There are times especially towards the end of term when teachers feel depressed and just wonder why they are still in that job. Some of their ex-students are earning two or even three times their salary and getting recognition in society while they feel that they are slaving in a job where they are the scapegoats for all social problems.

The main reason is that teaching is not a job well-suited to everyone. It is one of the world's best jobs if you like it and one of the most stressful if you don't… Many new teachers now leave within the first five years and few young people really want to become teachers. However, many rewards come with teaching and there are many reasons why it is a great profession. Here are a few of them:

1. As a teacher, you undoubtedly mould the future of individuals, families and society. You often see more and know more about your students than their parents. You make a real difference in their lives even if they might acknowledge it only years later as we can see each week in the My best teacher contributions.

2. Unfortunately, not every student will succeed in your class. But this does not stop you from believing that every student has a potential for success. Each year brings new challenges and new potential successes. Student success is what drives many of you to continue and it is its own reward. When that student that others have written off as unteachable succeeds, it is worth all the headaches you’ve had.

3. Teaching helps your own learning. You will never learn a topic better than when you start teaching it. When I was a young English literature and GP teacher, there was no syllabus, no Internet and librairies were scarce. But this helped me learn more about new subjects as there was always something new to learn if I wanted to keep pace with changes.

4. Being with young people everyday helps you keep up with current trends and break down barriers. If you have a positive attitude and a sense of humour, each day is a fresh one and can be fun. Of course, there are days when you feel like a potential murderer but they quickly fade away with the exhilarating moments you enjoy in and out of class.

5. Teaching gives you autonomy. Once you begin a class, you are the one who decides what's going to happen. Not many jobs provide so much room to be creative and independent.

6. Teaching is conducive to family life. If you have children, the school calendar allows you the same holidays. Even if you take work home, you probably reach home around the same time. This is a real bonus that few working parents enjoy.

Over the coming weeks, Classroom will deal with misconceptions about the teaching job and possible answers.

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