1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of being a teacher?
In the You Be the Judge feature, we consider both advantages and disadvantages of teaching. Routine, lack of respect, student apathy, and bureaucracy can wear teachers down, while the joy of working with children, caring colleagues, and intellectual stimulation motivate teachers.

2. What are the satisfactions—and complaints—of today's teachers?
Although the vast majority of teachers are satisfied, many teachers believe that their pay is inadequate and their work loads heavy, and teachers generally desire fewer discipline problems and more parental and administrative support.

3. Can we consider teaching to be a profession?
There are trends to make teaching more "professional" (five years of training, growing research base, qualifying exams, and the recognition of board-certified teachers), and counter trends that question the status of teachers (alternative certification and lack of teacher influence over licensure and curricular standards). Some claim teaching is, at best, a semiprofession.

4. How has teacher preparation changed over the years?
In the early nineteenth century, normal schools were established to train future teachers. While some recent reform reports, including Tomorrow's Teachers and A Nation Prepared, urge higher standards, increased professionalism for teacher preparation, and recognition of superior performance through board certification, other programs emphasize alternative certification, a type of apprenticeship not unlike what was practiced in colonial America.

5. What are the differences between the National Education Association and the American Federation of Teachers?
The National Education Association (NEA) is the largest and one of the oldest professional and employee association in the nation, while the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) is smaller, more urban, and affiliated with the labor movement. Today, the NEA and the AFT are only two of the professional organizations to offer a range of services, including magazines, journals, and other professional communications; legal assistance; workshops and conferences; assistance in collective bargaining; and political activism.

6. What traits and characteristics are needed for successful teaching?
Successful teachers enjoy working with children, managing and motivating people, working well with the community, and are often found to have a pretty good sense of humor. A strong work ethic, intellectual curiosity, and a commitment to lifelong learning are also associated with success in the classroom. Many of these skills are also useful in other people-oriented occupations. While organizations like Southwest Airlines have developed corporate cultures that focus on employee satisfaction and autonomy, schools have yet to mirror that level of c onfidence in teachers.

7. Is teaching a "good fit" for you?
In reviewing characteristics and traits related to effective teaching, we ask you to evaluate yourself. How do you rate on these skills and traits? In fact, a major purpose of this text is to help you connect with teaching and assess if teaching is the right career for you.