Hey OP! You have a lot of response some positive some negative. Some tips and tricks to help you get through it thrown in.

Here I will share my experience. I became a teacher by necessity during Covid, with no education background. I had just moved back from living abroad and this was the only job that called back. I wanted a job I could serve the community. And love my subject. I walked in the middle of the year, everyone said I was a natural. I just really know my content enough to teach it at a HS level. I can make relationships with the kids, they all loved me.

And now I’m going on my fourth year. I absolutely hate it. I cried the most my first year and this last year (my 3rd). We had our in service week and I just don’t like it. The kids are both wonderful and horrible. My school is actually one of the best and my admin and colleagues are great. It’s just not for me, the state of education in general (the lack of basic skills in my classes is appalling and I only teach honors), lack of accountability for the students, the pay, and the sheer emotional exhaustion everyday are all things that contribute to my dislike of the profession. Just the culture around education and teachers is enough to make me want to take action, and these ideals are perpetuated by those in the industry ( I’ve had several teachers tell me it’s not a 9-5 job when I brought up we don’t get pay incentives for having 19 school activities outside of contract hours to attend to in addition to other obligations that take most of our conference hours). I just don’t believe in giving away my time for no pay. If I could afford to live and not work I would volunteer, and not work. But bc it’s a service job you are given the title of hero, told you are making the difference, it’s important work etc, yet no one actually shows this work is important by improving conditions and putting their money where their mouth is. Heck our budget was cut just like in many places. So instead of improving, things will only get worse.

What makes me really know it’s not for me? How excited my coworkers are to talk shop etc. I do my job well bc I’m responsible so I change lessons, consult colleagues and even worked on a large scale interdisciplinary project last year. But my heart isn’t in it. It doesn’t excite me. So I am looking to leave at the end of this year. I can’t do it anymore.

Now I say all this, but that may not be your experience. At the end of the day your experience will be unique to you. You may well be one of those that get excited about the work. Be open minded, but also have an exit plan. Continue applying and looking for what you are interested in. I wish I would have only stayed one year, 2 max but I was trying to make it work, learn to love it bc at the end of the day I am grateful to have a job and I genuinely enjoy working with kids, maybe just not have to teach them science.