It’s great being a mathematics teacher, especially now that there is a high demand for good math teachers. With the fact that mathematics is an imperative subject for children as they grow up, the job presents challenges that reap high levels of job satisfaction. Yet there are some things only math teachers can understand about the job.
1. You have to be the most prepared person in the class
Even when you think you are prepared enough to impress every student, you may still come short of answering the questions from the Mathematics textbook. It is not as if you aren’t passionate or familiar with the subject of mathematics, it is just that there comes a time in every teacher’s life when a child asks a question that he or she doesn’t have the answer to.
2. You are called in for last minute meetings
After a hectic day of teaching ridiculously hard math equations and disciplining unruly children, you still are called in for faculty meetings by the principal at the last minute on a Friday afternoon. It’s not like you’d love to spend another hour in the school building, but you really do not have a choice.
3. You have to be serious all of the time
C’mon, mathematics is a serious subject. You have to play the part and make them know how serious it is or people will just take such an imperative subject for granted. Although you would love to burst into laughter at something absurd the child said or did, you simply can’t. You have to be the voice of reason and authority.
4. You wish you could avoid the flu
As a mathematics teacher you want every student to be pumped up for your class. But what do you do when every child in the class has the flu and you have to protect yourself from getting sick? You really wish you could just teach them mathematics via Skype or something, from the comfort of your home.
5. You have to keep the students motivated
Students love to feel connected with the subjects and their teachers. You may not just be cut out for the part, but if you want the best from your students you have to keep them motivated. Sometimes this could mean making a fool of yourself or acting stupid to get your message across.
6. You spend the weekend grading papers
While you would love to go out for the weekend, take someone out for dinner and enjoy your weekend with a well deserved rest, you discover your weekend needs you to grade math tests. It is more complicated than it seems because your weekend just got blown up and you won’t be seeing a new movie or visiting the trendy new restaurant.
7. You have to be a mathematics teacher all the time
Have you heard, “You are the Mathematics teacher right?” That expression comes with the idea that you have to be the one taking extra work on numbers and statistics. Even when you are not in the mood for it, you will always be the guy in charge of the numbers for the school.
8. You are supposed to be the magician fixing every lazy student
Because you are the math teacher should mean that every student in your class has to get an A in mathematics. If any student is coming up short more is required from you. So you are in front of 30 students explaining how to multiply fractions over and over again.
9. People think your job is easy
Since you have been teaching for a while and you are passionate at making others understand mathematics then your job should be so easy. But they do not understand that you go through mental and physical exhaustion every now and then.
10. You wish you were better valued
Yes it is not about the money. You do are doing it more for the passion. But you are the mathematics teacher and over the years you have influenced and turned a lot of students into geniuses.
Connecting with your students and watching them succeed is great but every month when you look at your paycheck you wish it reflected the late hours in the classroom, grading and planning, and how much hard work you have put in.
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