For many graduates, becoming a teacher is a lifelong dream. However, it can be a challenging career and graduates should go into it knowing what to expect.

Many newly qualified teachers find the job more demanding than they first thought and there are sometimes areas of the profession they have not considered, the Twin Cities Daily Planet said.

Teachers will have to deal with a range of issues from planning lessons and grading papers to handling the varying levels of education and motivation among their pupils without leaving anyone behind.

Furthermore, the site said, teachers are increasingly becoming involved in addressing the social issues that affect their young charges.

Susan J Goetz, a director of undergraduate and gradate initial licensure of education programs, said teachers require "lot of patience", dedication to their profession and the ability to get along with not only children but also colleagues, parents and administrators.

For those who rise to the great challenges of teaching, the site said, the rewards can be "even greater".

"[Teachers] stay because there is nothing more rewarding than helping children reach their potential," said Denise Specht of Education Minnesota.

In 2006, teachers held around four million jobs in the US.