1. Inner City Educator
Everyone isn't cut out to teach in our nation's inner cities, and the most urban cities struggle to keep teachers longer than just a few years. Inner city schools struggle for several reasons. Large class sizes, few male teachers, a lack of strong leadership and experienced teachers, and even a lack of supplies make day to day learning hard. Add to that a dynamic student body with street smarts and attitude beyond their years, and you may have a tough school situation. While many urban cities get schools staffed by Teach for America or teachers fresh out of school, the inner cities could really benefit from teachers that are confident in their skills and represent the community that they teach.
"Recent data obtained by the Public School Notebook, which follows school issues in Philadelphia, shows that the schools with the highest level of poverty still have the highest teacher turnover rates and the lowest percentage of highly qualified and experienced teachers." -Philadelphia Daily News
What can help inner city educators face their tough careers? Eliminate the feeling of isolation. Take part in professional development and learning communities, collaborate, and practice patience with perseverance. Teachers that feel called to serve in the inner city shouldn't be discouraged. There are great success stories, though not all as grande as Dangerous Minds. There is tremendous opportunity in our nation's inner cities to make a lasting impact on America's youth.
2. Principal
Some teachers may think the job of a principal is easier than being in the classroom. But if done right, the principal has one of the toughest jobs in a school. Not only is the principal in charge of the school's mission, they also oversee the hiring, firing, transfer, and tenure of teachers as well as coordinating with bus drivers, janitorial staff and lunch workers. In addition, they evaluate teachers, handle student discipline and play defense and offense when it comes to pleasing parents. It's a year round job with a school reputation on the line. Some principals feel such pressure to help their students succeed that they step into the classroom and teach. From a business perspective, they work with budgets, order supplies and curriculum, plan professional development and work to secure school donors. It's one of the few education jobs that can impact a student's day start to finish in every room of the building.
3. Special Education Teacher
By the numbers, not enough teaching students are selecting special education as a career. Is it because it's tough? Most likely. 46 of 50 states identified general special education and related special education fields as in demand careers for the 2009-2010 school year.
Special education students vary widely in ability and personality. Teachers will tell you that these students are challenging, but bring great joy. Special education teachers work with fewer students than general classroom teachers, but sometimes have every student in their room on a different lesson. Add to that the behavior and physical disabilities of students, orchestrating simple classroom tasks can difficult.
Special education teachers have to coordinate schedules with classroom and specialty teachers, fill out tons of papers work, and collaborate with district advocates and parents to ensure state mandates are being met.
4. Middle School Counselor
Being an educator for middle schoolers is not easy, but it's worth it, many will tell you. Middle school is the time when students search for identity and social relationships begin to blossom. This "blossoming" for many is a rocky road. Friendships and cliques become tumultuous, parents become so "not cool" and being good at school is at the bottom of a student priority list. Boys and girls clash and everything seems like an emotional roller coaster. Some middle school psychologist, like TheApple's Dr. Rebecca Branstetter, rise to the challenge and adore this group of tweens. Keeping the peace at a middle school and counseling students through this period of their life is a tough job, but so important in shaping who these young adults will become and how they will handle adversity.
5. Kindergarten teacher
While every grade has it's challenges, kindergarten is a tough transition for many because it's the introduction to official school. During the first few months, kindergarten teachers see a lot of tears, and not just from students. Parents and students both have trouble adjusting to a full day of school with no nap time. Emotions are high in a classroom full of wonderful little creatures. In addition to curriculum, one of the things that makes kindergarten tough is the life skills that these students haven't mastered, like going the bathroom alone, tying shoes or even walking in a line down the hall. Add to that a few snotty noses that haven't seen a tissue and a hamster in a cage and it seems amazing that these teachers get any real teaching done. A kindergarten teacher once told me that getting her students to lunch at the beginning of the school year was like herding cats. Kindergarten classes are bustling with energy and activity and these students don't usually know the first thing about raising hands, taking turns speaking or even the basics of sharing. Kindergarten teachers are some of the most important teachers in the school, because they set the tone for how to behave and view school as an overall experience.
6. Substitute Teacher
Substitute teachers make up a huge percentage of classroom educators across the U.S. The pool of subs in New York City is over 13,000, with Chicago and Los Angeles both around 7,000.* Some substitutes have long term posts, but most walk into classrooms on a daily basis with no idea what they'll find. Since all of us were former students, we know that students rarely behave as well for the sub as they do for their regular teacher. A few smart, sassy students can make the life of a sub survival of the fittest. The goal of a good substitute is to carry on class and learning as usual. But imagine walking into a job that's been going on without you for months and you have no knowledge of the students, subject matter, project or school schedule. Subbing is not easy, and good subs have to stay on their toes to get through the day in one piece and leave the teacher a note with "mission accomplished."
* Source: USA Today
7. Curriculum Specialist
Education reforms from each school, as well as district, state, and federal mandates can be so hard to comb through that most schools these days have curriculum or instructional specialists. To be successful, this person need a knowledge of how existing curriculum is delivered in each class in a school. Their job is tough because they try to help teachers - some reluctant- collaborate across curriculum and incorporate new mandates and ideas into their teaching. "It's a tough job," one instructionalist told me, "because you're asking teachers to add one more thing to their already full plate. You feel bad doing it, but you see the big picture and know it can work. They see me coming in the hall and dodge me or don't want to take one more meeting with me." A general classroom or subject teacher gets to hone in on one particular area of study, but the curriculum specialist needs to know about all subjects and all curriculum. For a new person in this career, it's a lot of reading and learning. Instead of instructing students, this person teaches adult teachers how to better instruct, plan and work together.
8. Brand New Teacher
No matter where or what you teach, the job of a brand new teacher is one of the toughest out there. Not more sitting behind the desk in class, now you're standing in front of class teaching! Having your own classroom is something that student teaching only begins to prepare you for. Being the new kid on the block has challenges even for the best of us. School staffs may not be so welcoming or helpful, and finding your confidence as a first year teacher is tough. From working with difficult students, parents, teachers and even administrators, a lot of the first year (or two) is trial by error. Planning a great lesson and executing it are two different things, and thinking fast is a must to survive. I've never met a first year teacher who wasn't stressed out, but that usually means the new teacher is thinking and trying to succeed so much that they can't get school of their mind!
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