I was walking one of my students home on Friday afternoon when something he said caught me off guard. As a new teacher, I had quickly learned the importance of earning as many points outside the classroom as I can in order to build a strong relationship with my students, so I found myself walking some students home after school since so many of them lived only a few blocks away from school.
We had been walking for a few minutes, and my student still seemed hesitant about the idea of having a teacher walk him home. Perhaps he felt like it was insulting have a teacher walk a 12 year old home in the middle of the day. Or maybe he was worried about whether I'd have something negative to say to his parents about his behavior that week. Neither had crossed my mind.
"Now, really, Miss. You don't need to walk me all the way home. Why do you want to do that anyway?" He repeated for the third time.
I don't mind. I sit inside the school all day and it's nice to get some sunshine.
"Well, that's your own choice."
*Ouch* I admit it. I was taken aback when my student causally mentioned that being in the classroom all that was my own choice. It felt like one of those backhanded remarks that can be interpreted a variety of ways, but always kind of sound like an insult.
You're right. It is my choice, and I love it.
I replied. But as I thought about it, I wish I had found words that were more inspiring, and urgent... because teaching is more than just "what I love" to do, and I hate when people see teaching as one of those professions that people do because they're good at it, or they like it, or they like kids...or worst, because they had nothing better to do.
No.
I don't just "love it." It's not just MY choice at stake here, after all. It's our choices. I teach for us. Not because my students need me, or because they need saving. Not at all. I make the choice to teach every day because I need the future to be a better place.
I need more people who are open minded. I need more people who are tolerant. I need more people who are creative, and people who are problem solvers. We need more leaders who are critical thinkers, and who seek to understand. We need a future governed by people who ask more questions, and who use their knowledge for good.
I make a choice to be a teacher every single day, because I need to. Because our futures count on teachers making this decision every single day. Because I believe that making the choice to be an effective teacher today means that my tomorrow will be government by inspired leaders who can make more important choices that will alter my life, and the lives of many others.
I choose to be a teacher today, so that you could choose to be anything you want to be tomorrow.
We had been walking for a few minutes, and my student still seemed hesitant about the idea of having a teacher walk him home. Perhaps he felt like it was insulting have a teacher walk a 12 year old home in the middle of the day. Or maybe he was worried about whether I'd have something negative to say to his parents about his behavior that week. Neither had crossed my mind.
"Now, really, Miss. You don't need to walk me all the way home. Why do you want to do that anyway?" He repeated for the third time.
I don't mind. I sit inside the school all day and it's nice to get some sunshine.
"Well, that's your own choice."
*Ouch* I admit it. I was taken aback when my student causally mentioned that being in the classroom all that was my own choice. It felt like one of those backhanded remarks that can be interpreted a variety of ways, but always kind of sound like an insult.
You're right. It is my choice, and I love it.
I replied. But as I thought about it, I wish I had found words that were more inspiring, and urgent... because teaching is more than just "what I love" to do, and I hate when people see teaching as one of those professions that people do because they're good at it, or they like it, or they like kids...or worst, because they had nothing better to do.
No.
I don't just "love it." It's not just MY choice at stake here, after all. It's our choices. I teach for us. Not because my students need me, or because they need saving. Not at all. I make the choice to teach every day because I need the future to be a better place.
I need more people who are open minded. I need more people who are tolerant. I need more people who are creative, and people who are problem solvers. We need more leaders who are critical thinkers, and who seek to understand. We need a future governed by people who ask more questions, and who use their knowledge for good.
I make a choice to be a teacher every single day, because I need to. Because our futures count on teachers making this decision every single day. Because I believe that making the choice to be an effective teacher today means that my tomorrow will be government by inspired leaders who can make more important choices that will alter my life, and the lives of many others.
I choose to be a teacher today, so that you could choose to be anything you want to be tomorrow.
