I was
coming home from visiting my Dad. I was
exhausted and really was planning to fall asleep on the plane before it took
off. When the person I was sitting next
to asked me what I did for a living?
When I replied I am a teacher, he rolled his eyes and said, “do you enjoy
it”
I knew immediately that my response was going to be yes!!!! What I did not realize was how I was going to go about answering the question. I asked him what his most precious possession in the world was? He answered, “my children”. Which then led the way for me to say that everyday parents give me their most precious possessions and I do not take that responsibility lightly.
I knew immediately that my response was going to be yes!!!! What I did not realize was how I was going to go about answering the question. I asked him what his most precious possession in the world was? He answered, “my children”. Which then led the way for me to say that everyday parents give me their most precious possessions and I do not take that responsibility lightly.
The
fact that I am trusted with parents most precious possession motivates me each
day. I know how certain teachers have
made a difference in my children’s lives and I hope that I can do the same.
Education is a great field, that while it does not draw people into it because of the money, it allows teachers the unique opportunity to make a difference in a person’s life. It has been said that a teacher impacts more people in a day than a normal person does in a lifetime. I have seen daily how some of the best teachers in our building truly make a difference. The impact that they have on their students inspires me to become a better teacher. That when you peak into their rooms these teachers put aside all the other stuff and just make students better each day.
We all fall into the Woah me, this life is just too tough, but the truth is that it is easy to be gritty when things are good. Now we are in some tough times in education which is testing the grit of all the good educators in the system. It is also the time where we cannot afford to lose any of our great teachers. If we expect our students to be gritty we must model that GRIT for them.
I continue to advocate that our best and brightest students need to join the field of education. We need to have bright people who bring about education reform that really fixes many of our problems. Again, while education does not pay well, it is very important to the future of our country. Ask the best teachers in your school the feeling that they get when they make a difference and you will realize that getting involved in education makes you rich in the soul.
Education is a great field, that while it does not draw people into it because of the money, it allows teachers the unique opportunity to make a difference in a person’s life. It has been said that a teacher impacts more people in a day than a normal person does in a lifetime. I have seen daily how some of the best teachers in our building truly make a difference. The impact that they have on their students inspires me to become a better teacher. That when you peak into their rooms these teachers put aside all the other stuff and just make students better each day.
We all fall into the Woah me, this life is just too tough, but the truth is that it is easy to be gritty when things are good. Now we are in some tough times in education which is testing the grit of all the good educators in the system. It is also the time where we cannot afford to lose any of our great teachers. If we expect our students to be gritty we must model that GRIT for them.
I continue to advocate that our best and brightest students need to join the field of education. We need to have bright people who bring about education reform that really fixes many of our problems. Again, while education does not pay well, it is very important to the future of our country. Ask the best teachers in your school the feeling that they get when they make a difference and you will realize that getting involved in education makes you rich in the soul.
Teaching
is about heart and soul
As
always your feedback is appreciated
I think that one of the biggest problems in society today is that many people portray teaching as an inferior occupation. Smart students aspire to become powerful, wealthy people rather than giving back to the society and making the world a better place. This is because students are immature, and think that money and power will lead to happiness. We need more professors who not only truly love their job, but are willing to tell their students how fulfilling it is. You have been a good example of what a teacher should be because you show us that life is more about being a positive influence on others than accumulating wealth. Happiness is found in relationships, not in wealth.
ReplyDelete-Mike Campbell
Snaps to that -- what are five things we'd need to change about how teachers are treated/talkes about to get us to see this as a superior profession (not inferior)? Number one thought on my mind: salary.
DeleteFirst of all, I wish the people next to me on a plane were sociable. As much as I try sometimes to start up a conversation with someone on a plane it is about as dry as a popcorn fart. I liked this blog and think you are right. Teachers can make a difference and bright, well educated, well versed teachers are a necessity for society today. Nobody likes to have a teacher that does not know what they are talking about. Teachers have a great impact on students. I did some service at the Kipp academy in Baltimore. While there I was told that the students struggle and act up due to a lack of mentorship. There is a vicious cycle of a new teacher trying to come in and teach there for their first year, they get "bullied" by the students, and then they leave the school. As a result the students feel abandoned and not wanted, thus stirring the same actions the following year. Society needs good, passionate teachers to help the students grow as well as grow themselves.
ReplyDeleteSam Gallatin
I agree with the point that teachers have a huge impact on their students, but this can be a good or a bad thing. The positive effect that good teachers have on their students is huge. These teachers can make the material easy to understand and applicable to the student's lives. These teachers are relatable and have a good sense of humor, and genuinely care for their students and how they are doing. It is from these teachers that a genuine interest in a subject is gained, which be very important when deciding what to study later in life. However the opposite is also true. Bad teachers can foster a feeling of dread every time you have their class, make the material boring or difficult to understand, and come off as unrelatable and unorganized. These bad teachers can make you want to stay away from wanting to learn or explore the subject anymore, even if you have a genuine interest in it. It is incredible important that more good teachers are rewarded for their efforts and bad teachers are either held up to a higher standard so that they can improve, or let go of all together, because as the previously mentioned, these teachers see your kids daily and have a profound impact on them going forward. This impact needs to be positive, not negative.
