At Saint Ignatius College Prep, teachers guide their students through carefully planned lessons. After years of commitment to mastering their craft, teachers’ passion shines through in the love they show their students and attention-to-detail in each of their class periods.

While most students are still snoozing their alarms, teachers are already reviewing lesson plans and preparing for a day that will both reinforce their love for teaching and test their patience. Teaching may look simple from the students’ perspective, but behind each class period is a carefully prepared lesson

Becoming a high school teacher at as well-respected of an institution as Saint Ignatius College Prep in the heart of Chicago starts, surprisingly, with education. All teachers are required to have at least a bachelor’s degree but most have masters or doctorates as well. 

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, over half of all current public school teachers in the U.S. have at least a master’s degree (50%) and a whopping 92% of educators at Saint Ignatius do. These degrees are most often in the subjects they want to teach along with a program focusing on student education and how neoeducation functions.

One of the most important steps on the road to becoming a teacher is student teaching, where future educators get hands-on experience in a classroom and take on the responsibility of teaching under loose supervision. During this time, it usually settles in how demanding this field truly is.

In addition to lecturing in front of a class of teenagers, teaching involves hours of grading, lesson-planning, meetings, and relationship building. It is as well-rounded of a career as you can find. Not to mention, many teachers work beyond their school day, whether that is coaching a sports team or being the moderator for a club. These tasks often exceed their +50 hour work week. 

This intense workload contributes to the growing flaws of this profession: stress and burnout. A study performed by the National Education Association states, “Burnout is a systemic problem, and the burden is not on the individual educator to prove they can navigate through the enormous pressure placed on them“. Studies have reflected this in stating that 44% of teachers report heightened stress levels and almost 1 in 3 teachers leave their careers after 5 years.

Despite these challenges, many teachers stay. What keeps them in the classroom is likely the impact they witness first-hand every day.

That impact is built through one of the most important skills practiced in the job, curriculum creation. Teachers do not simply “copy and paste” each lesson from other teachers. Most go through the tedious process of designing and testing out new learning techniques. 

This process begins with the outline of what students are expected to know after taking any particular class. Then, teachers organize materials into units, set goals, and create assignments and assessments to help students maintain their knowledge. Many educators spend hours finding unique study tools or new ways to teach a subject.

Information from the U.S. Department of Education:

From this handcrafted curriculum, teachers develop lesson plans, each with a specific objective in mind and including attitudes that help engage the students with the material. At Ignatius, a typical 50 minute class period might start with a short warm-up, followed by lectures, practice, and a closing “check for understanding” activity.

Students’ attitudes and classroom atmospheres often change from day to day. For example, a lively Tuesday classroom might fall silent on Wednesday. Or students may act respectful on one day but chaotic the next. 

In addition to being educators, trusted adults, and high-energy individuals, teachers must be reading their classroom constantly and responding accordingly. They must also manage student behavior, encourage participation and support their students always. Teaching incorporates all aspects of a working adult, which is a main reason behind the career’s difficulty.

Teaching offers a strong sense of purpose and allows the educator to witness their affect on individuals still developing into functioning adults. These relationships can influence a student’s entire trajectory and last far beyond a single class.

On the other hand, the job comes with drawbacks. Teachers face lower pay compared to other professions. The workload is often overwhelming and supporting students through struggles and pressures is an emotional investment that demands a lot from educators.

For those who become teachers, the motivation rarely stems from financial benefits or a career of convenience. It is about making a difference in the next generations, and being able to visibly see an immediate impact.

In the end, teaching is not just a career, it is a commitment to bettering those who will follow. It requires a love for learning, relationship building, and constant adaptation to the ever-changing realm of education. For those willing to take on the challenge, classrooms become more than a place of work, they become a second home.