It does seem that teaching is a secret clubhouse of experiences that you can only understand if you have lived them.
I am shocked by the number of people who say things like, “I think I’ll go into teaching because those students could certainly use my experiences in business.”
Teaching isn’t something you can pick up. It’s something you have to study and you have to commit to everyday (actually, let’s be honest every minute). Teaching isn’t filling students’ heads with your experiences. It’s experiencing life with your students.
So, when a teacher fully commits to live their life openly in front of students and then has to give that up because of budget cuts and the political decisions.
Teaching is demanding and I cringe everytime I hear someone say “Oh, so at least you have the summer off now!” when I don’t. I have to work to pay bills and pay for the healthcare of my girls (and dog).
Teaching is not glamorous. It’s a terribly demanding job.
You’d be a fool to even think you want to be a teacher.
Shame on all of us for relegating this once revered profession to the backwaters of career choices. Our democracy and our republic are doomed as a result.