Some people spend their entire lives looking for their "calling", that job that truly speaks to them. Others see work as something they have to do and that will never find enjoyable. I was fortunate to always know what I was meant to do. Ever since I was a little girl, I've wanted to be a teacher. Life experiences over time led me in different directions, yet somehow always brought me back to my true passion-teaching. I am that teacher whose brain never stops working. I am always reflecting, innovating, thinking about my class. This is so incredibly fun, satisfying, exciting for me. It truly makes me feel like I am finally able to do what I was put on this earth to do and no I am not perfect, I have a lot to learn, but I have all the time in the world to learn and become the best teacher I can possibly be. I love everything about it even if some days it comes with frustration, disappointment, and confusion. Knowing that I am making the difference, seeing those smiling faces, being their cheerlead makes it all worth it.
People who know me react in two different ways. Some cheer me on and are supportive and just have accepted that this is a huge part of who I am. I am a teacher. Bottom line. It's what I was born to do. Others struggle to understand why I spend the time I do on work related tasks, get frustrated with me for how invested I come in my class, community, lesson planning , etc. They struggle to understand and no matter how many times I try to explain, I think the bottom line is work is different for everyone. For some it's what you do to make a living and for others it's a huge part of their life and not just something they have to do.
One of the biggest realizations I've come to over the past year is that I have to be true to myself and not worry about pleasing everyone else. So when I hear, "you're going burn yourself out" or " why does this matter so much to you?" I have to be honest with myself first and then people making these comments and statements. Here's the thing, no one burns out on sleeping, eating, reading their favorite book, right? That's how I am with teaching; teaching is my drive to be a better person, role model, someone who makes a difference.
Growing up, my teachers were the reason I made something of myself. They were the people I felt safe with. They were my role models. I was lucky because I had them in my life. Over the past few years I've come across students who come from wonderful loving families and who are in my class to learn academics, but I've also come across so many who are in my class first to know they are cared about, safe, can say what's on their mind, and then academics. Those are students I often see the most progress in. They are the students who I know need me. Students from wonderful families are the ones who will succeed with any teacher because they are confident. They are ready to learn. They come to school to learn specifically. It's the other students that come to school to maybe feel safe or maybe to know they are cared about or whatever it may be before they are actually ready to learn.
So here I am , honest with myself and with you. I was born to be a teacher and I know it deep in my heart. I love every moment of it even on the most frustrating days. Seeing my students' progress and success is my drive. So no, I will not burn out. I will not get bored. I will not want to do something else. I may seem sometimes like I never stop , but I never stop because I love what I do.
What drives you to teach? Why did you decide to enter this profession?
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