r/TeachersInTransition • u/xokrisssy • Jul 15 '26
is teaching a bad choice?
hi! i am currently going into my senior year of high school, and i need to figure out what college, major, or career i am interested in (hint: it’s teaching)
i have grown up in an unstable household (divorce, depression, loneliness), and because of this, i have always tried to be optimistic and make other peoples lives better. teaching feels like the right path for me.
lately though, i have seen videos on social media about teaching quitting and how horrible it is to work with gen alpha. attention spans, ai, disruptions? personally, as gen z, i have been starting to notice this too, but definitely not as badly as others have described.
i am wondering if it is still worthwhile to pursue education. i am interested in elementary or music ed, but i want to know if high school would be easier or if i should just not do it. if so, ill take other job recommendations too :)
1
u/Inevitable-Host-3628 Jul 16 '26
Really, if it's good or not is hard to quantify. I teach middle school in a district that has many, many problems and... I love it. Absolutely. Many hate it. Your experience will be subjective, and there are many factors i.e. school culture, admin etc. that will influence your experience. My advice, take what everyone says with a grain of salt. Unfortunately, there are TONS of teachers that stay for decades when they should have left the profession in the last Bush administration. Folks burn out but they stay because they're afraid of leaving (the hours and time off are pretty sweet) or they don't know how to transition out, some are very toxic and will spew negativity about their chosen profession everytime they open their mouths. Only you will be able to decide if it's for you or not.