ReplyDeleteJacob Brandt
I think the notion that teachers only teach because it is their job is not a responsible answer for such an important job. I believe, especially at Calvert Hall, the impact each teacher and the dedication and extra effort they put forth is the positive impact that changes student's lives. When a student has a good teacher, a true understanding and a greater level of knowledge in correlation to the subject arises. I certainly believe that besides family, teachers have the greatest impact on a student's life. And you can definitely tell which teachers enjoy their job and make the best of the student's lives-and if you enjoy your job as much as us AP guys like you, you are doing pretty well Mr. Bressler.
ReplyDelete-Travis
I think this post really draws attention to how important teaching is in today's society. Teachers have the ability to motivate their students and to make them better people, which is something that parents are surely grateful for. One thing that you excel in is that you build relationships with your students and motivate them to become better people. This type of involvement can really make a difference in a student's life. I agree with Mike, happiness is found in the relationships you foster, and teacher-student relationships can be particularly beneficial. Teachers need to be appreciated more because they make an impact that isn't exactly the most noticeable but can make the largest difference.
ReplyDelete-Cole Darley
Mike, I agree with you that happiness does not come from power or money. I would like however (not for my benefit) for teachers to get paid more so that they do not have to worry about money. Sam I am connected with KIPP in different ways as I am friends with one of the best teachers and have spent time with the founder of the Baltimore KIPP. Jacob you are correct teachers can go both ways they can inspire you or they can turn you off. That is why we need great young people like yourself to join the profession. Travis for some educators teaching becomes a job which I think is sad because most of us came into the profession to make a difference. Cole I agree with you as a parent you truly appreciate those teachers who have made a difference to your child. Thanks for those nice words.
ReplyDeleteTeaching is certainly rewarding, whether in the classroom or being a tutor. However, I find that it is also rewarding, and sometimes necessary, in other situations as well. In robotics, for example, my teammates and I each play a different role in building our robot, and we must teach each other about our jobs, or else we would be lost. Similarly, class material from our courses can also be very tough, so students will often come together in study groups so that they can teach each other the tough material. Needless to say, being a teacher AND a student are both very important jobs and skills to have in real life and in the classroom.
ReplyDeleteMore often than not, the position of teaching is ridiculed amongst the people of higher positions perhaps due to salary reasons or the requirement of tending to children. The problem is we fail to comprehend that the teachers of today mold and encourage the youth on the basic levels of thought. I have teachers in the school who I admire for their dedication in their field as well as their dedication to teach, and on the other hand some teachers fall short of teaching enthusiastically and never grasp my attention. Teachers impact each student differently, but in all; teachers are major influencers.
ReplyDelete-Amondo Lemmon
There are many times that I have played the role of "teacher" whether during tutoring sessions in the ARC or volunteer work, it is very rewarding knowing that my teaching was able to make another kid's life just a little bit better. The responsibility of a teacher is to help instruct students how to think. The younger the student, the more impact the actions and words of a teacher will have on them. Every week, as I leave Peabody after my piano lesson, this is a poster on the wall to all the student at Peabody that says "You will teach something to someone, someday" and I think that perfect statement about our lives.
ReplyDelete-Matthew Tao
I really liked what you said about how the best and brightest students should be the teachers. If the smartest people in the world are working to spread what they have learned, it would have a very widespread and positive effect on the education system and the world as a whole. When taking classes, most of the time the teacher makes or breaks the experience. For example, for classes which can be somewhat boring in nature, a very energetic and excited teacher can liven up that environment. An extremely difficult class can also be made “do-able” by a competent and dedicated teacher.
ReplyDeleteRishi good thoughts on that we are all teachers, I also think when students work together to teach the material they learn the material better. Amando you are correct teachers do impact students differently. You can hear a student say that they love a teacher and another does not connect at all with the teacher, Matt I love that quote. Harrison, truly believe that we need our best and brightest to figure out how to fix education. There will always be bright people chasing the jobs that make dollars but we need our best to help take education to the next level. Thanks to all of you for responding.
