My family was sitting down for Christmas dinner when my sister-in-law asked me, “When are you retiring from teaching?” “Maybe I will teach forever,” I replied. I could see the shock on her face as she paused before asking her next question: What motivates you?
Hope. Working with my students each day gives me a feeling of hope for the future. Not only are my students intelligent but they are also caring. In the classroom, you often see them helping each other. Many of them have a passion for service that shows in their work in the community.
Second, when I get a chance to communicate with former students, it is truly an inspiring experience. It is awesome hearing their stories, how for some their dreams are coming true and for others they are equally excited that their dreams have changed. I am proud that I have had a chance to work with these young people and now witness the positive changes they are bringing about.
Third, teaching is a profession where you constantly can improve. I am excited about how much of a better teacher I can become in the next two years. The feedback I get this year will help me improve for next year.
It took me 38 years to figure out what I truly wanted to do with my life. Now that I have found it, I do not think I want to leave it.
My sister-in-law shook her head: “You are lucky to do something you love every day.”
I agree.
What makes someone elite at their craft? This.
ReplyDeletegreat question, I would say it is when someone gets outlier results.
DeleteThis blog is as equally inspiring as it is fascinating when you consider how difficult it is to put one’s passion into words (I don’t think it’s something that many people can do). It speaks to the level of dedication that Mr. Bressler has towards mastering his craft. I can personally say that this dedication has inspired me to do the best that I can, both in school and out. And while I don’t know what lies ahead of me, the sense of dedication by Mr. Bressler that I try to emulate gives me the hope that if I keep doing my absolute best in all I can, I will find what I love to do.
ReplyDelete-Casimir Pozecki
cha cha real smooth
ReplyDeleteI think that some people define success as making a lot of money. I think it is important to follow your dreams. I believe that if you hate going to work, then you need to make a change. Now, I know not every day is thrilling and I know that there are crappy elements of every job. However, you should generally enjoy your career. To find your dream career/passion, I recommend starting with what you like to do. For me, I love to travel, I love math and science, and I like new experiences. After becoming fascinated with aviation, the dream become a commercial pilot came naturally. Thanks for the great post!
ReplyDeleteWhile reading this I am impressed by how passionate you are towards your profession. As I am preparing for college and starting a career it is inspiring to see someone enjoy theirs so much. Not being happy with my profession is definitely a great fear of mine but seeing someone be as happy as you are, even after only finding your passion a few years ago, makes me feel confident that life will have a path that leads to happiness no matter how long it takes.
ReplyDelete-Alex Rothenheber
Alex to me the key is not to settle. I was never unhappy but I remember thinking why am I wasting my life doing this when I was in the pizza industry. I never think that now, sometimes I am frustrated that I do not do a better job but I love coming to work everyday.
ReplyDeleteThank you. Teaching is the work of social justice - and posts like this remind us that it should also be fun.
ReplyDelete