School
It was a word that filled me with dread everytime I heard it. Grammar school was not necessarily a very impressive time for me. At best I was a relatively bright kid who was just a little lazy. At worst I was a wise ass who didn't do any work and more importantly, didn't know when to shut up. The word that was used the most during my adolescence was "potential." I heard it all the time from my parents and teachers. "If you just worked to your potential....." which quickly went in one ear and out the other. I could never focus on my school work even when I knew that I had to. I would procrastinate all day and as the school day approached I would make myself sick over the thought of what it had in store. Missed projects, poor test grades and not reaching my "potential" were just some of the things that plagued my time as a student. I was also caught up in being the class clown. In 5th grade my friend and I managed to play a full game of "Blades of Steel" on a Gameboy we had snuck into class. In 8th grade I pretended I had a twin brother during a class with a substitute (note: I did this by coming into the room multiple times either with or without my glasses on and sitting in a different seat. I feel this says much more about the mental capacity of the sub then it does about me.)
Many teachers just plain gave up on me and didn't want to deal with me or work with me any more. Can I blame them? Yes and no. Having a student in class that not only doesn't do work but also disrupts class is enough to drive a teacher up a wall but it's part of the gig....just like having the summer off. You're there to work with ALL of the kids in that class, not just the ones who raise their hands, do all their homework and ace every test. Fortunately, not all my teachers waved the white flag. There were others; the ones who would pull you aside, let you know that you were acting like an idiot but also tell you that if you just focused a little bit you might just succeed. The actions of these teachers made me realize that I wanted to teach. I wanted to help the lazy wise guys that maybe talked too much but still had a lot to offer.
So here I am. Two years ago I completed my Masters in Adolescence Social Studies Education and I am currently in my second year of teaching 6th and 7th grade social studies. I absolutely love it. I somehow managed to land a job at one of the best middle schools in the city, working with students, parents and fellow teachers that actually care about the work that we're doing. Additionally, working in a school provides comic relief that you don't get in many other places. During my training I was consistently told to not smile for the first few months of the year or to "Be mean 'till Halloween" but I just can't do it. The enjoyment I get out of teaching along with the things that these kids say is just too much. The comedy and awkward moments that a middle school dance is enough to make any one crack a smile.
The passion that I feel about my work is something that I never thought I would find and it's also something that I feel is mandatory for all teachers. If you go into teaching so that you can have a lot of time off, you're not only hurting the students in your class but also yourself. You need to want to be in that room, working with those kids and helping them grow. Also, teaching is A LOT of work. Outsiders see the time off and assume it's an easy job but there's a tremendous amount of work that goes into it, a lot of which has nothing to do with instruction. Calling parents, grading tests, extra help, after school programs and just becoming a better teacher takes a lot of time and effort. If you're not interested in fully investing yourself in the process then you probably shouldn't be there. After all, school is not just what is in textbooks. It's the experience of learning that helps students grow. I know that my kids are probably never going to need to know who won the Battle of Bunker Hill, but they will definetely need to know how to work with each other, respect each other and grow into teenagers and later adults that will make do something great. Having the right adult influence in the classroom can help them achieve these goals.
I sometimes wish that I would run into some of my old teachers. I think about the reactions they would have when I tell them that I was now a teacher. If you told them or anyone else in my family back in the early 90's that I would end up in the front of the room instead of sleeping in the back they probably wouldn't believe you, yet here I am. The impact that teachers had on my life is now full and present. It is now my turn to say "thank you" by doing the same.
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