Why do you teach?

It never fails. I mention that I am a teacher, and Kind Stranger always tells me about their aunt/uncle/mother/father/brother/sister/friend that teaches and hates every minute of it. I smile, and like the teacher I am, listen patiently to what they say. Of course, I've heard it all before, and the story surprisingly never changes that much. It almost always includes the following:

1. The students don't care...
2. The administration is not supportive...
3. They feel they have to teach to the test...
4. No one respects teachers...
5. They don't get paid enough...

I nod my head, and I never rebut these things. Why? Because each and every one of them are true...to some extent. Some students don't care about your material or their future. Some administrators are not only not supportive, they are not good administrators and they don't belong in their jobs because they either have a lack of passion or vision or organizational skills or a combination of all. State testing (and soon Federal testing) is a reality that teachers must consider, as its influence is growing every day. Many people, including the parents whose kids we teach, do not respect teachers. And saying teachers don't get paid enough is like saying the sky is blue and the sun is bright. After I let them give their talk about these things, I ask why the aunt/uncle/mother/father/brother/sister/friend stays in teaching if they are so miserable. They are usually less specific here, mention something about the job market, and then immediately want to change the topic.

I then validate all they say, and then tell them something that surprises them: I am a teacher, and I love my job. I mean, absolutely love it and have a very hard time considering anything else that I'm going to spend my 40+ hours doing. This always takes them by surprise, because either 1. very few teachers love their jobs, or 2. the ones who do don't talk about it. And they really should start talking about it. 

Now, before you think I'm some pollyanna, let me clear the air. Do I love my job everyday? Mostly, yes. Do I ever feel like I'm completely overwhelmed and that the demands of the job are just too much? Mostly, yes. Do I downright hate it sometimes? Yes, emphatically. Do I ever have to redirect myself? Yes, everyday. Do I get burnt out? Yes, every year around February. Does that ever make me want to leave? Never. Not yet, anyway.

There seems to be a few problems going on here:

1.  Many people have no idea, including those very people in Ed programs at Universities, what the reality of a teaching position is. They are full of idealism, yes, and they want to change the world, yes. And every great teacher is full of idealism and they want to change the world. But the reality of teaching day in and day out is much more complicated - and it often seems like the very people for whom you entered teaching are actively working against you. This is intimately related to #2.
2. Teachers have not done a very good job of explaining to the public what it is, exactly, that they do and why what they do is 1. not so easy that anyone can do it, 2. requires special training, and 3. should be respected. The #1 thing that most teachers do not realize is that every parent, every politician, every everybody has received some form of K-12 education, and in some way feel that they know the parameters of your job and also feel that, if given the chance, could do it better than you. Now, everyone who has been successful in a teaching career knows this is hogwash. But why is it hogwash? Tell me in five minutes and give me takeaway points. Every teacher needs to develop what we called in academia their "elevator talk."
3. Ask any administrator and any seasoned, successful teacher the following question: "Did you education degree really prepare you to enter the classroom, deal with parents, deal with administration, deal with your teacher's union, etc.?" The answer will be overwhelmingly, but not always, a resounding "No." Most new teachers do not realize that teaching is the only profession that expects the same results from first year teachers as it does from those who have been teaching for 25 years. Your state tests will be evaluated the same, your teaching style will be evaluated the same, and expectations for classroom management and student achievement will be the same. No wonder so many leave after their first year (I'm looking for the actual percentage here...if anyone knows it and can back it up, please leave it in the comments).

This brings me to this blog. I have a somewhat unique history. I taught in the college classroom for 8 years before coming to K-12 teaching. I've taught, in my career, students from 10 years old in 5th grade to graduate students in Geography, in which I have a Ph.D. I am a very successful teacher. I teach all of my kids at a high level. I've also have been a successful administrator, and I realize that one of the most underappreciated jobs in all of education is that of the administrator, who not only has to piss off a lot of parents, but also fellow educators, secretaries, and pretty much anyone that enters the building, all the while balancing even more State requirements that often have as their goal political ends rather than student achievement. Most do it well, but very few believe they do or have others believe they do. I currently teach and am an administrator at an "A" school that serves one of the hardest populations. We are 80% Title I, which means that 80% of our students qualify for a free or reduced lunch because of very low socio-economic backgrounds.

But in this blog, I want to focus mainly on one thing. Getting your students to achieve. Notice I didn't say, "Getting students to love your subject." Most won't, or if they do, they won't tell you. But the realities of the American Educational System in 2013 is that, in order for you to make it as a teacher, your students have to achieve and your classroom has to be managed. Although very few new teachers realize this, they are actually eggs in the same basket. Along the way, I will also talk A LOT about the 3 problems I listed earlier. Enjoy the ride!