Its More Than a Job

I knew I wanted to be a teacher in middle school. At that time I had a really awesome English teacher, Mrs. Lumbley, who made middle school bearable and English fun. I loved her class and wanted to be "just like her" when I became a teacher some day. High School english came along and...woah, people actually enjoyed literature, poems, adverbs, hyperboles, and all kinds of other things I still don't understand?!? I couldn't teach English...it was painful! However, I had a really awesome high school Ag teacher. Her profession combined all of my loves, my passions. She understood and supported my passion for the show cattle industry. No other teacher had ever encouraged me to miss school when given the opportunity to exhibit at national shows, but Ms. Nolting just wanted to hear all about it when I returned. As a high school junior, I lost one of my friends to cancer. It sucked...big time. Ms. Nolting grieved with us, supported us, and became the rock we needed as a whole group. She was more than just our Ag teacher, she was our advisor, mentor, and leader. She still is. 

I started my freshman year at Purdue with no doubt in my mind about teaching, but that didn't last forever. After student teaching I just wasn't sure that "teaching was for me". I couldn't find a teaching job right away and was given the opportunity to work for a hog farm in eastern Indiana. That experience taught me so many valuable lessons. However, the most valuable lesson was that I missed the classroom. 

I've recently read multiple articles about how terrible teaching is right now. How K-12 teachers "can't leave the profession fast enough." I've spent my fair share of lunch in the teacher's lounge complaining about the long hours, the endless paperwork, the thankless job, and the minimal pay. Don't get me wrong...I complain too, but today...Today I am thankful that I was called to this profession and I want to tell you that there are still teachers who love their job. I am one of those. Today, I love my job. 

I'm not here to toot my own horn, because I am so far from perfect it is comical. I'll never be "highly effective" and quite frankly, I don't care to be. I show up to work every single day and do the best that I can do that day. My lessons are not always super engaging, my students complain that "it sucks", and I'm not currently in the running for any awards. However, I received a text message yesterday that reminded me just why I love my job. 

It read: "Hey! Sorry it's so late. I've been meaning to text you all day and just got to it. I wanted to wish you a happy birthday. I hope today was filled with joy. Thank you for being such a great role model, listener, and just all around great person. I miss not being able to have you in class but the year I did have you I will never forget. So thank you for everything and always giving the best advice. You believe in your students when we don't even believe in ourselves and sometimes that means so much. Happy New Year!(:"

This message was among many. I was reminded yesterday, on my birthday, how truly blessed I am. The irony of this message is that it came from one of my former students. I previously taught at a different high school and NEVER felt like I was making a difference. I'm not sharing it with you because I want to brag on myself. I am sharing it with you because when I doubted myself and my abilities, I was giving this student exactly what she needed. Support. Teaching is hard. It is thankless. It requires so much more of my time than my previous office job. I still make pennies compared to some. But, my heart is full and I love my job. 

I hope this stands out as a reminder that, while education has some serious issues, there are still many teachers that love their job. I am so thankful I was called to this profession. 

Where do you find joy in your life?