Three Really Good Reasons to Become a Teacher

Some Simple Truths I have Learned from 20 Years of Teaching

In a time when communities across the nation are experiencing teacher shortages, the obvious question is why? Why are so many experienced teachers leaving the field? Why are so few young college students choosing to fill the void left behind in education?

The answers to those questions are complicated. It could be a combination of the economy, lack of parental and community support, growing regulation and political interference, and problems with classroom behaviors.

The bottom line is, I am not exactly sure why so many people are leaving the profession.

I have been a math teacher in public schools for over 20 years. So far, none of those issues have been enough for me to quit my job.

Yes, all of those things are frustrating, and I have seen them adversely effect teacher morale. All these negative things are the topic of conversations that teachers are having after school, in the lounge and in hallways across the country.

So, the question that comes to my mind is why am I still teaching after 20 years when so many around me have left the profession?

For me, that question is much easier to answer.

1. A Teacher’s Schedule

The first answer is not the altruistic response that many have grown to expect from teachers.

It’s about the hours. I start my professional day at 7 am and am usually off by 3:30 pm.

There are plenty of teachers that work beyond the contractual time, but truthfully, with some planning and experience, one can minimize the schoolwork having to be done at home.

This still leaves plenty of time in the day to run errands, get to appointments or do yard work.

More importantly, my schedule mirrors my school-age child’s schedule. As a result, we get to spend lots of time together. Our breaks also sync up nicely, so family trips and obligations line up as well .

Most of my life has been measured in semesters with breaks at Thanksgiving, Christmas, springtime and, of course, summer.

Do not underestimate the attraction of getting two entire months off in the summer for the teaching profession. Having taught for so many years, summer is my favorite time of year.

There is time for vacations, home projects, side businesses and lots of family time.

Many school districts around the nation have gone to year-round school year. If my district ever considers this, I will start seriously thinking about retiring. Summers off is a great incentive to be a teacher.

2. Society Needs Us

The second reason is perhaps a little more noble. A teacher can change the world by positively effecting the lives of their students.

As a teacher, I see about 130 students each day. Many of the students go on to be doctors, politicians, plumbers, great parents and even teachers. We are just not educating children, we are helping create good citizens.

Who doesn’t want to leave the world better than we found it? As a teacher, you have an automatic path to do that.

No, not all stories are successful. There are many students with whom we seem to make no leaps or connections. But there are plenty that we do influence and change.

I have one goal when I teach: make my room a safe and comfortable place. If you can do that, teaching is easy. Students will trust and follow you while doing what they need to do to learn and grow.

3. All About the Children

The last reason is absolutely the biggest truth about teaching. It truly is all about the kids. Although in-service days are sometimes a nice break from your regular teaching duties, sitting in meetings with adults rehashing the same old problems gets old quickly.

Working with individual students is absolutely the best part of the job.

I didn’t always know this truth.

I was good at math and thought that was going to be my impact on the world.

One time, I was subbing an English class and the students were studying one of my favorite authors, Kurt Vonnegut. The discussion that followed and the insight I was able to offer had nothing to do with math. Yet, it was one of my favorite classes I had ever been in.

You can be an expert in your specific field and be horrible at teaching. Teaching is about relationships and experiences. If you don’t like working with children, then you have no business in teaching.

The students are the reason that I am still teaching after all these years.

Reflection

For the time being, the positive reasons to be a teacher far outweigh the negative, at least for me.

I try to teach my students the importance of knowing why you are doing something that you are doing.

If you know why you do something, than doing it can not only be tolerable but downright rewarding.

One needs to have a goal set for everything they do. The goal doesn’t have to be as lofty as changing the world. Sometimes, it is sufficient to just help change the life for the better of one individual.

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