The Value of Teaching

I have yet to talk to a veteran teacher of more than 5 years that hasn’t agreed that teaching has changed in the last several years. It has felt as though it has gotten more stressful, more challenging, and overwhelming.  Many have left teaching due to burn out or frustration.  Many others find themselves asking, “Is it worth it?”

I do feel like it was my calling to be a teacher. I resisted it as a teen and young adult as nearly everyone in my family is/was a teacher. 

Grandpa was an assistant principal and coach of multiple sports.

Grandma was an English teacher and school Librarian.

Aunt was a history teacher-turned lawyer-turned Law professor.

One Uncle was an art teacher.

Another Uncle was an engineering professor.

Dad was in business education.

Mom was a preschool teacher and parent educator.

One Brother is head of a school of engineering.

Other Brother teaches middle school math and history.

The list goes on….

What kept calling me back was the joy I got from working with school age children, and my need to help others who were struggling. I needed to make an impact.  

Despite my need to make a difference, I also always saw myself as, well, forgettable. I tend to blend into the background.  I’m not particularly loud and boisterous. I’m not very argumentative.  I’m average in height and weight, and my outward appearance isn’t striking in any way.  I tend to be quiet and soft spoken.  The thing I hear people say that stands out most about me is I’m exceptionally calm. (It is important to note, a calm exterior does not mean I’m feeling calm internally.)  Being “calm” does not always equate to being “noticeable”.  While I have come to terms that I may not be noticed all the time, I still want to make an impact. 

So how do I know I have made any impact? It starts with the little things (that are really big).  The simple gestures from students of pictures drawn, cards made, or letters written and given to me on random days always make me smile - even the unprompted scribbled “I’m sorry” notes make me tear up.  I can’t stand to get rid of these little treasures, but they do tend to get cluttered and lost in files, so a few years ago I started taking pictures of each and at the end of the year I have the pictures published into a photobook. I also include pictures of cards, flowers and gifts from parents. On hard days, these books are nice to pull out and remember some of the students who overcame obstacles, walked out of my classroom with a little more confidence, maybe felt a little more heard, a little more seen, a little more loved.

The greatest gifts I have received that show that I made a difference, don’t fit in any book I have.

One came through Facebook.  A former student of mine, from my first year teaching, who is now grown and has a family, posted a memory about my class. We had a class pet that year, a gerbil the students named Mr. Jingles.  When the class was working quietly, particularly writing time, I would let them sit anywhere around the room and as long as they were quiet and working, I would put Mr. Jingles in his exercise ball and let him roll around the room. This was great for classroom management, but it apparently was also memorable for at least one student.

Another great gift came via the mother of a former student.  She told me about a conversation she overheard her children were having about teachers. My former student told her younger sister that she didn’t like reading before my class, but she loves reading now!  I had this student during covid and I can tell you that remembering the mom sharing that one statement makes my heart want to explode each time.

The most recent great gift came from the little sister of the previously mentioned student who is also a former student.  I received a message from her excitedly saying that what they were learning in second period was what I had taught them and they were using the strategies I had shown them in class.  Simply knowing that something I had taught had stuck with her means so much.  

Maybe I did something right. Maybe I made an impact on a few lives.  Whether or not teaching continues to be my career, these gifts, both great and small, are what help me feel that it has been worth every second.