play4him56
04-14-2008, 03:05 PM
This is just a variety of thoughts, I apologize if I appear to be rambling and unorganized in my thought process, I am just very passionate about what I do. I would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.
I would like to start by saying I am blessed to have a job, because there are many who don’t. Second I am very luck to do something I love. I am privileged to wake up every morning looking forward to going to work. This great profession of teaching is about so much more than money. However I have to admit I do compare myself to others in different professions and within my own. The system I work in is ranked 121 out of 126 school systems in the state. I know that I can make much more money doing other jobs. I teach technology education in a great school system. I am certified in AutoCAD and proficient in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Programming, Programmable Logic Controls (PLC) and Computer Control Automation. Each semester I teach a lesson on future careers and earning potential in my content areas. It never fails that one student will ask, “Well if you know how to do all this stuff why don’t you do it?” The only answer I can come up with is “I LOVE you guys”. My hope and prayer is that if I can help one student make it, or influence one to make good decisions, then I have truly lived. I don’t want to make $100,000 a year and die of a heart attack at a age 45 and leave a life behind that did not matter. One of our problems is that many measure success by wealth and material things.
When asked the question what do you make? Or why do teacher make so little, I am reminded of a story that was posted on http://www.appleseeds.org/you-make.htm
What do you Make?
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"…He said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you make?"
Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make?"
"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best."
"You want to know what I make?"
"I make kids wonder."
"I make them question."
"I make them criticize."
"I make them apologize and mean it."
"I make them write."
"I make them read, read, read."
"I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English."
"I elevate them to experience music and art and the joy in performance, so their lives are rich, full of kindness and culture, and they take pride in themselves and their accomplishments."
"I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your heart…and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention."
"You want to know what I make? I make a difference."
"By the way, what do you make?"
I would like to start by saying I am blessed to have a job, because there are many who don’t. Second I am very luck to do something I love. I am privileged to wake up every morning looking forward to going to work. This great profession of teaching is about so much more than money. However I have to admit I do compare myself to others in different professions and within my own. The system I work in is ranked 121 out of 126 school systems in the state. I know that I can make much more money doing other jobs. I teach technology education in a great school system. I am certified in AutoCAD and proficient in Computer Numerical Control (CNC) Programming, Programmable Logic Controls (PLC) and Computer Control Automation. Each semester I teach a lesson on future careers and earning potential in my content areas. It never fails that one student will ask, “Well if you know how to do all this stuff why don’t you do it?” The only answer I can come up with is “I LOVE you guys”. My hope and prayer is that if I can help one student make it, or influence one to make good decisions, then I have truly lived. I don’t want to make $100,000 a year and die of a heart attack at a age 45 and leave a life behind that did not matter. One of our problems is that many measure success by wealth and material things.
When asked the question what do you make? Or why do teacher make so little, I am reminded of a story that was posted on http://www.appleseeds.org/you-make.htm
What do you Make?
The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued: "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"…He said to another guest: "You're a teacher, Susan," he said. "Be honest. What do you make?"
Susan, who had a reputation of honesty and frankness, replied, "You want to know what I make?"
"I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could. I can make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor and an A- feel like a slap in the face if the student did not do his or her very best."
"You want to know what I make?"
"I make kids wonder."
"I make them question."
"I make them criticize."
"I make them apologize and mean it."
"I make them write."
"I make them read, read, read."
"I make them show all their work in math and hide it all on their final drafts in English."
"I elevate them to experience music and art and the joy in performance, so their lives are rich, full of kindness and culture, and they take pride in themselves and their accomplishments."
"I make them understand that if you have the brains, then follow your heart…and if someone ever tries to judge you by what you make, you pay them no attention."
"You want to know what I make? I make a difference."
"By the way, what do you make?"