Teacher of the Year?

I'm a teacher.
It's what I was born to do - why I came into the world - for such a time as this.

Teaching is as natural as breathing to me. I don't sweat the small stuff. Lesson plans - no problem. I love them. Love actually writing them, thinking them through, putting them together. . .

My biggest issue - people who think they know what it means to be a teacher in a classroom. Politicians - clueless; higher education people - different breed; business people - no idea. If I'm smart enough to admit I cannot do their jobs why do they think mine is a walk in the park that any dolt with an ounce of gray matter can perform well? Who knows?

On the whole it really doesn't mean all that much to me in the long run. I consider the source and, even though I think the statements are ludicrous at best, I just nod. I've seen enough almost PhD people fail miserably in a classroom full of 4th graders. It's hilarious actually and I felt kind of sorry for them.

So, today I received my 19th crop of new 6th graders at this school,. It blows my mind to think I've worked in one place for 19 years. THAT sensibility is gone too in our society. It's about social climbing and status and more, more, more money. That things are to be pursued - better cars, houses, all the latest everything that comes down the pike. But 19 years at one "company", very rare these days.

I sometimes wonder why things have changed. I think that it's because people are so "ME" centered that they cannot wonder how they could change a place by their presence. Instead they look for places that GIVE them what they need. No one and nothing gives you what you need. The way to be truly happy in a job or in life is to find deep inside yourself the ability to rise above the pettiness that is floating around you, to tap into the passion that runs deep in your soul, and to put forth your best effort NOT expecting anything in return and then be grateful for what you do receive as a result - because the blessing will follow if the focus is right.

So, I'm not "Teacher of the Year". I'm really good at it and sometimes my colleagues and parents acknowledge it. Most of the time they don't. Kids, bless 'em, are rarely focused on anything except themselves and their world of feelings. So, the thing that has to keep you going and inspire you when you are spiritless is the assured knowledge that you were put here for such a time as this. In the defense of other professions, they really don't get what we get in the education field with young people. They do receive a satisfaction of a job well done. My satisfaction is knowing its not only well done but that the other people on whom my job relies will be better people one day, hopefully, because I put every ounce of passion in my body into creating an invitation to the world for them.

Here comes 2008-2009 school year. Here I go again answering 1000 questions a day. Here I go on camping trips, overnights, fieldtrips. Here I go again talking to anxious parents for an hour to convince them that being in the "in" group or out of it will all pass away. Here I go with colleagues at various levels of emotional maturity and awareness. Once more - 19th time. . . I think I have 19 more in me.

Rekindling Rambler