I teach high school band.
Pros:
Guiding kids through life, building relationships, being a father figure to some.
I get to study great music literature in-depth, which I find fascinating.
Watching kids achieve great things as a team, and being proud that I helped to create that.
Significant stipend on top of an average teacher pay.
On my feet all day (won't get fat), and every day is something new.
Get a nice tan from marching band practice.
Some free-time in the summer (Marching band prep takes up most of August, so I don't get as much time as most teachers).
Whataburger gift cards
Cons:
My area has the highest expectations for high school bands in the country. Thus, many hours and extra rehearsals that go above and beyond the 9-4 school day are spent in an
effort to push the envelope. Yes, you wouldn't believe what some of these students are doing, and it's admirable, but it sure is a beat down. Many people in my profession (at least around here) are out in less than 3 years.
Entitled kids, and terrible parents that back them up.
Tons of paperwork. School finance bureaucracies are huge headaches.
Have to go to football games and pretend to give a shit. We made playoffs this year = more weekends of free-time, gone.
State testing is always taking my kids away from me and makes concert preparation difficult.
Not to mention that my state's legislature just screwed any guys my age when it comes to retirement benefits (can't get them until 65, or penalized significantly). Not that I was planning on working past 35, but still. On the side, I buy and sell used cell phones to pay the bills and knock out some debt. Also beginning development on a fastlane idea, we'll see what happens.