4 Reasons To Consider A Career In Primary Education

As George Bernard Shaw once said: “He who can, does; he who cannot, teaches.” Well, we never liked Pygmalion anyway.

Teaching is a valuable career. A noble career. A career where people question why you work such long hours for little pay. Or others who claim that teachers only do it for the holidays.

Though some would agree that there are disadvantages to teaching, there are also many benefits to this challenging caree. Here are four reasons why you should stick to your guns and opt for education.

The priceless rewards

If you asked any teacher out there what the most enjoyable aspect of their job is, most would say the sharing of knowledge which leads to uplifting rewards. Seeing children progress over the year and thinking that you – yes, you – contributed to that.

Not only does teaching come with emotional rewards, there are also financial benefits. With a secure salary increasing yearly depending on a performance review, the teacher wage – though not huge – carries a significant monetary incentive: promotion.

As well as this, and like many other careers out there, the world of teaching provides a career ladder which you can climb. This means that you’re never stuck in a dead-end position and you always have the option to strive for a higher role if you wish.

Lengthy holidays, perfect for families

Particularly for those of you who have or are planning to have children, school holidays are perfect for saving on childcare and spending long, quality time with your little ones. With nursery costs and childminding rapidly increasing, many mothers are having to decide whether it’s worth them going back to work. Besides, they could find that they earn only slightly more than what they would be paying out for childcare.

This makes the holidays that a teacher is given a highly attractive factor to the career. In fact, you’ll find yourself in a win-win situation, getting paid through your holidays while saving on childcare.

No two days are the same

It goes without saying that children are inspirational yet somewhat difficult, and some days you’ll be forced to scrap the lesson plans entirely. Unlike your typical office job, which sticks firmly to routine, there is no such thing as a samey day as a teacher.

You could plan a morning of phonics that turns rapidly into a life lesson on sharing. Or a morning of Maths that reverts to investigating the habitat of a woodlouse because one crept along the floor while you were working.

Children’s attention spans are considerably shorter than that of an adult – perfect for keeping teachers on their toes!

There are a selection of ways in

There are a variety of ways in which you can train to become a teacher. A good starting point is the Get into Teaching website. Whether you’ve decided that teaching is for you before university and so you decide to do a degree in Primary Education, or if you decide in your mid-forties and do some school-led training using your degree, there are plenty of options for you and some financial benefits to encourage you further.

Whichever way you decide to gain your qualified teacher status (QTS), remember that there are many positive reasons to becoming a teacher and you will personally benefit greatly from this career.  If your heart is in teaching, continue to follow your heart!

Harriet Mills is an English Literature and Creative Writing graduate. Based at her hometown near Cambridge, she is an aspiring writer with her main interests being features and travel writing. For more of her story check out her personal blog.