Teacher of the Year

There is a picture of an ideal teacher in everyone's mind.  What they look like, what they say, what their classroom would feel like, and how they would inspire generation after generation of students.  Many of these ideals come from what we have seen on the large and small screen.  Teachers have been portrayed as these extraordinary people who can walk in off the street, into an inner city classroom and have students speaking fluent Japanese in three weeks.  They have students who may buck them, but after the teacher finds out "the back story", the students come around and produces poetry that would make Poe weep.  They have fantastic lives outside of school.  They are able to meet fellow teachers after school at the local pub and they never talk about school.  There is a warm meal on the table each night for supper and their own children do all their homework and the teacher never loses their patience with their own child.  I mean those teachers in the movies and on television have it all.  They have their "stuff" together.

Fun part of the blog:  Try this little quiz to see how well you know teachers of the movie.  Perfect score for this movie nut!

https://www.weareteachers.com/quiz-movie-teachers/

But we all know the reality of teaching and it very rarely looks like that.  Each day feels like a struggle.  There are kids we never seem to reach.  We can spend all year on something and a kiddo may never get it.  Social life?  When we do get together with fellow teachers, what do we talk about?  School.  Dinner at your house...you mean if you are home?  You may be at an event at school, coaching, or in your classroom prepping for the next day.  And your own kids?  Man...they probably get the short end of it all.  After dealing with other kids all day, your patience is SHOT.  Does this sound a little more like your life?

A new documentary entitled, "Teacher of the Year" is being released and begins in 2013 following North Carolina educator Angie Scoili.  She brings to light what it really is like being in the trenches.  Watching the trailer I could relate to it all...and I believe all of you can too.  I encourage you to watch the trailer (which is at the bottom of page) and read the information under "The Story" tab.

http://www.teacheroftheyearfilm.com/

Sounds a little more like real life?  Here is a link to an article of the documentary:

https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2017/02/how-pop-culture-misrepresents-educators/517923/

In the article, the first paragraph struck me.  I made a promise to myself when I was out on vacation, I wouldn't check my email.  We went to a place with NO cellular service.  There was Wi-Fi, but it wasn't great unless you were in your room.  I spent my days on the beach, so I wasn't getting emails.  (Oh...I saw the number each day creep up...by the time I came back on Thursday it was over 580 emails.)  I read four books that had NOTHING to do with education or teaching students the English language.  As we waited for the shuttle to take us to the airport our last day, a tear streaked down may face.  John asked why I was crying.  I told him for seven days I didn't think of my job.  The only kid I cared about and poured my energy into was our kid.  It was an amazing feeling.

Like you, I love my job.  I love what I am doing.  I love seeing you and the great things you are doing to reach kids.  But I don't think the outside world understands how much of us we give and pour into this profession.  We often put so much of ourselves (and our families) on the back burner.  As Scioli stated, "You can't seem to turn it off.

Keep doing good for our kids, but know that we may never be an Albus Dumbledore, John Keating, or Dr. Henry (AKA Indiana) Jones, Jr.  And that is ok.  Be the best teacher you can be. Find inspiration from these fictional teachers, but don't get down on yourself if your results are not the same.  Keep trying each day.  Find the things for you that work.  Find your piece of peace for yourself (I always say...you are no good to anyone if you are not good to yourself).

Keep on teaching.

Thank you for all you do.