I Love My Job

I wish I could explain to people who have regular jobs.

Today I had an incredibly frustrating day. It is finals. I am giving tests in most of my classes. The first class I had today I was not giving a test. This was my Constitutional Law class. These are seniors who earlier in January competed in the We The People competition. They had to speak in front of judges on the Constitution both in prepared remarks and come up with answers to impromptu questions.

As a final, that is pretty dang good. Since then, I have had the class working on the Oregon Constitution and they needed to write a self-evaluation of the competition.

Well half of them got the evaluation in. Some owed me a paper from first quarter. And most of them didn't want to come in today.

Then a meeting that was supposed to be a support meeting for teachers was getting screwed up. Half of the group told me in the last 2 days that they couldn't make the meeting even though I called it 3 weeks ago.

Then I found out that a meeting for all social studies teachers that I have been involved in planning might be meaningless. People either might not come or might come ready to fight rather than work because of the way it has been described.

So I am working in my room, trying to revise a final to give tomorrow. I get interrupted by: a teacher to come tell me that a mutual student of ours isn't doing as well as we hoped; a student who didn't come to the self-evaluation meeting this morning with a sheepish look on her face; a student who missed the final yesterday and wants to take it home; a student who wants an extra day to finish her paper; and emails that our correct W-2 forms are now being sent and to ignore the first ones.

So why, could I possibly love my job?

I admit. I was getting grumpy. And when a student asked me in the middle of all of that to read the essay that he was working on (to tell him if it was okay before he turned it in) I snapped at him and said no.

But later that same kid asked me a question. "Do you like everyone coming in here and telling their problems?" He noticed all of the people coming in and out of my room while he was working. And although he has known me for 2 years, he was starting to notice how much my job was not giving out information.

I told him that my job was to help students become whole and complete human beings. And sometimes that meant listening to their problems, or hugging them as they cry, or kicking them in the butt. But I believe that all of them can become whole and complete human beings. I don't "like" listening to people's problems. I like helping kids grow up. I like kids.

Suddenly I wasn't grouchy anymore. That student reminded me why this job takes so much out of me but is so unbelievable fulfilling. He is a student that may not pass my class (it's touch and go right now). But he has grown and learned so much since I have known him. He was excited about how much he knew on the final. He understood the concepts that I have been going over. And he will be a better human being.

Later a bunch of us teachers went to a local bar. We joked about drinking and our jobs and current events. And then most of us started talking about work. "Could you make sure that these honor students can get credit for tutoring?" "I am not sure my students come to talk to me." "Over 80 percent of her class got a C or better!! That's incredible!"

At some point I sat back and listened to the talk. I was honored to work in a profession that is so rewarding. As much as it kicks me in the butt. As much as I get exhausted from the time, and energy, and emotion. I know I am doing great things. And for the days when it feels like no one is listening, there are the days that I see the students do amazing things. And it's all worth it.