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I am thankful to all my students, past and present, who have filled my life and helped to give me purpose. I am thankful that so many of you have become friends, as well, and that some have become colleagues.
I am thankful to those teachers of mine who touched my life and led me to think that this life would be one worth living.
I am thankful to the media role models, from To Sir With Love (E.R. Braithwaite) and Goodbye, Mr. Chips (James Hilton) to Room 222 and Matt Lincoln for showing me the kind of teacher I wanted to be.
I am thankful for my colleagues, for my fellows dedicated to changing the culture of schooling, and to all those on the front line giving their love and their wisdom to the children, in the face of adversity - regardless of the type or source.
It's those intangibles of which you speak that makes it a great profession for the sincere teacher. My son joined the profession a couple years ago and does not regret his decision. It's a constant challange to improve your skills and also to always strive to update your own resume through continuing education and pursuing of higher degrees such as getting your masters. Seeing your kids grasping new concepts, knowing you're the one teaching them has got to be very rewarding.
Teaching is very rewarding when it is a good day. However, at the end of the month, such as this week, It is not, when I am out of money, and still so much month to go!! And more bills coming in than I can pay, like Dr bills that are not covered thanks to our wonderful health coverage provided by the state that keeps covering less and costing more. Thanks Bev Purdue.
It is so refreshing to see teachers like you who truly love what they do. It is hard to find people so happy with their profession. We need more happy, fulfilled teachers like you. I come across teachers that are unhappy, and their students (and especially their parents) can tell. It is important to believe in your students and be thankful for your position to change these kids lives and educate them.
Teaching is very rewarding when it is a good day. However, at the end of the month, such as this week, It is not, when I am out of money, and still so much month to go!! And more bills coming in than I can pay, like Dr bills that are not covered thanks to our wonderful health coverage provided by the state that keeps covering less and costing more. Thanks Bev Purdue.
I am sorry that has become such a regular experience for you and that you feel burnt out. I would wish for you greater income and better coverage, but I know that is unrealistic.
I can only tell you that I know too well the shortages of money that come with my profession, and that, if you still love the teaching, there are other jobs that you can get that will support you financially more effectively, while leaving you the time and energy that if you want to keep (or resume) teaching on the side, you can do so, with less paperwork and less worry.
I hope you find a path that is more consistently rewarding for you.
I wrote that two years ago and money is certainly tougher today than it was then... but I am actively seeking to increase my teaching load, not reduce it. There is just nothing in the world that I love more than working with my students - and nothing I can imagine that would be nearly so rewarding than hearing from my students of 10 and 20 and 30 years ago about the differences I make in their lives, and their making a point of introducing their children to me in the hopes that we will interact now or down the road.
Still and again, a grateful and fulfilled teacher.
I hear so much complaining from fellow teachers it is refreshing to hear positives. I always tell people and prospective employers that I also envied those kids in school that knew what profession they wanted to go into, and then went and did it. I muddled through college not having a purpose or direction. I never considered teaching mainly because of the pay. My mom always told me that I needed to take advantage of my intelligence and go into a career that made a lot of money. Now that I've gone back to school and am a teacher people envy me. They envy me because I never wake up and don't feel like going to work. I think that some of my colleagues are resentful of me because I seldom complain. I complain about situations, but I NEVER complain about the profession as a whole. Becoming a teacher was clearly the best decision I've ever made.
I truly love what I do, or I wouldn't be doing it.
That doesn't mean that I think there aren't loads of things that could be improved, just like with any profession. None of them have to do with my pay, though. I live in an area where it's more than doable to get by on a teacher's salary, even a lower, non-union-negotiated, private school salary.
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