Your comprehensive guide to the demands and rewards of teaching. Perfect for all kinds of educators who’d like to reflect on their experiences, no matter their ability or experience! 

Teaching is widely regarded as an extremely rewarding profession, with the current educational system serving as a source of pride for educators across the country. 

The educational sphere is a constantly changing landscape, especially due to the huge technological and socio-political advancements that have come to fruition over the past ten years. So, when we consider the myriad of advantages that align with the career of teaching, it’s important to acknowledge that there are also some demands that should be taken into consideration. 

Whether you’ve arrived at this blog as an NQT who is looking for a weigh-up of the pros and cons of teaching, or a seasoned professional who wishes to reflect on the benefits you may have received as an educator, we hope this blog helps you explore the key demands and rewards associated with teaching. 

At ElevateSupply, our aim is to help both learning institutions and supply teachers to enhance their experiences in education and offer support for them with our services. 

We are fully committed to providing teachers with important advisory blogs that can help you flourish in the educational field, whilst simultaneously making life easier for you through our amazing platform. 

As an educator, you have the power to set and control your availability and day rate for short or long term planning. We provide you with information and support via enhanced profiles, guides 
and resources. 

As a school, we will only offer you fully compliant supply teachers with appropriate availability in your area. We handle the time-consuming admin of compliance, timesheets and payments for you. 

So, with that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the demands and rewards of teaching. 

The demands of teaching 

Teaching can be an incredibly demanding profession. While many individuals choose it for the love of helping others and shaping the future generation, it comes with a host of challenges that can be physically, mentally and emotionally tiring. Here are some of the major demands that can typically affect an educator, no matter their ability, age, experience or background. 

Accountability and the pressures of external institutions - 

A huge demand faced by educators in the UK is the intense pressure to perform and meet targets. Naturally, this can vary depending on the school, role or even the band of the specific individual. 

However, we think it’s fair to say that teachers are often expected to perform at a high level. OFSTED, the body responsible for inspecting schools in England, plays a key role in assessing the quality of education across learning institutions. Although the intention is to maintain high standards and ensure students are getting the best education possible, the constant scrutiny can be stressful. In fact, in a survey conducted by Schools Week, the vast majority (94.9%) of respondents (321 headteachers) overwhelmingly described negative emotions in the period of time that they were waiting for the OFSTED call. 

Now, we know all careers have periods of stress and worry, but OFSTED calls and targets can be an overwhelming experience for teachers, especially because they are required to show evidence of student progress and make sure their teaching meets national standards. 

This pressure to achieve results, often linked to standardised testing, can sometimes make the job feel like a cycle of accountability. Teachers must meet not only academic targets but also social and emotional targets, ensuring that students' well-being is prioritised. 

This isn’t to say we think OFSTED or standardised targets should be removed or changed, these things are vital parts of any educator's journey. But it’s certainly something to consider as a demand that comes with teaching. 

Workload and time commitments

One of the most commonly cited challenges faced by teachers is the workload and the lack of flexibility that comes with the job. Since the pandemic, working from home has become normalised, particularly because there are so many incredible benefits that come with the opportunity.

More time to catch up on sleep, less time commuting, chilling in your dressing gown instead of wearing uncomfortable work clothes, the positives are endless! However, educators aren’t able to do this. Well, you could turn up to work in your dressing gown if you really wanted to, but you may get a few funny looks. Apart from World Book Day, perhaps! 

This means flexibility dwindles and more time is spent on work outside of school hours, in one way or another. Teachers are expected to plan lessons, mark assignments, manage classroom behaviour, attend meetings, participate in training sessions and often communicate with parents and guardians. All whilst doing their other duties as educators. 

The marking load alone can be overwhelming, especially during exam periods or when managing large groups of students. For instance, secondary school teachers often find themselves grading hundreds of pieces of work across multiple subjects. The preparation for lessons can also be pretty time-consuming, especially when educators are required to cater to a diverse range of abilities within the classroom.

Furthermore, the role often requires a significant emotional investment. Teachers must be present and responsive, adapting to the needs of students while managing their own stress levels. 

Thankfully, with platforms such as Elevate Supply and Twinkl, we can help you manage your time and reduce overwhelm. You can get access to a FREE Twinkl Ultimate Membership when you work with Elevate Supply at least once a month for access to top-quality resources to make life in the classroom easier. So, you will always be able to instantly access educational materials from one of the global leaders in Ed-Tech publishing, such as this blog that focuses on time management tips. 

