Among the most important character traits is an eagerness to learn
"He who dares to teach must never cease
to learn."
– Anonymous
I f the process of learning is one that lasts a lifetime, then so is the process of teaching. Simply because every time we learn something new, whether good or bad, there is a teacher involved.
The teacher who first held your little hand in hers and helped you fashion a perfect letter ‘A'. The teacher who taught you the first ballet step or karate kick.
The teacher who, when you were down in the dumps, sat you down and told you that although things looked as if they could never improve, they would and you just had to have faith and carry on.
The teacher who enjoyed his work so much that you, watching him, decided this is what you really wanted - a career in teaching.
There are teachers everywhere, in mainstream schools, colleges and universities.
There are opportunities for teachers in fine arts (drawing, painting, embroidery), in the performing arts (dance, music, theatre, film), in hobby courses (ham radio, aero modelling, swimming, cooking, hairdressing), at foreign language institutes, at vocational training institutes (polytechnics, typing schools, travel and tourism institutes), and at private institutes offering training and coaching for competitive exams.
Don't forget the possibility of teaching or counselling students in faraway countries through the internet from the comfort of your home. There is also the world of the special educator, teachers who are trained to teach students with special needs.
The great part about teaching is that it is not an end in itself. You could study whatever you want to - whether engineering, fashion design or psychology - and then train for a teaching position in that field.
You can even work for a few years at a career of your choice and then switch to teaching.
Keep in mind that the most brilliant students do not necessarily make the best teachers.
Also keep in mind that you teach best what you love the best, and that there is no teacher worse than one who hates his subject or the act of teaching itself.
Best part of teaching
A career in teaching is hugely rewarding for all the usual reasons and for a whole lot of unusual ones too.
What are the usual reasons?
- One, the respect of your students (if you are a teacher who knows his subject thoroughly).
- Two, the admiration of your students, if you not only know your subject, but can also help your students learn it just as well.
- Three, the love of your students, if you can go beyond being just a teacher of a subject, and become a teacher of the other more important things in life - courage, integrity, self-confidence, self-esteem, tolerance.
- Four, the chance to work along with other highly-educated people in an intellectually stimulating environment.
What are the unusual reasons?
- One, you are in great company - several of the world's great leaders, thinkers and Nobel Prize winners have been teachers.
- A good teacher is always in demand.
- A teacher doesn't need any infrastructure to begin working; all she needs is a student.
- Teaching usually has such good working hours that teachers have time to pursue their other interests as well.
What it takes to become a teacher?
An eagerness to learn is important. The person must be open-minded, be more of a guide and be in love with teaching.
Those who want to check if they are really suited for the career, could try giving tuition to younger children. Students can also coach their juniors for the exams.
If you find you still look forward to your class a month later, and that your students look forward to it too, it seems likely that you will make a great teacher.
So, go ahead. If you have the passion to make learning fun, then teaching could be an enriching lifelong experience.
The writer is the head of the Dubai branch of Career Launcher, one of India's largest education companies
