Why Do I Teach?

I probably ask myself this question once or twice a year.  Usually it happens when I get particularly frustrated with something like my standardized testing results or after a string of days where nothing seems to go smoothly.  Why do I teach?

Please don't misunderstand:  I would never change the career path I have chosen.  It is never a frustration with the profession, the tasks I undertake each day, or the kids I work with.  The profession is what I love the most, the tasks give me the challenge I need, and the kids are the whole reason for doing what I do.  Rather, the question arises out of a frustration with myself.  Those who know me will tell you no one is more critical of me than, well, me.  It is when I get discouraged with my performance, or my ability to teach, that my fear of failing my students takes over and I ask, again, "Why do I teach?".

This blog post is meant to answer that question; to remind me of the reasons I teach so I can come back and read it on those days when I am so frustrated.  Let's face it, I am actually writing this for me, although I do appreciate you taking the time from your day to read it.  This is why I teach.

I teach because education provides me with a daily challenge.
As I mentioned previously, I need to be challenged.  I am that person who gets bored too easily.  My parents can tell you based on many childhood experiences, I am not a fun person to be around when I am bored.  There is no profession that can challenge me more than teaching while still meeting all the other career necessities I have.  Sure, brain surgery is tough, but that was out of the question when I realized that blood and, even worse, needles were involved.  The challenges of education are more subtle.  Every year at fall and Valentine's Day parties, parents say "I don't know how you do this every day!"  The truth is, what they see as hard - the management piece - is the easy part for me.  The challenges I have are balancing lesson plans with curriculum while integrating technology, keeping my co-teacher in mind, and differentiating instruction to meet the levels of each student.  It is an intricate puzzle that, when solved the correct way gives you an amazing feeling of satisfaction.

I teach because it allows me to be surrounded by great people.
Solving that puzzle I just mentioned can't be done alone.  It takes collaboration with your peers and advice from administrators and teacher-leaders.  Education has allowed me to meet some of the greatest people in the world.  I have never written lesson plans alone - I have always bounced ideas off some of the brightest people in my district, if not state.  The give and take is as educational as it is entertaining.  Teachers as a whole are giving, caring, humorous, and genuine individuals.  We all want to be surrounded by people who inspire us every day.  Thankfully, teaching serves that purpose for me.  I am constantly inspired by the things I see in my building from a teacher listening to a student's 20 questions at recess to a team of educators planning a rigorous, multi-subject curriculum unit to creatively engage and instruct students.   Each day I get to work with a great group of friends and co-workers, yet another reason to teach.

I teach because I believe in the power of education.
This summer I went to Memphis with my good friends Ebony and Curtis.  While the trip was mostly built around music and seeing the legendary Bob Dylan live, we also stopped in at the National Civil Rights Museum.  This museum is a must visit for any social studies nerd!  There was a section of the museum about education and on the walls there were several quotes.  The one that has stuck with me since the trip is by Nelson Mandela, "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world."  Let's face it, our world is a mess.  Syria, Egypt, the economy, and political divides are just the tip of the iceberg.  I teach because I have to believe that just maybe, some 8 or 9 year old sitting in my classroom will be the person to figure out a fix to one of society's problems.  I know that is "pie-in-the-sky" thinking, but it is what I believe.  My career is one of the few that can change the world and that gives me great purpose each day.

I teach because it is fun.
Let's be honest, here.  I am basically a 3rd grader at heart.  I laugh at bodily functions, I still watch Garfield and Friends (the old one, from when I was a kid), and if I met Bo Jackson I would probably pass out from excitement.  Sometimes, I think I connect with the students in my room because I act just like them.  Over-exaggeration?  Maybe, but still, fun is important to me.  The quote about finding a job you love means you will never work a day is overused, but it is true.  Every day I go to school and genuinely have a blast.  From telling students ridiculous stories to entertain them while making a point (like saying I'm afraid of shoelaces to teach absurdity/nonsense) to hearing great jokes to those moments that you have to laugh at, I am constantly entertained at my job.  How many people can say that?

I teach because it is rewarding in more ways than I can count.
There are so many reasons I teach, but the rest can all be summed up in this one point.  Teaching is one of the most fulfilling callings out there.  Sometimes I get frustrated when I hear teachers complaining about pay.  Yes, I would like to be paid more.  Of course teachers are vastly underpaid.  However, not a single teacher ever got into the profession to drive a Benz and live in a mansion.  (Author's note:  If you happen to have an empty mansion you are willing to donate to a certain 3rd grade teacher, please let me know.)  Education is a calling; a passion.  The day I stop feeling rewarded by working in education is the day I need to retire.  How is it rewarding?  Let me give you the most recent example.  Last week, a 4th grade teacher came up to me at lunch and told me about a student who remembered every detail of a specific lesson I taught on writing last year.  While this isn't necessarily the most uncommon occurrence in a school, the particular student doing the remembering is what filled me with pride.  I could have sworn he wasn't paying attention to a word I said - ever!  Apparently he at least learned one thing and that is all I can ask for.  That wasn't the truly rewarding part, though.  I called the student into my room and told him how excited I was that he remembered a writing lesson and thanked him for telling his new class about it.  The look on his face is what was rewarding.  The look on his face was one of pride in himself; a look of being excited about learning.  That look is why I teach.

Why do you teach?  I would enjoy hearing your stories in the comments section!