Why I #loveteaching

There's been a campaign that has taken off asking teachers to share why they #loveteaching this week (February 8th-14th) in honor of Valentine's day.

With the craziness that surrounds our everyday life, it is easy to get lost and forget why we started down this crazy path in the first place. We get so caught up in meetings, lessons, family and day to day demands that we forget to stop and admire the amazing things happening around us. So as I am sitting here, drained, after 2 straight weeks of being sick this couldn't have come at a better time.

So here it is. Why I #love teaching.

I #loveteaching because of the relationships.  Each learner is a unique puzzle and it is up to me to figure out how to connect with them. That's a big responsibility! Having to decipher and take into account interests, dislikes, home life of 50 kids is a lot to take on. When I think back to my favorite moments throughout my teaching career, the moments you can remember every detail and word spoken, it's not a learner who understood how to do multi-digit multiplication that comes to mind. Although it's great when they do! Each of my most memorable experiences as a teacher has been when I finally broke through a wall and saw the trust and safety we have the potential to provide to someone. For some kids we're the one person they trust. The one who makes them feel safe. The only one who BELIEVES in them even when they don't believe in themselves. How many occupations out there give you the opportunity to change someone's life? How cool is that?? Now I am not necessarily talking saving everyone Coach Carter style, but we as teachers have the potential to influence each student in our classroom. The influence can be small in just being someone they can joke around with, or huge and change the way they view themselves as human beings. For some kids, we're their last stop. We are the person who can guide them down the path that will lead to their success and unleash their potential.

So as we draw near the end of what many educators believe is the longest month of the school year, I encourage you to take a step back. Why did you decide to become a teacher in the first place? Why do YOU #loveteaching?