Inspiration

Teaching is not for the faint of heart.

“Here’s to the crazy ones.
The misfits.
The rebels.
The troublemakers.
The round pegs in the square holes.
The ones who see things differently.
They’re not fond of rules.
And they have no respect for the status quo.
You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.
About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them.
Because they change things.
They push the human race forward.
And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius.
Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world,
are the ones who do.”

~ Apple Computer (just an ad, but still pretty inspiring)

This arrived in my email today courtesy of Lynn Scheurell (Creative Catalyst) and it got me thinking about how to impart the knowledge I am required to teach while honoring differences (both biological, and emotional), preventing bullying, raising self-esteem, respecting differences, differentiating curriculum and staying energized.  Teaching is a difficult job!  It isn’t like any other.  We can’t just show up, sit in a cubical, work for 8 hours and leave.  We can’t just serve people food, help them select clothing or sell them products. We are responsible.   We are responsible for educating the whole child, physical and emotional, intellectual and artistic.  We are substitute parents when they fall down or feel sad.  We are guides through the maze of often confusing State and Federal required curriculum.  Our job has no defined hours and often continues on nights and weekends.  Our pay is attached to hours, but our hearts demand more of us and our minds are constantly thinking of our students.  A simple trip to the Dollar Tree becomes a shopping trip for classroom materials, and looking a books on Amazon is dangerous!  I have no control or willpower when it comes to my classroom.  Ideas jump in my head and won’t leave until I have satisfied them with new materials or a new lesson.

At the same time, we must honor the spirit of the children in our care.  Often we spend more time with them than their parents.  We have six hours a day to make a difference, build character, help them to learn how to be creative, different, unique, and intelligent, and while we do this, while we honor the differences, we know that in order to be heard, these future inventors, creators, citizens of the world, must be able to relate effectively with others.  To be a rebel and a misfit, a round peg in a square hole (or vice-versa), or a trouble maker, is only useful if you use it to create and to make the world a better place.  It is when the vision exists and can be imparted to others, that others will listen and benefit.