I got an email from James who has been reading my blog:
I read your blog daily. I stumbled across it one day when I typed the word "corporatocracy" into Yahoo and followed the link to your blog. My question is this: I am thinking of becoming a teacher, in either political science or English. I'm a college senior, about to graduate with a dual major in Poli Sci and Sociology. I've heard some horror stories about teaching in the modern day high school, but it seems like a cool job in some ways, I mean you get to influence the youth of America (that feels weird to say, I'm only 22) and you have summers off. Do you think its worth the BS you probably put up with day in and day out? Is it a satisfying profession?
What follows is my lengthy response:
Dear James:
Thank you for one of the hardest questions I have had to answer in a while. I sit here with mixed emotions and ideas, trying to figure out what my answer is. I’m surprised at the emotion that the question brings up. But teaching has affected me at times much more than I ever thought it would. Hey, man, I don’t cry or anything, but I have felt deflated and defeated to the point of almost crying on a few occasions (no, I wasn’t crying; I just got some chalk in my eye).
Teaching takes over you mind at times—which can be a good and/or a bad thing. Sometimes I can’t fall asleep at night because my mind is on fire, fueled by the events from school that day. Teaching ideas, memories and reflections dominate my thoughts when I do simple tasks such as driving, walking my dog, chillin’ at a party. I somehow became a teacher instead of just having taken it on as an occupation. I like this in some ways. It has made my life more interesting, and I think I see things differently (no, not quite like Conner MacLeod of the Clan MacLeod at the end of Highlander).
One weird thing that I discovered early on as a teacher is that I truly do like all of my students. It is fascinating to encounter so many varied personalities and backgrounds (I need to remind myself more often to notice this—instead of just grading paper after paper to no end). I used to dislike or even hate certain people whom I had encountered in life. But students are somehow transparent. Maybe I am like Highlander. So often, I can tell what problems they have or have had in their lives. I understand what is going on, and I find myself being unable to dislike any of them—even when a kid acts like a complete ass. I do still get angry once in a while, and I have shown it before, but I am able to recover and continue to work with such a kid. This is probably my greatest strength as a teacher. I am understanding with students, I treat them with respect, and more often than not, they respect this—it adds something immeasurable to the learning environment.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
This is heartfelt, practical, honest and overall outstanding. Thanks! We need teachers, but we need them for the right reasons.
2 - duane
Very generous and honest appraisal, Dirtgrain. I haven't taught at the high school or elementary levels, but I know people who have or that do. I have taught at the college level, which is much easier going. Let me second your opinion that it's not just the students that color the experience but also the administrative staff and the rest of the teaching staff.
3 - Dwaine AKA Scooter AKA D.J.
That was pretty good Dirtgrain. One question, what grades do you teach?
4 - Dirtgrain
I teach composition and literature classes to students in grades nine through twelve.
5 - Dwaine AKA Scooter AKA D.J.
Cool. I just wanted to know. I'm a high school freshman.
6 - carla
I am reading your book lives on the boundry and I am woundering if I could email you sometime.
7 - Dirtgrain
I'm not Mike Rose.
8 - Vern Halen
You're right - it takes all kinds. Glad to have you aboard, Dirtgrain.
9 - Brenda
I know that you wrote this forever ago, but I want to say thanks for writing it. It has helped tremendously, and I will make arrangements to sub:)
10 - Dirtgrain
Thanks Brenda. I just re-read it, and I wouldn't change what I wrote. I'm in my tenth year now, and I still like it (and suffer with it at times).
People tend to see substitute teaching as something negative. I think we can all remember when we had a sub in one of our classes--and a lot of kids planned on taking advantage. While I did have some tough subbing experiences before I became a teacher (and I still sub now and then during my planning period), I also had some great experiences. Even some of the bad ones are memorable.
I once subbed for a special ed. teacher at a middle school. In one class, I saw that she had three students. "Three students," I thought, "that's going to be easy." I was mistaken. The three students, Larry, Willie and Joe (sounds oddly like the Three Stooges), were the most foul-mouthed, delinquent seventh graders I have ever seen. They had to be escorted by a teacher from class to class. I was told to call immediately to call for help if they gave me any trouble. As soon as the escorting teacher left the room, these three kids start putting swear words together in combinations that I had never heard before. One of the kids walked right up to the window, picked up a book and threw it out the window. I didn't call for help. I was too stubborn. So, I did my best, and by the end of the hour, I had managed to get the kids to sit at the table and talk a bit about the assignment that they had. Nothing else was thrown out the window that day. I was shaken and drained after that one class period, but I felt a degree of success. That was my toughest substitute teaching experience.
