23 Times I have Questioned My Sanity While Teaching

People go above and beyond for their jobs every day, but I am willing to bet teachers are the BEST at doing absolutely EVERYTHING they possibly can to make to make their jobs work. Sometimes we may come across as a little nutty, but it is because we are absolutely devoted to our jobs. I mean, why else would we teach? Sanity is overrated. Here are a few times that I looked a little crazy in the line of teaching…

1. I wear all black on test days, but that is not the worst of it. I have three preps, and I laugh at my students trying to figure out if theirs is the class with the test.

2. I hoard school supplies. (It’s not an exaggeration)

3. I have twenty different mugs from various students over the years but only drink out of the one I bought the day I first started teaching.

4. Speaking of coffee, each of my classes has a student that knows how to make my coffee, and I send them to the office to make it for me.

5. I am covered in various shades of pens and expo markers.

6. I have literally pushed my husband away when it tried to kiss me on school campus because I have to be an example.

7. My entire wardrobe is school colors, and everything is too big because I teach teenagers.

8. I have at least three different pairs of shoes in my room: Flip-flops to teach in, black ballet shoes in case of observation, and heels in case someone from the central office or school board appears on campus.

9. I have stood in ice for thirty minutes for the coolest teacher award because I refused to lose to a coach.

10. I use slang terms at completely inappropriate times.

11. I have kicked and cussed the copy machine once or twice. Okay, at least seven… this school year.

12. I take notes at the faculty meetings because if I don’t, I will drift off into wonderland.

13. I had trouble naming my son because I did not want to name him after a student I taught and by the time I had him I taught at least 500 students. It was an intense time in my household.

14. I can recite “The Raven” from memory.

15. I still cry at the endings of The Great Gatsby and The Crucible even though I have taught each of them at least twenty times.

16. I turn off my lights, lock the door of my classroom, and hide under my desk so I can have fifteen minutes of peace while I read a book by flashlight.

17. Once one of my homecoming girls broke a heel as they were walking to be presented so, I gave her my shoes, and I had to walk on the track, barefooted in front of the entire football stadium.

18. I have been kicked out of a home improvement store for taking too many paint chips. ( I use them for various projects besides they are free…)

19. I have shredded a stack of papers that had no name on them in front of my students to teach a lesson. (The papers were from the year before, but every paper after that had a name on it).

20. If students “shoot” paper in my class, I take off five points if they make it and ten points of they miss it.

21. I practice my lessons in the car on the way to school. Yes, I lecture to myself.

22. I have to consciously think about what I am going to say to make sure it cannot be twisted into some perverted way. Again, teenagers. Sigh*

23. I always look like a “hot mess.” My hair is wild, mascara is smeared, I have non-existent lipstick, my clothes may or may not match and have one or two coffee stains. If I am dressed up, my students assume something is wrong- I mean shouldn’t that be switched?

I love my job, and I love that I can act crazy. Not everyone can act over the top every day, so I take complete advantage of it. Remember not everyone has the chance to do what they love. Act crazy, goofy and ga-ga over your career; the kids will love you for it, and it is all about them.