Love To Teach, Teach To Love
black pencils
Whoever said "those who can't, teach" got it all wrong. I wouldn't be writing this right now if it wasn't for a teacher, and more to the point, you probably wouldn't be reading it either. Some would say it's the best job in the world, and others will continue to argue that even with it's rewarding nature, the challenges that teacher's face are just not worth it. Think about it like this, if we asked you if school was some of the best days of your life, it's pretty probable that most of you would say yes, right? This is why people choose this profession, and will continue to do so for years to come. Many of us were inspired by certain teachers, subjects or lessons when we were younger, and as a result, we'd like to dedicate this piece to reminding you all why so many individuals should take on this superhero role in the classroom.
Life Long Learning
You will never learn a topic better than when you start teaching it. The irony is that the person who learns the most in the classroom is in fact the teacher. Not only do you spend most of your hours a day taking on new challenges, subjects and frequent syllabus changes, you're adapting to different methods of teaching in the profession as a whole. It may not always be facts about the world in which we live in, or a subject that we never thought we'd teach, but even if we end the day knowing something about a student that we didn't before, we'd say that this is definitely an achievement.
Staying Young (At Heart)
Surrounding yourself with the younger generation gives you the chance to keep up with on going trends, ideas and helps you to understand the ways in which they work. Watching students get excited about ideas can be contagious; their enthusiasm can be just as warming as the cup of tea & comfy slippers you pop on at the end of the day (or close enough). Either way, being immersed in youth culture helps to keep you mentally young, which is always a bonus, after all you're only as old as you feel!
Every Child Has Potential
Every classroom will offer a unique community of learners, each having a range of different qualities to offer. The truth is, not every child will be easily educated, and some will ask for help in the most unloving of ways, but taking this challenge over others will certainly be one of the most rewarding. It gives you the opportunity to encourage and guide them to success.
Never A Dull Day
No two days are ever the same. You're up, you're out & you're lucky enough to be able to spend every day showing off your creativity. Of course, there are tough days, it’s a challenging job, just as any worthwhile job should be, but you'll never ever know the meaning of the word 'bored' ever again. If your approach last year didn't work so well, you have the opportunity to rework it the next year. You have the power to engage different ways of learning, thinking & teaching, the classroom is your oyster, go wild!
Encourage To Dream (The Bigger The Better!)
As cheesy as it sounds, encouraging your children to dream is the best way forward. They may not turn out to be Superman or the princess they were desperate to be when they were five, but these types of wishes are what can help drive a child to success. Take a look at Amy Mathers, 14, who designs games, writes her own software and was named the European Digital Girl of the Year in 2013. Or Grace Akello, who at only 14, is a youth ambassador for the charity 'Free The Children', and has helped to raise almost £2000. We should commend these children - and their parents & teacher's for believing in them.
Give Back
Being able to offer what you know to future generations is more than appealing, to give back what we received and even offer more. Being the best that we can be ensures that our children are given the opportunity to be the best that they can be, and I'm sure you will agree that this always counts for something.
Future Impact
Your job creates other jobs. It creates opportunity, creativity and productivity in society. Everyone wants to succeed. You challenge and reach most of the students who walk in through your doors. This happens every day because most teachers and administrators are motivated, smart and eager. Yes, the role has it's downsides, what job doesn't? The fact of the matter is, teaching is one of the fundamental necessities of life, and the way you educate your children will impact their future, for the better.