A more positive experience came at another middle school, where I subbed for a music teacher. She had left me pages and pages of typed, single-spaced notes and instructions. It was ridiculous. I couldn't even finish reading them before class started. Before I knew it, I found myself in front of an orchestra of about twenty five girls, conducting them as they played through several pieces of music that they were working on. I had no experience in conducting an orchestra--only my own experiences as a choir student in junior high school. That didn't stop me, and while I made some mistakes (there's nothing quite like a group of twenty five middle school girls simultaneously getting pissed off at you for messing up on telling the bases when to come in), it was a great time for me. I don't think I'll ever get an opportunity to conduct an orchestra again.
11 - Kyra
I am currently going to school to become a teacher. I have encountered some difficult times that have made me second guess my decision. I've read books that are supposed to inspire me to become a teacher but they've achieved only the opposite. They encourage teachers to become revolutionists and to fight the system. That is not my intentions and your words have helped to light the flame under my feet again. I appreciate your honesty and your writing style. You should write a book... Thank you!
12 - Noemi
I have been debating whether or not I should go into teaching i've been thinking about i for a whole year. Today, I googled the question "should i teach?" and you're blog popped up. I received an answer. Although teaching has it's negative points, i believe your description is true and refreshing. Thank you for being honest and giving me a heads up as I continue the path to teaching! I agree with the previous comment. You should write a book if you haven't already:)
13 - minijen
inspirational. i'm half way to qualifying, feeling confused, and your words are like gold dust. i work in a high school as an assistant and cannot wait to become a teacher. thanks
14 - Ryan
Hard to believe you posted this five years ago. Reads as if it was (were?) written yesterday. After several months of job shadowing/student teaching/volunteering/receiving stickers at a local elementary school, I've been seriously considering elementary education as a career and have been referring to all sorts of articles, short stories, and anecdotes to help guide my thought. Out of everything, this has been the most useful and rewarding.. And my forehead wasn't idling on "Stickey Keys" by the end of things. Thanks for sharing!
15 - Jess
So true. I am an English teacher as well. I teach 9th graders. When people ask how I like it...I always feel I can't answer that question with a simple response.
Teaching is such a love-hate career. Some days I love it, other days I dream of going and sitting in a cubical somewhere.
I love teaching when I am actually teaching the students. The time in my classroom is the time that I am the happiest. After-school and at night when I have loads of work to grade and stupid paper-work tasks and documentation that administration wants me to, I hate it.
After talking to some parents, I also want to quit. I have all the patience in the world for irrational and annoying kids-but I have NO patience for stupid parents, other teachers, and administrators. I actually feel I have less patience for adults because I am a teacher.
I also agreed with you that I also always end up liking every student I teach. Even though some drive me absolutely crazy, I always find love for them somewhere. It is amazing what they go through on a day-to-day basis and I carry them long after the school day is over.
I hate the paperwork, and all the stupid BS that administrators make you do. I also teach in a state-tested subject, which limits my freedom to teach how I want. I am constantly pushed by administration to "teach to the test" even though I firmly believe that if you teach kids how to think, they will do fine on the state standarized test. I am still learning to marry the two.
Half the battle while teaching is keeping myself entertained, if I have any hope of the students finding what I am talking about interesting.
Thanks for the honesty. You made me laugh. It is amazing how much I could relate to your post. Teachers are the only ones who can really understand what it is like. When you try to explain what it is like to someone else...well you end up attempting with a 5-7 page response.
16 - Vanessa
Thanks so much for your post, Dirtgrain. I've been thinking of a teaching career for so long now, and I'm just entering college... This set my mind on teaching. My father was just trying to convince me out of it because he thinks I'm capable of more.. but teaching is such a challenge already. A great teacher is like a work of art. You help so many people through teaching, and even though it may not be the highest paying job or the easiest either, it seems so rewarding. Not just for the teacher. You give and you get, and that is my interpretation of success. It pays in experiences.
Thanks once again. Take Care!
17 - V9
By far the most helpful and honest advice imaginable.... Thank you!
18 - Nikki
I'm just beginning to teach English to blind children and adults,I come from a long line of distinguished (whatever that means!)teachers and often feel like I'm too young and in very deep water. Your pages lifted me up so thank you :) I also wanted to share a wonderful book which I have just finished called 'For You, Dear Teacher' by Eva Hoffman. It is more for people who have been teaching for a long time, but for me it explained one or two issues that come up most of the time i.e. stress, uncertainty, stress! Not the chemical goings on in the brain, but the human responses, or maybe I should say the 'teacher responses', and suggests ways to keep yourself calm and motivated for your students, whilst keeping your integrity! Thank you again, I'm going to go and look up 'The Energy to Teach' :)