What do you love most about teaching?
It is so hard to lose this focus when it is April and you're anticipating End of Course tests and finals and you are crossing your fingers just hoping -- praying -- that all your hard work pays off and your students do well. You're stressed, your kids are stressed, and you cannot wait for summer to come so you can maybe have one day when you don't have to think about teaching.
This is how I feel right now. It's the end of spring break and I'm anxiously planning for the week to come and thinking ahead to all of the review strategies I could possibly use as we approach finals. It's stressful, but would I want another job? Absolutely not.
What I love most about teaching is the kids. The kids are the reason I wake up at 5 am and rush to work, being sure to get there extra early so I have time to plan before they arrive. When they get to school, some come into my room to interrupt my planning with last minute questions before their test or to eat breakfast in my room to get away from the craziness of the hallway. Some come in to finish a test or make-up a quiz. I am surrounded by students before the day even begins, and I absolutely would not change a thing.
I have worked with a lot of different students who have gone through the struggles of bullying, anxiety, pregnancy, violence, homelessness, abuse... Every student has their own set of circumstances they are dealing with. It can be easy to dismiss some as having it "easier" than others, but in their eyes, they feel like they are struggling. As a teacher, I try to acknowledge and guide them through whatever they are dealing with. Sometimes this is talking to counselors and parents, and other times its just being someone for them to vent to.
Many people think as a teacher, my job is to teach -- which is true. A lot of my energy goes towards creating resources and planning and replanning lessons. I truly enjoy that part of my job. I love the reward of having created something and seeing it help my students understand content. The other part of my job is about my kids. They need to learn, and in order to learn, they need to be able to focus and feel safe within my classroom.
I truly believe that every student needs a teacher in the building that they feel like cares for them, as a person, and will be there for them when they are having a bad day. For students who want to come and vent to me, I try to have an open door and make the time for them because I know that if they feel comfortable with me and are able to feel supported by me, they will be able to focus and learn in my classroom.
What do I love about teaching? The kids. The reason I teach is for the kids.
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