Budget constraints

Budget cuts and limited resources have become a recurring challenge in the UK educational system. Schools are often required to do more with less, with fewer teaching assistants, fewer resources for extracurricular activities and insufficient funding for classroom materials. This can lead to emotional burnout, which is an unfortunate reality for many in the profession, with long hours leading to exhaustion and a sense of being overwhelmed. 

Teachers are frequently expected to find creative solutions, such as utilising technology or improvising classroom activities, to maintain a high standard of education. 

However, this often comes at the expense of teachers’ time and energy, further increasing the demands of teaching. Although it can be difficult to find a singular solution for this, there are certainly ways to prepare for these demands. Many educators take advantage of educational programmes, platforms just like us and learning tools that can be used by wonderful groups of educators.

Using the resources can be a fantastic way to build community and joining the groups can also promote kindness and care, as individuals can use the platforms as a way to relate to each other and share any issues. A problem halved is a problem shared, so we think this can be a great outcome of one of the demands of teaching. 

The rewards of teaching 

Despite the challenges, teaching offers a wealth of rewards that make the profession worthwhile for many. These rewards are not always tangible or immediate, but they have a lasting impact on both teachers and students! 

Making a difference

For many educators, the most rewarding aspect of the job is the ability to make a positive difference in the lives of their students. Teachers have the unique opportunity to influence students' futures, instil a love of learning and inspire them to achieve their potential. 

Although it may sound cliche, as a teacher, there truly is no better feeling than seeing a student achieve their goals. Whether this may be a specific grade on an assessment or a personal goal such as learning to play an instrument. We all have specific teachers that we remember for being particularly amazing. Perhaps they helped you smash a university application or they may have provided pastoral support when times were tough. 

Whoever the teacher was, they made an impact on you and influenced you to do better. The impact of a teacher can last a lifetime and many educators speak of the profound satisfaction they feel when they see their students succeed, knowing that they played a part in shaping their academic and personal growth! 

Teachers can offer new experiences or possibilities to students, which is an amazing gift to pass onto students. 

Professional development and opportunities for continuous learning

Teaching is a dynamic and ever-evolving profession. When you become a teacher, you know you will be able to progress and move into a specific field if you wish to. You may want to be the head of a specific year, or perhaps specialise into a role that helps sixth-form students with further education. 

Educators are constantly presented with new ideas, teaching methods and educational research that allow them to grow professionally. Continuous professional development (CPD) is encouraged, with many teachers attending workshops, conferences or undertaking postgraduate studies to enhance their teaching practice! 

Other roles include:

• Curriculum leader and developer

• SEND coordinator

• Head teacher 

• Deputy head teacher

• Education consultant 

• Counsellor 

• Pastoral leader

• Training coordinator

The constant evolution of teaching methods and the opportunity to explore new technologies in the classroom make teaching a profession where lifelong learning is not only encouraged but essential. For many teachers, this variety and opportunity for personal growth is one of the key attractions of the role.

Salary benefits and financial stability 

Teaching can also be a great source of financial stability for many individuals. If you’re a primary or secondary teacher in England, your salary will differ depending on a number of factors, such as where the school is, the pay range and the type of school. 

Regardless of this, the salary will always be strong and you will always be able to undergo reviews and experience progression opportunities! 

If you have QTS, you’ll get a minimum starting salary of £31,650! Or more if you live in London. Your salary will be reviewed every year, with most teachers moving up the pay range annually. This will depend on your school’s performance management arrangements. A typical teacher could earn at least £43,607 (or more in London) after 5 years! Check out this chart that explains the differentiating amounts depending on location. 

As well as this, you may also get the opportunity to receive additional payments on top of your regular salary for taking on extra responsibilities. So, there are always ways to uplift your wage and your salary will never become stagnant. 

You could get a one-off payment for a specific project, such as creating a timetable or for taking on extra responsibility attached to your job role, such as being head of department. Other examples include coaching and mentoring other educators, such as trainee teachers. 

You may also undertake a national professional qualification, often known as an NPQ. These additional payments are called teaching and learning responsibility (TLR) payments.

However you wish to approach financial benefits and improvements, the most important thing to take away is that there are always opportunities to do this and ways to enhance your career! 

It’s no secret that teaching is a profession that demands a great deal of time, energy and emotional investment. The challenges of managing diverse classrooms, meeting high expectations and dealing with workload pressures can be overwhelming at times. However, the rewards of the profession - making a difference in students’ lives, building lasting relationships and experiencing professional growth - are often far greater.