What are the mental demands of a teacher?

Answer 1

As a teacher you have to know all the subjects you teach as well as the textbooks. I taught 5th grade and had to know 8 subjects. It usually took me 2 years to really know a textbook when I got a new one. A teacher also has to know about his/ her students and to know when a lesson is working or not. She/he has to be able to change methods if they are needed, but also to keep in mind the objectives they have set and the state standards. When doing lesson plans all of these factors have to be kept in mind and what the final goals for the students are. Each teacher also has a foundation philosophy concerning education and teaching to root them in how they teach and why. Mentally, this take a lot of focus by the teacher and all goes on at the same time as well as keeping things organized and students on task. Physically, teaching is tiring because the work of a teacher is never ending. Teachers often have to serve yard duty , get 30 minutes for lunch, and few bathroom breaks. Sometimes dealing with rude, disruptive students can be very hard and keeps a teacher from reaching the goal of the lesson. Students also bully a teacher and this takes an emotional and physical toll as well. Yet, when you see a student learning that is the reward you finally get even though it took you hours, days, weeks or months to see the "light come on" in a student's mind.