I often bring my work home with me–if not physically, then mentally. I’m a reflective person by nature, and I carry around the weight of my decisions, good or bad, everywhere I go. When I cannot right what’s wrong, fix every problem, or make the unjust just again, my passion for what I do makes it impossible for me to let it go. I once had a teaching colleague of mine tell me after a particularly rough day that it’s just a J-O-B, like anything else, so I needed to let things go. The thing is, I didn’t get into teaching just to have a job, I got into teaching for so many more reasons. It’s not just a j-o-b to me!
I want to make a difference in the lives of the young people I have the privilege of influencing every single day. Think about it. If I just came to work just to punch the clock and leave when the bell rings, I would just be a babysitter, not a teacher. Granted, many teachers complain that they get used as glorified babysitters, but we’re not that at all. We’re educators. And, for the most part, the kids look up to us. They know the difference between a caring teacher and one who just wants to get in her time so she can retire. How do you make positive change in a child’s life if they don’t believe you care? The answer? You don’t.
I want my students to learn. And, beyond that, I want them to excel at learning. I put in the hours it takes to get my children past what they ever believed was possible. It matters to me. It matters so much that I constantly reflect back on what I did that did or did not work and adjust from there. Just like I want my students to excel at learning, I want to excel at teaching them. I believe in every student that walks through my door. Everyone has potential. It’s up to me to unlock it.
Selfishly, I want to hear back from my students after I’ve taught them. I want them to tell me about how they graduated from high school. I want them to tell me they got accepted into a great college. I want them to remember that they learned they had potential from me if they didn’t get it anywhere else. When I hear success stories, it makes me feel such pride in what I do and what they’ve done for themselves. Will some of my kids have success if I just come to work to get in some hours? Probably. But how many more can I lead to success when I truly care about what I do?
No, teaching is not just a j-o-b for me. I don’t believe that I could possibly live through my school day if I felt that way–not if I wanted happiness for myself or those around me. Sometimes we do more than we’re explicitly told because we care enough to just make things happen. When your heart’s into it, the extra hours may still get frustrating at times, but you also feel a sense of reward when you see the results. So much magic happens in the classroom with our students when we open our eyes to see it. Look for it next time you teach. Look for the light bulb moments, the ah-hahs, and the sparkle in their eyes. Teaching isn’t just a j-o-b. It’s magic.Â
