Tuesday, January 7, 2014

17 Signs You Were Meant To Be a Teacher

So, I happened to stumble upon this link tonight. "17 Signs You Were Meant to be a Teacher" and I honestly could not agree more with the writer!! I had the same thoughts about every single thing she posted! It is so true. I wanted to share it with my thoughts in a different color below:

17 Signs You Were Meant to be a Teacher
Original Article by Kate Bailey 



1. When people comment that the job is “so easy,” you immediately raise an eyebrow and ask them how they’d feel about wrangling 20-30 kids on a daily basis, and not even just keep them under control, but actually teach them something.
I could not agree more. Sometimes people think teaching is just glorified babysitting and those are the people I would like to lock in a room with 25-30 teenagers hyped up on sugar for a day and see how they make it out alive! You're responsible for shaping their future in a subject matter but also helping themselves shape to be well-rounded individuals.

2. Your version of “playing pretend” when you were a kid was setting up a classroom somewhere in your house and making your stuffed animals/friends/parents/neighbors come and be your students.
I totally had a table & chairs set up in our family room when I was little and played school. It was my #1 favorite thing to do!

3. You still walk around and see cute things and think “that will go in my classroom.”
Or stuff I find on Pinterest/Teachers Pay Teachers. I have so many ideas of WHAT I want to do that I can't WAIT to actually be able to do it in my own classroom!! 

4. You know it’s a tough job, and you know it’s a dirty job (sometimes literally) but you also know that the satisfaction of walking away having honestly changed a kid’s life is more than worth it.
The best moment of being a teacher is being able to see that light bulb go off in the child's head. The moment they FINALLY realize something. The moment when they were struggling for so long and get an awesome test score...THOSE are the moments I love. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

5. You kind of don’t think you’d be able to function without a summer vacation, so.
Or any vacation from school. It's time to recharge and relax. Teachers are human...we need breaks just like any other profession.




6. You’ve always lost your mind over “teacher stores” and other craft places, and are stocking up on scented markers and stickers and pencils and things.
Yes...especially teachers pay teachers, pinterest, and amazon! So many things I want for my classroom!! Who else would get excited over a laminating machine?!

7. You’ve been practicing “grading” things for years, polishing your star-making abilities, because for some unbeknownst reason, there are few joys greater than excessively marking up a paper.
Call me crazy but I LOVE grading papers. All the teachers I work with think its nuts but love giving me stuff to grade. :)

8. You actually do care about those little shit head kids, no matter how frustrating they can be.
Absolutely. We all have those kids that tick us off to NO end or won't stop talking or make you want to rip the hair on your head out. But honestly, when you see them visibly upset about something, the heartstrings tug. We care so much as teachers because we want what is BEST for them!

 9. You have an affinity for blue fun tack, laminating things and Mr. Sketch markers.
I was super excited to get my laminating machine for Christmas!!! I cannot wait to use it. :)

10. You almost don’t know how to read something without needing to turn it around so everyone else can see it or pause and say “what do we think is going to happen next?” Let’s predict, boys and girls.”
Totally true.

11. You’ve perfected your “I’ll wait” facial expression.
Ha! My students know this!! The classic "I'll just wait until you're done talking and we can sit & you'll be late to your next class" phrase that gets them antsy. Or just this:

 

12. You’ve always know you were going to be a teacher, there were no other plausible options.
I wanted to be a pediatrician. My middle school guidance counselor told me I was too stupid to be one. So I put my heart into teaching. I probably would have been a kick-ass pediatrician...if I was actually good at science and liked it! 

13. You’ve spent an embarrassing amount of time wondering how your last name would sound as a teacher name, if you’d be Ms. or Miss if you’re a woman, if you’d take your married name if and when the day comes, etc.
My last name now is so hard for most kids to say so they just call me Ms.J or Senorita J or Senorita Jota (how you say J in Spanish). I REALLY hope I don't get a difficult or weird last name when I am married! 

14. If you ever got the chance to student teach, you were grateful for the experience, but kind of spent the whole time like “let… me….. do…….. MORE.”
In a way, yes. I had two student teaching experiences that were totally different for different reasons. One let me do whatever I want and the other gave me constructive criticism. I feel that it really NO WAY prepares you for your own classroom and you really fly by the seat of your pants the first year. 

15. You have, by demand, had every social media account on public lockdown, have used your first and middle name as your profile name and know that no photo is safe in the world of education.
Yeah...that awkward moment when the kids go "You have facebook?!" I know they can't find me because I have made myself unsearchable! 

16. You’ve been stocking up on “teacher clothes” and no vest or holiday brooch is off-limits.
90% of the clothes I buy now is related to school. The days of shopping at Forever 21 are over.

17. You understand that there is loving kids and then there is loving kids so much that you honestly want to be around them all day and deal with their issues and teach them things and watch them grow. You are the latter. You are a teacher.
There are some days when I just want to jump out the window because it is so frustrating that you explain something 239580934624 times and you still get that one kid that goes "WHAT AM I SUPPOSE TO DO?" Or the psycho parent that contacts you. Or the kid that constantly cries. Then, you have the days when you crack open a bottle of wine when you get home. Or take a nap because of a long day. There are some days that are just not worth reliving. But honestly, as whiny as it sounds, teaching is hands down a truly rewarding profession. I don't think there is any other job I would rather do (other than trophy wife maybe haha!). My students may have interesting issues (like kneeling every time he has to ask me a question) or just need someone to be there for them and it's satisfying to watch them grow as individuals and learners. 

 
    
 

3 comments:

  1. stumbled across your blog! funny post! happy tuesday!!!

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  2. Everything is so true!! I love this!

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  3. Thanks for commenting on my blog-- it's been a long time and I was happy to catch up on your blog! It sounds like you a great teacher and the kids are lucky to have you :)

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