Are you considering being a teacher? That's great if you are. However, here are some troubling matters that you need to consider as you make your decision.

1. Major

Major requirements can be a problem for students that want to be high school teachers. They have to major in the subject that they want to teach at high school but what if they do not want to major in the subject that they want to teach? What if they want to study another subject, especially one that interests them? At my college, some students do two majors. One is the one they want to study. The other one is the subject that they want to teach at high school. It has been told that some students who major in a subject just to get the job face problems because they have extrinsic motivation instead of intrinsic motivation. Maybe this explains why some students choose to teach preschool, elementary, or middle school students. The major requirement for these three types of teachers is any liberal arts subject that interests them.

Another thing to note is that students who major in math have to become high school math teachers. They should not waste the education on their major. Not all schools teach what they learn in the math major. You do not need the math major to teach elementary and middle school math because the math in these two types of schools usually consists of elementary algebra. The best way to make use of the education on your math major is teaching at an elite school or college. At least one thing from the rest of the other subjects like science, English, and social studies will be taught at all types of schools.

2. What You Can Teach vs. What You Want To Teach

What you can teach and what you want to teach can be problematic as well. There is one subject that you can teach but what if you do not want to teach it? What if the subject you want to teach is the subject that you cannot teach? In my opinion, it is better to teach what you can teach. It can make things easier for you and not regret the choices that you make. You also need to know if you are linear or definite. What I mean by linear is being a teacher that can only teach what the book says is right and wrong. The subjects for linear teachers are math and science. Definite is dealing with different answers and perspectives. The subjects for definite teachers are English and history. History is linear when students have to get the facts right. It becomes definite when students need to analyze history.

3. Age Group

One big component to consider when being a teacher is the age group. You have to know which age group is right for you. You might not like kids or teenagers. These days, people are saying some generations of students, especially teenagers, are the worst to teach. It all depends on your point of view toward the age groups. Just note that no matter who and where you teach, there will always be ups and downs with your students.

4. Number Of Subjects Provided In Each Age Group

Age group can make your choice of teaching a subject or subjects complicated as well. In elementary school, you have to teach multiple subjects. You like elementary students but you do not like all the subjects that you have to teach. In middle school and high school, you can only teach one subject. You can teach your favorite subject or the one that you can or want to teach. However, you do not like teenagers. Teenagers can make the classroom environment problematic. They also might not like the subject that you are teaching. You have to do everything you can to keep them motivated and to make them see the importance of the subject that you are teaching.

5. Job Opportunities / In Demand

The type of teacher matters more than how many grades you can teach. I was told that high school English teachers and high school social studies teachers do not have a lot of job opportunities. In other words, high schools have a hard time hiring them. Elementary teachers are in demand more than any other type of teacher. Depending on what state you are from, check which type of teachers are in demand. What happens if the type of teacher that has less job opportunities is the one you want or the one you can teach?

Making your decision in being a teacher can be complicated. One thing for sure, you will have to give in to the pros and cons of who, where, and what you choose to teach.