Teaching: Why I Do It

There are days when I wake up and I can not wait to get to my classroom. Then there are the days that I wonder what in the world possessed me to become a teacher. Teaching seems to be the only profession in which EVERYONE believes they are qualified to tell the trained professional in the field (the teacher) how to do their job.

It is further my belief that if these "people" have had, known, seen, or thought about a child "they" are qualified to instruct the teacher as to what they do wrong, how they could do it better, or the ever popular, "if you would just make learning MORE fun!" I want to say to them why don't dentists make root canals more exciting or doctors, spinal taps more enjoyable. But the plain unvarnished truth is that learning/school is work and if the "people" would leave teachers alone and let us do our job, one that we went to school to learn how to do and in most cases have gone to graduate school for, we could successfully instruct students.

I am "beginning" to believe that the greatest teaching obstacle is "the people". I want to enlighten these "people", however I am challenged to find a benevolent way to do it. Over the years I have come to understand that until society recognizes teaching as a viable profession we as teachers are destined to endure the endless parade of "knowledgeable" individuals who have all the answers for our profession.

SO why do I do it: for the children! I push the memories, the innuendos, the sorry salaries, the lack of bathroom breaks, and all the other little stumbling blocks of our days aside and refocus on the students. They are the entire reason for getting up each day and facing the slings and arrows of the "learned" so that I can nod knowingly and then go on to humbly teach those who matter the most!