Truly thou art damned, like an ill-roasted egg, all on one side.~Taken from "As You Like It"
Tomorrow morning, my seasonal unemployment ends as I return to the elementary classroom for my twenty-seventh year. Over my career, I've spent eleven years teaching third grade, nine years teaching fourth grade, two years teaching fifth, and one unfortunate year teaching sixth grade. In addition, I spent the past three school years outside the classroom as a technology resource teacher.
Now for the 2008-2009 campaign, I'm back for more cash as a third grade classroom teacher again. Many of my friends and colleagues have commented on my return to the daily grind of the classroom. Here's a sampling of what I've heard.
Are you crazy?
Are you nuts?
What's gotten into you?
Why on Earth would you leave your technology job?
Really, the answer is simple. I miss the classroom. I miss getting to know each of my students completely. I miss watching them as they learn. Most of all I miss telling stories to the kids. I suppose, also, that time has healed me and erased some of the burn I felt after being beaten down by seemingly endless paperwork and impossible demands of the job.
No doubt, this will be a grand experiment for me. Do I have enough reserve built up in my tank to carry me through another ten years in the classroom or will I be truly damned, like an ill-roasted egg?
Now for the 2008-2009 campaign, I'm back for more cash as a third grade classroom teacher again. Many of my friends and colleagues have commented on my return to the daily grind of the classroom. Here's a sampling of what I've heard.
Are you crazy?
Are you nuts?
What's gotten into you?
Why on Earth would you leave your technology job?
Really, the answer is simple. I miss the classroom. I miss getting to know each of my students completely. I miss watching them as they learn. Most of all I miss telling stories to the kids. I suppose, also, that time has healed me and erased some of the burn I felt after being beaten down by seemingly endless paperwork and impossible demands of the job.
No doubt, this will be a grand experiment for me. Do I have enough reserve built up in my tank to carry me through another ten years in the classroom or will I be truly damned, like an ill-roasted egg?
1 comment:
Good luck going back to the classroom...kids need more teachers like you, so...no, you are not crazy! Have fun and make a difference ;)
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