First Post (Ever)

So it is late tonight and I was, well, bored. So I got on facebook, a website that I used to HATE. There was no real reason for hating it other than I thought it was stupid. Anyways, my mom posted a video on my profile page. It is one of those videos that makes you think about things. Everyone has had one of those songs or movies or whatever get into their head. Once it is in your head you cant stop thinking about it and the ideas that come with it. So you must be thinking (if you are still in fact reading this blog) what did it make me think about? Being a teacher I thought about the things that affect education. There are many things that upset me about the education system (teacher pay, graduation rate, federal/state funding, etc.), but by far what upsets me the most when I think about teaching and the education system are bad teachers and administrators!

I have watched some bad teachers teach in my short but distinguished teaching career. And they all have something in common; no passion. This I don't understand. How can you be a teacher and not have that passion? And how do you not realize that you don't have it anymore? And if you do realize that you don't have it anymore why are you teaching?

Maybe it is pride. Pride gets in the way of a lot of things. My pride gets in the way sometimes and it is stupid that I let it. Being to proud not only hurts yourself, but worst of all you are hurting you students!

Maybe they have to much on their plate. This is understandable. Teaching is a hard job that takes a lot of time and energy. Maybe when you teach for so long you start to resent your students. Maybe you resent them for taking up to much of your time. Maybe you wish they would just sit there and "try" to learn. Maybe you are teaching them, but they just don't care and therefore why should you? Maybe they just are not teachable? Maybe......Maybe nothing! All of those maybes make up nothing. All of these maybes just make it easier for you to sleep at night.

The first rule that I ever learned about teaching is: "Never, Ever, give up on the student!" Sure all of your students are not going to want to be a school everyday, all the time. That is your hardest job as a teacher, getting your students to WANT to come to school and learn from you. When you do that, the rest gets a little easier, but not easy. Teaching is a hard job that demands a lot. But I know that every teacher graduated from college with such a profound love, spirit, and passion to teach. I urge every teacher that thinks that they have lost their passion to find it. Go back and read your old papers from college. Read that first philosophy where you wanted to save every at risk student and be the best teacher in the world. When you read that paper, I guarantee that you will find that passion again. And if I am wrong, maybe it is time for a change. But I don't think that I am.