To be a teacher it takes a unique person. When you decide you are going to be a teacher, you agree to always be in school. Not just the physical location of where you do your job, but actual study. There are professional developments, new books on methodology, new books for your students to read, which you must know as well. Some people may think that we have an easy job; that it is glorified babysitting with a nice long vacation in summer. WRONG! Rarely does a teacher stop working when she or he goes home each day. Yes, we do get the summer off, but trust me when I say that by the time summer comes around, it is well deserved.
Now, I know that sounds like I am whining and saying we have it so hard, but the true reason we are unique is because no matter how tired, stressed, or overworked we feel . . . we still love our job. At least those of us who are truly meant to be teachers. A teacher who is hopped up on cold medicine for the third time that year, sneezes while working on paperwork for a student's learning plan, and never once reconsiders his/her choice of profession. Sure those dark thoughts of "What was I thinking" creep in every once in a while, but we would be something nonhuman if it didn't. Everyone has doubts, but it rare that a teacher, a true teacher wants to do anything else but teach.
I know that for the most part, this is nothing new to a lot of the people who might read this; however, I thought that it was necessary to introduce this particular strand of my blog because I find myself happy with my job to the point of not wanting or needing anything else. Sure it would still be nice to get published one day, and it would be great to find a profession that allows me to sleep past 7 in the morning, but at the end of the day . . . my job is the best.
I get to learn from students as they learn and grow from me. Nothing beats the feeling when a student goes above and beyond what you could ever have imagined. Whether it is something small like reading without pauses or stuttering, or being able to figure out the deeper meaning in a poem . . . these "small" achievements will put a smile on your face. I recently had my students debate a topic that is very unfamiliar to them. I didn't throw them in the deep end without floaties, but most of their knowledge had come from our reading and discussion. As anyone knows, the discussion can go well, but getting them to recall that information later- that is a different story. In this case, it went better than I could have ever expected. My students impressed and surprised me. They handled a debate better than I think students back in the states do. You could tell that they want to shout back and forth at each other to get their ideas across, but they had the self-discipline to hold back and respond appropriately. They even showed each other respect by acknowledging the points each team made. Enough of that, I could go on forever, but the bottom line is things went well.
Being here in Abu Dhabi has reminded me why I got into the teaching profession in the first place. The students here have a desire and drive to learn. They want to know the why, how, where, what . . . they want answers. They aren't satisfied with a simple no that is wrong. They want to understand why it is wrong and how to get the right answer next time. The desire that they have, sparks the desire in me to help them achieve. Watching the light bulb go on inside a student's head, is one of those moments that a teacher works toward. There is nothing better than seeing your hard work and their determination, culminate in a realization of some sort. Whether it is simply learning the forms of irregular verbs, or making a connection between literature and life . . . every achievement matters. It is one of the many reasons that I got into teaching.
It is nice when life allows you to come to realizations of your own. Though I miss my friends a family terribly at times, I do not regret my decision to move halfway across the world. I do not know how long I will end up staying, but I know that when I leave I will be a better person and teacher.
Now, I know that sounds like I am whining and saying we have it so hard, but the true reason we are unique is because no matter how tired, stressed, or overworked we feel . . . we still love our job. At least those of us who are truly meant to be teachers. A teacher who is hopped up on cold medicine for the third time that year, sneezes while working on paperwork for a student's learning plan, and never once reconsiders his/her choice of profession. Sure those dark thoughts of "What was I thinking" creep in every once in a while, but we would be something nonhuman if it didn't. Everyone has doubts, but it rare that a teacher, a true teacher wants to do anything else but teach.
I know that for the most part, this is nothing new to a lot of the people who might read this; however, I thought that it was necessary to introduce this particular strand of my blog because I find myself happy with my job to the point of not wanting or needing anything else. Sure it would still be nice to get published one day, and it would be great to find a profession that allows me to sleep past 7 in the morning, but at the end of the day . . . my job is the best.
I get to learn from students as they learn and grow from me. Nothing beats the feeling when a student goes above and beyond what you could ever have imagined. Whether it is something small like reading without pauses or stuttering, or being able to figure out the deeper meaning in a poem . . . these "small" achievements will put a smile on your face. I recently had my students debate a topic that is very unfamiliar to them. I didn't throw them in the deep end without floaties, but most of their knowledge had come from our reading and discussion. As anyone knows, the discussion can go well, but getting them to recall that information later- that is a different story. In this case, it went better than I could have ever expected. My students impressed and surprised me. They handled a debate better than I think students back in the states do. You could tell that they want to shout back and forth at each other to get their ideas across, but they had the self-discipline to hold back and respond appropriately. They even showed each other respect by acknowledging the points each team made. Enough of that, I could go on forever, but the bottom line is things went well.
Being here in Abu Dhabi has reminded me why I got into the teaching profession in the first place. The students here have a desire and drive to learn. They want to know the why, how, where, what . . . they want answers. They aren't satisfied with a simple no that is wrong. They want to understand why it is wrong and how to get the right answer next time. The desire that they have, sparks the desire in me to help them achieve. Watching the light bulb go on inside a student's head, is one of those moments that a teacher works toward. There is nothing better than seeing your hard work and their determination, culminate in a realization of some sort. Whether it is simply learning the forms of irregular verbs, or making a connection between literature and life . . . every achievement matters. It is one of the many reasons that I got into teaching.
It is nice when life allows you to come to realizations of your own. Though I miss my friends a family terribly at times, I do not regret my decision to move halfway across the world. I do not know how long I will end up staying, but I know that when I leave I will be a better person and teacher.
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