I am a high school chemistry teacher. People tend to overreact and think that an introvert would have a lot of trouble being in a position that demands extroversion. Actually, it is probably much better than any other job I would have. I hate working by myself. Why? Cause I hate working in general. If I am gonna have to do something for 8 hours a day, it may as well be something where I don't have the opportunity to watch the clock and get bored. Cause that's pure hell. In any job, I will not be focused unless I absolutely need to be focused.
That said, lack of boredom is not at all the only reason I enjoy being a teacher. Kids are fun, and I am fun around kids. And it is chemistry, something I can have even more fun with. Teaching also requires a great deal of creativity and spontaneity. It is challenging. Another plus? Lots of vacation and I get the whole summer off.
Why don't I like it? The thing that bugs me the most is bureaucracy. All the committees, organizations, paperwork, etc. etc. Another thing I hate about teaching is the totally rampant idealism that goes on in schools. Bleh! Come off it! Hearing people get preachy about things makes me sick. I teach at a low socio-economic status school, and they would be much better off if they weren't treated as such. Cutting them slack because of their background probably hurts them more by teaching them that they can have standards lowered for them because of their "condition."
The other thing I hate about teaching is when my students do poorly and don't do anything about it. Like when I repeatedly ask for their questions and misunderstandings, and there is dead silence... and then on the test, people do horrible. I don't get that. I would have been silent myself in that situation, but I never had trouble teaching myself the material.
Oh well. The key to surviving any job is being able to come home and forget about it, and not wonder whether or not you're in the right place.