It’s decided – you’re going to be a teacher, and you’re finally going to get a look into what life is like on the other side of the desk.

You already know it’s not going to be exactly like the movies (after all, when was the last time you brought in apples for all your teachers?) but what about the day-to-day stuff? Fore-warned is fore-armed, so to give you a running start, we’ve asked around to find out what things are really like.

Expectation: It’ll Be Just Like School But With Less Homework
Reality: It’ll Be Just Like School, Except With More Homework

Remember looking down at your student diary and feeling overwhelmed at all the things you had due in a week? Tests! Assignments! Oral presentations! On the other hand, teachers just have to set the work, right?

That’s true. But then they also have to mark it – usually in between two of the multiple classes they teach. Or, at home. Say you have twenty students in your class and they each hand in one assignment. Then, times that by how many classes you teach. That’s a whole lot of assignments (plus some unsolicited mental arithmetic to boot).

There is one more important difference: this time around, you’re involved every step of the way. This means you get to set essay questions that students actually want to write about. You get to see exactly how a week’s worth of lectures pays off. And, most of all, you’re in a position to actually help people out. Seeing people’s work is kind of like getting a peek behind the curtain – it allows you to spot as-yet unidentified talent, as well as uncovering ways a student can improve.

---

Expectation: You’ll Get Along With Students And Teachers Alike At Placement Time

Reality: Turns Out, You Don’t Fit In With Either Group Yet

The theory part of studying education has gone well, and now it’s time to get some hands-on experience in the classroom. It’s fun… but also a little weird trying to figure out where you fit in.

You’re not quite the teacher and not quite the student, so it’s hard to know where on the friend/authority scale you sit. It’s a bit of an awkward time, but actually hugely helpful for testing out what works for you – whether you’re going to be a stand quietly at the front until silence falls type, a “QUIET DOWN” person, or something in between.

---

Expectation: You’ll Have Three Blissful Months Of Holidays Each Year
Reality: Actually… Doing Prep Work In Holidays Is The Norm

Yes, one of the joys of teaching is the school year structure – more specifically, the regular breaks and time off. But here’s the thing: inevitably, some of your holidays will turn into working holidays.

Not everything can get done during term time, so some of the holidays will, sadly, need to be put aside to get last term’s stuff in order and to plan out what’s coming up next. But, the ball is pretty much entirely in your court here. You’ll soon learn to prepare well ahead of time and schedule carefully. So, just as long as you don’t leave your “homework” to the last minute, you’ll have a heftier holiday than most!

---

Expectation: Report Time Won’t Be So Terrifying From The Other Side

Reality: Report Time Will Be Terrifying Until You Nail It

It used to be that, come report time, you’d start having nightmares about failing. About coming home with a report that was filled with “F”s and criticism. Now, take that feeling and multiply it by the number of students any one teacher has.

Just joking. Sure, the volume of reports you’ll need to write is high – and each report has to be fair but helpful and tailored to the specific student – but at the same time, you’ve got this. By the time these deadlines crop up, you’ll have gotten to know your class well enough that you’ll pretty much already know what you want to say. Prepare to feel a whole lot of solidarity with your colleagues – you’re all in this together.

---

Expectation: You’ll Graduate Knowing Exactly What You Want To Do

Reality: There Are A Whole Lot Of Different Paths You Can Take

Education is actually a really broad field, so even if you started with the lifelong dream of becoming an English teacher, you may come out the other side with a completely different goal.

Sometimes, you’ll stay within one year level or subject but often you’ll find yourself doing a little bit of a lot of things. Plus, you’ll be surprised at how many different twists and turns will happen over the course of your career. It’s a good thing – people change, and education is a career that can change with you.

—

Ready to get stuck into the world of teaching? Head straight for Curtin University, which offers a range of courses in education. Find out more here.

—

(Lead image: Mean Girls/Paramount Pictures)