What a Teacher at High School Wishes They Had Known Before Entering the Education Industry
Vanessa, a public high school teacher, learned that the role is "the hardest job in the world," requiring far more emotional investment than anticipated, involving deep connections with students who share "really hard things." This work unexpectedly utilizes their psychology degree daily, revealing teaching's complexity beyond basic phonics and numeracy to encompass a much broader understanding of the learning process.
Emotional Labor, Student Relationships, Hard Truths, Industry Realities, Workplace Challenges
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Vanessa Bobbitt
Teacher
Public High School
St. Mary’s College of California
Eastern Kentucky University, Educational Leadership
Psychology
Education
Education
Honors Student, Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, First Generation College Student
Video Highlights
1. The teaching profession is emotionally demanding and requires significant emotional investment from the teacher.
2. Building strong relationships with students is crucial, as teachers often become confidants and advisors, requiring problem-solving skills beyond academics.
3. A background in psychology can be incredibly valuable in this role, as teachers deal with the emotional and mental well-being of students daily, so this is something to consider when choosing a path towards becoming a teacher
Transcript
What have you learned about this role that you wish someone would have told you before you entered the industry?
Before I became a teacher, I wish someone had told me this was the hardest job in the world. It truly is the best job, and I love it every day. I am thrilled to go to work and happy to continue working after hours.
It's a much more emotional role than I ever anticipated. When you're with someone for eight hours a day, you gain significant insight into who they are. This is certainly true for the children.
Some days, we just laugh all day long, which is wonderful. But other days, children trust me with really hard things. These might be things I consider trivial, or perhaps significant issues that require me to find the best resources and partnerships to help.
I didn't anticipate all of this. I genuinely thought I would simply teach phonics and number sense, and the children would thrive. Learning is so much more complex than that. I use my psychology degree every single day.
When people learn my background is in psychology, not education, they often say, "Oh, that actually tracks." I had no idea I'd be using that skill set so often.
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