On Being a Teacher…
My chosen career path in life is that of a teacher. However, I probably would have been better off as a drill sergeant or a therapist or a director or someone’s boss or…I can be just a teensy bit demanding. Give me a break—just because I only want the BEST for those I come in contact with or love or know or work with or teach or meet in the grocery store…If I don’t tell them when something is wrong who will?
Okay, before you think I am a total you-know-what, I am just kidding. Yes, I like to tell people what to do. That is my job. Teachers do that. Write your name here, read this, complete this, color this, take your finger out of your nose, wash your hands. However, when you work in a place where EVERYDODY has my personality (such as in A school), then you can have problems—which is why there are classrooms. A classroom is a teacher’s haven. She is the drill sergeant of her own platoon. If her soldiers (aka students) follow her orders she has it made. Her ego is pumped up and she is nominated for Teacher of the Year…
Gather a group of demanding teachers at a faculty meeting and you can have a recipe for disaster or success. Our staff meetings involve food (gather teachers together for any length of time past a ten minute recess and you will have food) and listening to the principal speak. Because of the demanding nature of teachers the key here is for the principal to talk fast, TELL the teachers what they are going to do and don’t ASK them what they want to do. The meeting will be over in record time. If he ASKS anything, the teachers will pause in their face stuffing and proceed directly in to drill sergeant mode and the principal will be nothing but someone to clean up the mess when the meeting is over.
Mary Said,
June 21, 2006 @ 1:21 pm
I just read this and busted out laughing…..I have been teaching for 18 years. Every year by the end of the school year the teachers are all about to kill each other…. thus the reason for summer breaks…
Where do you teach? I am in Texas.
lorri Said,
June 21, 2006 @ 1:36 pm
I am in California—Did I hit the nail on the head or what?
Auntie Said,
June 21, 2006 @ 5:09 pm
OH, brother, are you right.
Jessi Said,
June 21, 2006 @ 7:34 pm
You sound like me with the free food, except I am in Sales…I love sales, because I get to be the boss..lol And a lot of the time we get free food. Today we got free popcorn and cookies..>Tomorrow we get pizza. YIPPEE!
Miss Kay Said,
June 21, 2006 @ 10:11 pm
A good teacher can also tell which of her/her students will grow to become a teacher… always the bossiest kid in the class. I love to have my former students come back to student teach with me. I almost always predict correctly.
xo
Miss “Yes, I was a bossy kid” Kay
Lynn Said,
June 22, 2006 @ 3:08 pm
Two of my three sons had Lorrie as a teacher and believe me, she is NO DRILL SERGEANT! She may THINK she is, but actually she is a big push over. They both learned very well while in her class. She was firm but never pushy. She made the kids want to please her with her gentle manner. One of them even taught her how to write his name backwards. Remember Andrew??? His big brother Matthew taught him that. Lorrie was and still is an excellent teacher and a good friend.
Lorri Said,
June 22, 2006 @ 9:54 pm
Don’t tell everyone my secrets Lynn!! I am trying to project an image here!!!