names. There is constant fighting and noisemaking. Honestly, I think there are too many emotional issues with the students. Beyond that, lesson plans are a nightmare. They expect you to have everything from essential questions to aim questions, to the main questions to "back pocket" questions. Then, have four sets of answers for each. Don't forget to script your speech. Also, internalize the lesson. Redirect students five billion times. I literally had a panic attack one day there. Some staff engage in HIGHLY inappropriate conversations, including but not limited to discussing the sizes of other staff member's body parts. Lastly, school dismissal is a hectic soiree of hundreds upon hundreds of students "fleeing" into the fresh outdoors and traffic galore everywhere!