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You will appreciate knowing that people like my daughter do decide to become teachers in the public school system. She was accepted at several Ivy League Schools, but chose a conservative Presbyterian school, because there were no co-ed dorm, strictly enforced rules regarding drinking and drug use on campus, and it had an excellent reputation for academic excellence in her undergraduate major.

She aced all of her NY Regents exams in high school, and was a National Merit Scholarship finalist. She loved mathematics, but was an excellent allaround student, and class valedictorian.

She graduated summa cum laude as a Math major, with a minor in Education. She chose to teach at a city high school in Western NY, and fits the description of a good teacher posted above...

"When done well, teaching is a highly demanding, mentally exhausting, stamina-draining, energy-depleting activity. Teachers are performers working to engage their audience every minute of every day. It's all "live" with no TelePrompTers and hardly any time for rehearsal."

She puts in 12 hour days, develops new curriculum in the summer, and takes further courses in math and education. She has never had a "summer off", in spite of not being in the classroom.

She doesn't manage to motivate every single kid in her classes, and she agonizes about that. Most of her kids do very well, and respect her. They are well prepared and do very well on the final state-wide exams.

There are really great teachers out there in the public schools, but there are some real jerks also.