Why I Do What I Do

Right now I'm working on my Kansas Performance Teaching Portfolio. What's that you might ask...well it happens to be a 35 page document that's supposed to prove I'm a highly qualified teacher. It consists of demographic and assessment data, a unit plan, two detailed lesson plans, accommodations, journals, a communication log, plus a lot of other junk that I don't think really proves that I can be an effective teacher. Jumping through hoops is an understatement. It's time like these when I question whether or not it's worth it, and I think about why I wanted to teach in the first place.

Earlier this afternoon I watched a documentary called American Teacher, which I highly recommend for anyone interested in public education. It's narrated by Matt Damon who is a serious advocate for teachers, with his mom being a long time educator. If you haven't seen the clip of him defending the teaching profession against an uninformed journalist and camera man...check it out here, pretty inspiring.

But that's besides the point. Our public education system is a mess. This documentary points that out very well. While I was watching this film, I kept thinking to myself, why would anyone choose to be a teacher? Horrible pay, long hours, no respect...pass! But that's not why we do it...I don't teach because of the great pay, flexible hours, and immense amounts of professional respect.

Regardless of pay, opinions, and laws, I do what I do because I love it, plain and simple. Not because someone tells me it's a noble profession or that my life will be fulfilled. I do it because maybe someday I'll actually change someone's life, help a child succeed, and become something they never in their wildest dreams imagined. 

On Tuesday I'm back in the classroom until the end of April...I can't wait! It's been since mid October that I've been in the classroom and I'm really, really starting to miss it.