The Educator’s Room now hosts a column called “Confessions of a Teacher.” Â If you would like to get something off your chest, talk about something that bothers you, or just simply express some thoughts anonymously, click here. Â You’re not alone! Â You may find your note published in this column!
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I have been teaching for 30 years. Mainly all of them have been in upper grades, middle school and high school. In 2008, I retired from teaching full time, but still substitute teach part time to supplement my retirement. In the past five years I have discovered some things about myself, my students,and the lasting effects of my years in the classroom.
Teaching is a hard job and requires an internal fortitude as well as a love for the profession. Teachers who don’t have one or both of these things often quit and move on to something less stressful and emotionally draining, but what they are not told about is the rewards at the end.
In our society, we often expect instant feedback and rewards. If we wait too long at a stop light we become impatient or upset at the ATM if the line is too long. Teaching is a profession where a teacher is not told about what they are doing right, but what they are doing wrong. There are few instant rewards from the students and every so often we can see learning, but usually we don’t. The days move into years, students come and go, and it often seems that nothing happens to prove that we have made a difference. One of the insights I now have is that we DO make a difference, and I want other teachers to know this to be the truth about teaching.
I have former students, who are now adults, tell me what I taught them. They come to me in many places. Some I remember, others I don’t, but they remember me and my teaching. This is my reward for my years in the classroom. I have had former students who were difficult the entire year in my class come back to tell me how much they learned. My neighbor is a former student, so is my doctor, and the fellow who does my hair. We have gone beyond student/ teacher roles to friends. I went to his father’s funeral and he came to my wedding. All of these people are my reward. No one ever told me this would happen, and it has been a big surprise.
So, to all of the teachers who feel that they are not accomplishing what they set out to do when they began to teach: I am saying you do more than you think you do.
