Career

By working in a school, you also have the opportunity to be an inspiration to young people. You can introduce students to subjects they would never have known about or been interested in. Consequently, you can influence their future studies or career paths.

FEELING REWARDED: Helping students reach their potential is highly rewarding because, in many cases, you play a significant role in their improvement. In a school, you can watch struggling students gradually become successful. Many children must overcome great obstacles. Playing a role in a young person’s eventual success makes working in a school fulfilling. In fact, education and special education are now among the top 20 college majors that lead to satisfying careers, according to a PayScale College Salary report.

BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS: Whether you are a teacher, secretary, nurse, custodian, chef or cafeteria server or an assistant or administrator, working in a school provides numerous opportunities throughout the day to interact with young people. Some children don’t have the kind of attention at home that they need and deserve. Nurturing relationships with adults can serve as a foundation for a child’s social and intellectual growth, according to T. Berry Brazelton, M.D., and Stanley I. Greenspan, M.D., in their Scholastic article, “Why Children Need Ongoing Nurturing Relationships.” For children, communicating with adults in school may be a very important part of their lives. Consequently, your interaction with school children may play a big role in their development.

FOCUSING OUTWARD: In today’s world, many people lead busy, fast-paced lives. It is easy to become self-focused. A job in a school pushes you to focus outwardly and give energy to others, which can be invigorating and even relieving. In her “Psychology Today” article, “The Moment of Youth: How to Change a Teenager’s Life,” Marilyn Price-Mitchell, Ph.D., uses the term “other-focused” to explain that role models focus on others rather than primarily on themselves. Focusing on others allows you to step outside yourself and your own worries or problems to give to others. You have an opportunity to become a role model as an encouraging guide or leader, servicing and giving back to your community.

INFLUENCE: Working in our school gives employees a chance to influence the lives of young people. School employees all contribute to student learning, whether it’s in the form of teaching a lesson, working with a student one-on-one, or helping to maintain the learning environment. Working in a school means having an opportunity to pass on knowledge and set a good example for the next generation of members of your community.

WORK ENVIRONMENT: Compared to other places of work, schools are usually pleasant, safe work environments. State laws that provide for student safety and security also protect the teachers and other employees who spend their days in schools. Schools employ security personnel to ensure the safety of students and police departments monitor schools and surrounding neighborhoods regularly.