ReplyDeleteI really I enjoyed reading this post today. Mike Campbell pointed out something important about how society is so based on money and earnings. It has been since ancient times. This is wrong and corrupt. We are all equal in this world and no one is entitled to anything more than another. God created us all to be equal and be together as one. However, this is not the case. Society judges others based on income not who they are as an individual. I hope this changes in later generations
ReplyDelete- Jacob Snyder
Jacob, I could be wrong but I think most of us want to make the world a better place. I think money is sometimes a way to keep score. Wonder how different schools would be if we worried about happiness (maybe a later blog) as much as grades. Thanks for responding
ReplyDeleteMany smart students do not consider teaching as a job for them because it generally is not a very lucrative occupation. The increase in material production in society as a whole and the focus on personal wealth has made a lot of people's focus draw to money and what they can do with it. However, there usually comes a point in one's life when they realize that material possessions often are not meaningful and should not be the main goal of life. I think teachers that cherish the role they play in students' lives and that are aware of the positive impact they have on others are the happiest people I've ever met.
ReplyDelete-Nick Boehl
Teachers really are the most important job in America because they raise the next generation. Teachers should be valued much more than they are now for that reason. It should be an honorable profession to be a teacher, not a job that makes someone roll their eyes. Teachers need to be treated with the respect and understanding that they have the greatest impact on America because they control the Youth.
ReplyDeleteBryce Bailey
Honesty, I feel that almost every person undervalues teachers. They have the most important job in society because they are the ones who teach others to become someone in this world. Not only do they teach us about books and education, but they teach us about life. Teachers are under-appreciated and undervalued.
ReplyDeleteCollin Stewart
in my opinion teachers are very under valued today. I've have always believed that teaching is one of the most important jobs in the world. I have been blessed to have so many teacher impact me the way they have. In middle school i was bullied a lot and the only people there i really felt like i could talk to was my teachers. They helped me get through middle school and keep my head straight and i will never forget that they did that for me. Teacher are a huge deciding factor in a child's life and i feel like they need to get the respect they deserve.
ReplyDelete-- Anthony Perrera
I agree with your statement that a great teacher can easily change a students life but also would like to ask about bad teachers. I theories that the reason, as you mentioned, that teachers are payed so little for the amazing work they do is to scare off those who are in fact just in it for the money? I also believe that a bad teacher can have ten fold worse effects on a student than a good teacher. Looking back on my Calvert Hall experience, as i believe many of my fellow students and graduates agree but we a cynical bunch at the Hall. We joke around and basically constantly bully each other lightly. We focus on the bad and i remember the bad teachers way more than the good ones. One of the strange things at Calvert Hall i can point at for this is the hiring of College students for one or two years and watching them graduate then leave with little care. Most of these teachers are not great at what they do and lack any experience in the classroom, not they are all bad, but some of them absolutely are not top shelf quality. I think this practice needs to change as the roll over of young teachers is ridiculous and in my opinion needs to stop as it hinders education from the lack of experience most hold.
ReplyDelete- Henry Jones
Henry, if you were just talking about student learning even bad teachers get students to learn, it is a matter of how much. So there are a lot of evidence that bad teachers are not as harmful as good teachers are helpful. Now attitude might be a different story. One of the reasons I am big on three good things is that it pushes good thoughts into the minds instead of bad ones. Maybe if we all did this we would remember our good teachers more than our bad. Anthony truly glad that teachers stopped the bullying. Hopefully your generation will be one that values teachers and changes the publics perception about them. Appreciate the comments and am thinking about blogging about happiness since there is a lot of research that shows money is not a driver of long term happiness.
ReplyDeletePassion is an important key to finding the occupation for you. People often times get too caught up in the numbers and glory of high salary jobs, but at the same time, if you love what you do, is money really that important? I'd much rather make 60k doing something I enjoy rather than slogging through weeks making 100k. My mom is a key example of this - she works in management and has the potential to make as much as she wants but chooses the lower paying workplace because of the benefits that come with it. She can choose to work from home two days out of the week and has a generally stress free life. Burnout culture is a real thing in many fields of work and I honestly don't want to subject myself working tirelessly at something I don't enjoy
ReplyDelete-- John Basmaci
I have never thought about teaching in that way; I never thought about it in the way that you are taking care of so many people's most precious things in life. I have been on the fence about what I am going to do in life and Education was one of the careers I was very interested in. I have always wanted to help people and Education would be a great way to help the children of the world. This has really struck a chord with me regarding this particular subject.
ReplyDelete-- Will Cook
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteMy mom has always said to me, do what you love. I think she means that you should pursue something in life that will make you happy, and not just because of the money you make. Teaching is that something for many people. You are not going to be rich by being a teacher. But it's the impact that you have, that is more fulfilling and satisfying than the money you make. You can feel good about yourself knowing that you are making a difference in someone's life. I have a special place in my heart for teachers because my dad is one and I know he's good at what he does. I admire his work ethic and his tenacity because I know it's not an easy job. In my opinion the best teachers are the ones that want to be there. They want to make a difference. They go out of their way and it shows. I think you are a great example of this.
ReplyDelete-Michael Maimone