How to Love Teaching

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Write down what bothers you about teaching.

   If you have been feeling dissatisfied with your job lately, then you might find it helpful to identify what is causing you to feel this way.
   
   Try making a list of everything that you dislike about your teaching job.
   
   Include small and big things on your list.
   
   For example, you might list something like having to deal with a particular student’s parent, which might only happen a few times every month, or something like grading, which is a more regular part of your job.
   
   Try ranking the items on your list from most frustrating to least frustrating by placing numbers next to them.
   
   For example, if grading is the most frustrating part of your job, then you could place the number 1 next to it.
2. 2

   Step 2: Make a list of all of the things you enjoy about teaching.

   After you have created your list of what you do not like about teaching, make a second list about what you do like.
   
   Making this list can help you to see if the positive aspects of your job are outweighing the negative aspects.
   
   It can also help you to identify things that might make teaching more enjoyable for you.Include minor and major things on this list as well.
   
   For example, you might include something small, such as seeing a student’s face light up when he or she grasps a new concept.
   
   Or, you might include something that you do every day, like reading aloud to your students.
   
   You might even rank this list as well to get an idea of what aspects of teaching are the most enjoyable for you.
   
   That way, you can look for ways to incorporate more of these enjoyable activities. , You may also enjoy some secondary benefits of teaching that are making the job a positive thing for you.
   
   Secondary benefits are those that are related to your job, but that are not part of teaching specifically.
   
   Make a third list where you identify and list all of the secondary benefits that you enjoy because of working as a teacher.Include anything that you see as a secondary benefit of teaching.
   
   These may include things like great coworkers, a good healthcare plan, and summers off. , Sometimes something will change in a workplace or in your personal life that can affect the way that you feel about your job.
   
   If you have been teaching for a while, then it might be helpful to look at what has changed recently and consider whether that might be affecting the way you feel about your job.For example, you might have recently had a baby and feel sad about not being able to spend as much time with the baby as you’d like.
   
   Or, you might have switched to a different grade level and be having a hard time adjusting to the differences in your older or younger students.
   
   Note anything that has changed since you stopped enjoying teaching.
   
   This may help you determine what you can do to improve your situation. , All of the things you have listed about what you love, hate, and appreciate about teaching may help you to find a way to love your job again.
   
   Review the lists and pay special attention to the items that are most and least enjoyable to you.
   
   Try to think of ways that you can use this information to appreciate your job more.
   
   For example, if you identified that you enjoy reading aloud to your students, then you might try to incorporate more of this into your teaching.
   
   If you identified that you dislike speaking with a certain student’s parent, then you might talk with your supervisor about the problems you have been having and ask for advice on dealing with the parent.
3. 3

   Step 3: Identify the secondary advantages.

4. 4

   Step 4: Reflect on how your attitude towards teaching has changed.

5. 5

   Step 5: Use your lists to help you identify ways to improve your situation.

Detailed Guide

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