Why would anyone want to become a teacher?

in #life7 years ago

                                                               

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Last night, I lay in bed, once again unable to fall asleep.  My mind was still racing through the day and I tried to finalize my thoughts about what happened during the day.  I thought about all the questions that were asked during class today and that got me thinking.....

Why oh why did I become a teacher?  

Like many others, I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life. Just like today, there weren't a lot of career guidance available, and we mostly did homework during the career guidance period.  In those days we were basically forced to go and study, to get a qualification. A qualification meant a job.  A job meant a stable income, and that is what you need in life.  

I just wanted to get out of the house, and I applied to a University far away from home.  I have always believed in fate, and when the University accepted my application and provided me with a bursary to study teaching, I decided to that this was the right direction for me.    

I studied for three years and somewhere along the line, I just changed my mind.  I gave up.... I was totally lost and decided that there was no way that I want to be a teacher for the rest of my life.  I then found a job and became a secretary for a Steel company......and I hated it!  

I soon learned that that, was also not what I wanted to do with my life.  I was not prepared to sit in an office for eight hours a day and answer phones all day long.  I changed my mind. Again.  I went back to finish my degree in teaching.  

After I completed my degree, I was offered a job at a nearby school in my hometown and I grabbed that opportunity with open arms.  The rest is history.  I started teaching and I never looked back.  

                                                     

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I honestly believe that I didn't choose teaching, but that teaching chose me.   

At the end of the day, being a teacher has been one of the most rewarding experiences in my life.  I have quite a connection with my students, because I am extremely open minded, and I absolutely love teaching them. I am currently the head of academics at Cyber school, which is an online school, where we provide live lessons.  This is the ultimate teaching experience as I don't have any class interruptions or students throwing around papers and talking during lessons.  I also don't feel like I have to perform to get their attention, because they want to be in my class, and they respect me.  In a normal school many students disrupt classes and do not respect their teachers.  I also don't have to put up with parents who constantly complain about the way their little angels are treated. 

Why is the teacher always wrong? 

 

                                               

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While I was trying to sort out my head, I came across a story posted on a teacher website, and I would like to share this today with all teachers from all over the world. 

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life.  One man, a CEO of a big company, decided to explain the problem with education.  He argued, "What is a child going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?" To stress this point he said to another guest; "You're a teacher Bonnie, be honest.  What do you make?" Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied. "You want to know what I make?" She paused for a second took a deep breath and then started. 

                                                 

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"Well..... I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.  I make kids sit through a forty minute lesson when their parents can't make them sit quietly for half an hour without an iPod or a tablet shoved in their hands.  I make kids wonder.  I make them question.  I make them apologize for their wrong doings.  I make them have respect, and I make them take responsibility for their actions.  I teach them to write, and then I make them write.  I make them use their common sense and I make them read and read and read.    Then I make them read some more so that they can learn.  I make them use their God given brains, and not a man made calculator.  I make my classroom a place where students can feel safe, and finally I make them use the gifts they were given by motivating them, and I make them work hard.  I make them follow their dreams, so that they can succeed in life and become a CEO of big companies like yours.....
Then when people try to judge me and ask me questions like " What do you make?" when I know that money isn't everything.... I can hold my head up high and pay no attention whatsoever, because I know that they are ignorant.  "You want to know what I make ?"
I MAKE A DIFFERENCE..... "What do you make Mr CEO?"

After reading this story I felt content.  I work hard so that other's can be more successful.  I love my job.  I am never bored.  So many wonderful things have happened over the years. I have seen many doctors grow up....many other teachers and many  scientists and engineers.  I became a teacher so that I can make a difference and not money.  If I had to do this job for the amount of money that I think I am worth, there would not be enough money in the world.  

A big shout out to all the teachers here on Steemit.  May you be blessed.  If it wasn't for all of you, we would not have had any people that could create such a wonderful platform so that teachers like me could have a second income. 

Please follow me, and please upvote and resteem.  

                        

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With your online teaching is it similar to the Australian outback system?one teacher many miles away, Individual children on each station tuning in at say 9.30 to do ....

Yes but except these students are from all over the world and log in to one class. Amazing thought actually. They never miss school as they can travel and attend classes from wherever they are. I once had a student that was in Germany on a tour and she got totally lost on a train somewhere but could still attend class..lol 😂

Awesome post , thanks for sharing your story. I really like that story you posted in the middle too. My partner and I are both teaching at the moment. However I am teaching at home, and only have one student.

Hi @betelzeus it is a very rewarding job. Great to see more teachers on Steemit. What do you teach? I also teach from home but I do online live classes, so students log into my class and we have a normal class..just online. Good job. Keep up the good work!

The online classes do sound pretty cool , and i would think ,that would be the way of the future eventually anyway. I would think that online live classes is a win-win for everyone.

So at the moment I am homeschooling my son , out of necessity mostly , but my profession isn't as a teacher. I am teaching mostly Math and English at the moment at 4th grade level. Catching up mostly , trying to get him back to where he is currently suppose to be. But we throw some science , programming and other misc things in there throughout the week. Anyway , it is my partner who is the actual teacher , currently in early childhood.

I believe that homeschooling is the best way to go. There is a great homeschooling site on Facebook that you should join. They often share links etc that is great to use for homeschoolers.

Hey giantbear , thanks for that , I'll be sure to check that out. :)

Teacher, in my mother language is called guru (di gugu lan di tiru), beeing teacher is so hard. Why ? Because there is great responsible in your shoulder. Without teacher, we are still dummy. Thank you for become teacher. Nice ! :)

Hi @happyphoenix that is very interesting. Yes, being a teacher is very hard sometimes but you are right....there would be a lot of dummies out there if someone did not teach them. Thanks for commenting.

Hi happyphoenix; In my language too teacher means Guru but with a different meaning. Word GURU has two parts GU + RU. GU means Mind and RU means Enlighten. Only teacher (Guru) enlightens ones mind (as light for darkness same way knowledge for ignorance).

Yes, word guru in Indonesian language come from India, but have a little different meaning. Nice ! :)

nice post

Thank you @riostarr, what do you do for a living?

That's a great post! I, along with many people, think teachers are highly undervalued. It's great that you enjoy your career and have a passion for what you do on a daily basis.

Thank you @countryinspired! I really do enjoy my work.

Loved to read your post. Great story in it. Very busy due to tax season here in Canada still finishing my todasy's post. Motivated from your master piece article, dear giantbear:))

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