Reader comments
Doug Robinson: Want to be a teacher? Listen up

Wow. I sure wouldn't want you teaching my children.

yes... i still want to be a teacher. :D

I am very glad that you are not teaching at a school. It is people like you who make these students give up on their dreams because they do not receive that encouragement to succeed from those around them. I have faith in them and I see potential in every student to be the best they can be. That is why I want to be a teacher :)

I will make sure that my students believe in themselves

Unfortunately even if you don't like this article everything here is the truth...like it or not, that is the reality...oh I am a teacher; I know how it is. I love teaching, I love being with my students...what kills the job is all the state mandated testing because no matter what you accomplish within your class if the kids don't get the score you District wants; its the teacher to blame...no matter that little Johnny has 15 tardies, no matter Jane never brought her homework...doesn't matter you tried to talk to the parents and they never even came to a parent conference...its all the teachers fault...

Wow,Jose those are big words 'making sure that your students believe in them selves' And how is it you think you will do this, with little or no support from the school or the parents. Seems you have a lot to learn.
having worked in the school system for 3 years as an Education assistant(teacher aid) and now studying to be a teacher I am well aware of the those same points that were made and they are very true. Yes it is a sad truth to face but it is not all rosey out there. There are so many social issues that impact on our students today that you have no control over. How will you cope when you have special needs children in your class that have not been diagnosed with a problem yet, how will you teach them while they can hardly understand what is going on around them. You seem to mean well and I really hope you succeed because we need teachers like you out there to believe in the children but please don't condem people for talking the truth because in some cases that is exactly how it is. Good luck!

amazing i never really relizesd what it took to be a teacher i think i've changed my mind

I spent the last five years getting my teaching degree and certification, and I am completely miserable doing it. Every point you make is absolutely true, and it doesn't even take into account all the normal petty business drama that comes with any other job: resentful, gossipy employees; bosses who are completely detached from reality; demands and deadlines that can't possibly be met... It's no wonder so many teachers quit. Now I just need to figure out what else to do with my life.

I am in my last year of my Undergrad program getting ready to be a K-8 certified teacher, and I am realizing that it is not what I want to do. This article reinforces how I feel. What I plan on doing is teaching for a few years just so I can have experience, then go into an administration degree.