Yes, I like to teach. I've been private tutoring for money since I was in college, and I still do it for extra cash. Right now I tutor everything from 1st graders in reading to high school students in math to small adult groups (to help them pass college entrance exams).
In college I made money through a work study program where I volunteered at elementary schools. This was when I really discovered that it was gratifying to teach because the kids I worked with showed real progress. I like helping people learn stuff, basically.
In general, I like to talk about academic, conceptual stuff (aka I'm a know-it-all), and teaching is a format that allows that side of me to flourish. I'm also pretty good at picking up on & adapting to individual student needs (if I do say so myself
).
As for class settings, I am not a natural performer or facilitator, but I'm pretty decent at group interaction & brainstorming when it's on academic subjects.
I also substitute teach now, and I like it so far, even though it's often just glorified baby-sitting. It's funny how I've never been crazy about kids, but I seem to do well with them in academic settings. I'm surprisingly patient & not easily ruffled by kid antics, and that calmness seems to rub off on them. They also sense I'm not uptight, but also not a pushover, and so discipline issues have been minor.
