Advice for would-be teachers

I am always amazed at the sort of responses I get when new acquaintances got to know that I am a soon-to-be teacher. Most of them comes in the form of advices, and that is regardless of whether the adviser is/was a teacher (and most of ain't so). Some asks me to be firm with the kids, some says I have to be careful about punishing them.

Quite a few encouraged me to have higher aspirations and go teach at a Junior College (which is supposed to be more slack because I'll only need to teach PE then), not knowing that I didn't exactly choose to teach because I want an easy job. One look at me and they know I teach PE instantly, and they will give me more on hints further lightening my teaching load.

Now, if you were to meet a lawyer or a doctor, you wouldn't exactly be dispensing professional advices to them, would you? It seems to me that teaching is a hardly a professional job now, everyone can bring up some random conversational topics about it to amuse themselves with, as if they are in a knowledgeable position to speak of it.

This is kind of a rant, but if you get to know a teacher, do politely ask about the interesting facets of the profession, but do not proceed to give free advice to them about how to go about managing their career. It's kind of rude really.